Updated: 5 days ago
History for Peace has just concluded its first ever Peace Ambassadors programme. The project was launched in February 2026 in collaboration with the Department of Liberal Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (DLHS) at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) at Bengaluru. Three final year students of History – Aditya Sunil, Avishi Agarwal, and Yash Bhattacharjee took on the mantle of peace ambassadors under the guidance of their professor, Swathi Shivanand. The aim of the programme was to actively and intentionally look at history to examine critically how narratives are formed, contested and even weaponized and how hate and intolerance can be countered by fostering inclusive and pluralistic campus communities. Keeping in mind the core principles of History for Peace—historical empathy and deconstruction of bias—the rationale for the programme was to move out of the classroom and empower students to lead conversations and activities on equity, social justice and peace. It was hoped that this would lead to ever-widening ripples of awareness, understanding and a sense of responsibility.
Through the course of several meetings, it was agreed that given the relatively packed academic schedule there would be one main activity organized by the ambassadors for their campus peers and, in tune with a larger engagement with historical representations in popular culture, that would be a film screening followed by a discussion. The ambassadors chose to screen The Grave of the Fireflies, a very powerful and haunting anti-war film by Studio Ghibli directed by Isao Takahata that carries a resonating message about the cost of war and political conflict on society. The screening was followed by a discussion primarily led by faculty members with expertise in history and film studies on a broad range of themes. The discussion explored films as historical texts to examine how war, identity, nationalism and belonging are experienced by ordinary people. Through specific scenes and comparisons with Partition, participants reflected on how personal experiences of loss and displacement can challenge dominant narratives of war and nationhood. The discussion ultimately highlighted how films can bring marginalised voices and overlooked experiences into conversations about history. Here is something from the interaction in the words of the ambassadors –
'After wars, history is often recorded, but places like Rwanda and Palestine still do not have many movies made by their own people about their own stories. This raises an essential question about who gets to document history and whose narratives are excluded, in cases of both cinematic history and narratives (oral and written).'
The second component of the programme was their analysis of watching films as sources of history. For this and following their interests, students chose Jodhaa Akbar, Oppenheimer and Braveheart. These analytical essays can be read here.
The third component of their programme involved writing a set of reflective essays which represent their individual journeys in exploring historiographical traditions and how they transformed their understanding of history from grand narratives centred on rulers and nations to histories attentive to ordinary people, marginalised voices, memory and identity. The three essays can be read here.
The first Peace Ambassadors programme at MAHE showed how an engagement with the past can open up meaningful conversations about peace in the present. By exploring films, historical narratives, memory and marginalised experiences, the students were encouraged to question received ideas and recognise the many perspectives that shape our understanding of history. More importantly, the programme placed students at the centre of this enquiry, giving them the opportunity to initiate conversations with their peers and reflect on questions of conflict, prejudice, identity and justice. Their experience suggests that when young people are encouraged to approach history with curiosity and critical awareness, they can help create more thoughtful, open and inclusive spaces within their own communities.
Reflections by the ambassadors and the advising faculty:
“Working with ‘History for Peace’ was a valuable and positive experience, especially as a first-time event organizer. This programme gave our team a great platform to present a meaningful contemporary theme, which is crucial and highly relevant in the current scenario. We were truly mindful of our position in presenting the narrative and strived to use that authority in a fair, unbiased and positive manner. I really enjoyed working with the public around history through films which I think is a productive step in encouraging them to engage critically with media.
I am grateful for the mentorship that HfP and our department faculty provided to us with patience that made the experience further rewarding. Moving forward, I hope to continue engaging with history beyond the surface meaning.”
- AVISHI AGARWAL
It has been an important educational experience for me as a student to participate in the History for Peace programme. One thing that I have learned through this programme is that history is more than just dates and events – it also concerns the creation of memories of the past and how those memories are shared. More specifically, I have acquired an ability to assess films from the point of view of historical interpretations and evaluate their relevance as historical sources. Researching the histories of various communities, especially lesser-known or underrepresented communities, has shown that understanding their perspectives should be important to history. In conclusion, these experiences allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of history and see the past with new curiosity and openness.
-ADITYA SUNIL
My experience as a History for Peace Ambassador allowed me to engage with history beyond the conventional boundaries of academic writing. Through my two essays and the screening of Grave of the Fireflies, I explored the way history is shaped by memories, cinema, identity, and collective discussion. The experience made me more conscious of whose voices are remembered, whose are marginalized and how representations of the past influence our understanding of the present. I am grateful for the opportunity to engage in history through writing, film, and discussion. The programme has helped me to look beyond conventional historical narratives and think more critically about memory, representation, and whose voices are remembered.
-YASH BHATTACHARJEE
When we started this ambassadorship programme at the Department of Social Sciences at MILHS, we imagined that students would be able to undertake the work of analysing films with relative ease. After all, historical films were what drew some of them to history and they had undergone training in historiography and the making of historical narratives. But, as the project unfolded, it became demonstrably clear that public engagement as students of history is a skill that needs mentoring, practice and rigour. This collaboration with HfP has urged us to think through the pedagogical nitty-gritties of asking students to on public engagement and will surely inform the ways in which we think of the teaching and evaluation of the discipline of history at the department.
-DR. SWATHI SHIVANAND
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