Hiroshima University and Cairo University have agreed to launch joint research to help bring peace to the Middle East. Officials from the 2 universities announced the plan at a news conference near Cairo on Sunday. They said they will now conclude a pact to carry out joint studies in a wide range of fields and launch a student exchange program. They said their research will aim to help establish peace in the Middle East, which is now burdened by the civil war in Syria and terrorist attacks by the Islamic State militant group. Hiroshima University says it will bring to the project knowledge of peace studies as an academic institution in the atomic-bombed city. The school is also considering having Egyptian students take a peace studies class, which is compulsory for domestic students, to learn ways to prevent conflicts. Cairo University President Gaber Nassar said Egypt has worked to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. He said his university wants to support efforts for peace in the Middle East and around the world. Hiroshima University President Mitsuo Ochi said a message of peace will be conveyed from Hiroshima to Africa and Arab nations through Egypt. There have been active exchanges between Egypt and Hiroshima this year on the topic of peace. "Barefoot Gen", a Japanese manga comic depicting the life of a boy before and after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, was published in Arabic in Egypt. An Egyptian cabinet minister recently visited Hiroshima and laid flowers at the Peace Memorial Park.

• published: 21 Dec 2015
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