I'm Kaijie Xing, originally from China, currently studying Creative Business in The Netherlands. Alongside my studies, I've gained prominence as a social media influencer, amassing over a million views on Chinese social platforms. Additionally, I've been involved in various projects such as short films and documentaries. Furthermore, I'm also adept at songwriting and designing, exploring my talents as an artist.
The reason why I decided to work for Peace Museum Vienna. I have always been interested in the thoughts of peace and history.
That’s why I wanna get involved into this topic and doing meaningful not for ourselves, for the world. So far, it has been worthwhile to work here. It will always been one of the monumental chapters in my life!
My name is Alex Bücker. I was born in Germany, but have lived in Basel, Switzerland for most of my life. After my Matura-Graduation I entered the University of Basel where I started to study History and Political Science. After a little while I realized that studying History is not exactly where I want my professional career to go so, I started studying law but kept on going with political science. I am currently doing my Bachelors in both of these subjects.
I intern for the Peace Museum Vienna because topics like conflict resolution, peacebuilding and the consciousness for peace are very important and highly interesting to me. In my opinion, it is essential that people are being educated about peace and how we keep it to form a better understanding on what it takes to achieve a more peaceful world. Every individual can make a difference and I think Peace Museum Vienna plays a critical role in educating people about that.
Yelyzaveta Sotnyk
Liza is a Game Design student getting her bachelor's degree in Finland. In addition to her passion for games, she's interested in visual art and animation.
Since the horrors of war are still happening in the modern world, she believes that it is important to promote peace ideas to stop those who continue starting wars based on hostility to independent states and their cultures.
She would like to use her skills in Graphic Design for promoting ideas of the Peace Museum and learn new things about peace activism.
I'm Yas, I've been studying Art my whole life, my dad has always been an inspiration in my art life and I've learned a lot from him.
Peace has always been a part of my life and I never give up on Peace. The world has to be full of peace heroes and peaceful energy. I never doubt that justice is wrong, I always believe that peace will save the world if we all help each other either physical health or mental health, make someone smile, hug each other with or without a reason. Try to spread peace, to the world. When I started my internship in Peace museum, I knew I have reached my inner peace, and I know now it's time I spread peace to others.
My name is Martin Brlečić and I come from Zagreb, Croatia. I study sociology and I’m almost finished with my master’s degree. I was on exchange in the winter semester of 23. /24. In Graz and wanted to stay for a little longer in Austria and gain some more experience while I had the opportunity with Erasmus+ internship programme. While looking for an internship it was hard to find one that matched what I wanted to do in life and what I believed in. Luckily, I found the Peace Museum and I immediately felt that my search was over.
My reasoning for deciding that it was the right match for me is because during my sociological education all I heard about was hardship in the world and it impacted me in a personal way, so I decided to put my efforts in the opposite direction and do things that bring joy and peace to people.
Anita Micheli
Anita was an intern at the Peace Museum in Vienna. She studied International Relations and she joined an Intercultural organization that promotes student exchange before being part of the Peace Museum. She believes peace is a value that must be pursued with daily action and accurate information, which is why she decided to join the museum's team. For the Peace Museum Vienna, she worked for 6 months as Content Creator for the websites, social media, Peace Museum Vienna and the Metaverse gallery exhibitions, she also coordinated new interns and new volunteers and conducted workshops of peace education in schools.
My name is Gabriel, I am 25 years old master student in Vienna. I was born in Brazil and since I am 15, I have been living in different European countries. I love languages and cultures! Currently, I am learning my 9th language. I believe that learning languages help us better connect and understand other people and have a wide open mind to new ways of seeing life! Collaborate with the Peace Museum in Vienna is a great opportunity to actively engage in fostering peace in Vienna and to help people to connect each other. Peacebuilding efforts can have a profound impact on people's daily life and on our own. A more peaceful society translates to a more welcoming environment for everyone, a safe place where diverse perspectives of seeing the world are celebrated and appreciated, and differences are bridged! I am grateful for meeting this amazing team and looking forward to new projects together!
Saamiha Sajjad, an artist, changemaker, originally from Tanzania, joined the Peace Museum to merge her artistic talents with her passion for humanitarian causes. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Art and Design from the University of Alberta, Saamiha specializes in sculpture and mixed media. She believes that art is a powerful medium to express oneself and alter perceptions about pressing humanitarian issues. Her commitment to using art for social impact is evident from her time during a volunteer trip to Nepal, collaborating with orphanages to create a six-foot mural that continues to inspire onlookers. Her work extends to virtual reality, where she created a project based on evoking empathy by placing viewers in the shoes of the less fortunate, a project that was earned by a selective scholarship in the UAE. At the Peace Museum, Saamiha aims to raise awareness and inspire change through art, contributing to a world where peace and understanding are fostered through creative expression.
My name is George Thornton, I am a history graduate from the University of East Anglia. I live in London, and I work in the music and events industry. Living and growing up in London, I have met many people displaced by war and human rights abuses - their stories, and the countless others like them, inspire me to concern myself with the mission for peace. As such, I have worked with Pushkin House on exhibitions concerning the invasion of Ukraine and the Free West Papua movement. My ethos consists of liberation, peace and the eradication of poverty. All of these things can only be achieved through the success and proliferation of peace efforts worldwide. War is a scourge on humanity, and it is our collective responsibility to change the world!
Behnaz Monfared
Born in 1988 in Tehran, Iran. Behnaz Monfared is a visual artist who has been inspired and influenced by the global language of visual arts. Growing up in a family where art was part of life, her father is a calligrapher so very soon she learned about Iranian traditional art. Monfared received a BA in graphic design in 2005. From early on Behnaz was focused on graphic design and illustration but her passion that she worked on for years is peace art. She believed in reflecting peace and hope through her art works so her passion led her to have several national and international exhibitions and festivals like Serbia, Netherlands, Austria. As part of the process of art making Monfared is engaged with extensive research study areas of psychology, history of war in Iran, mythical stories and the philosophy of inner peace. She does not limit herself to particular techniques like illustration, video art and photomontage because she believes that with each technique a different section of the subject can be shown. Finding inner peace is somehow building herself a new world and to cherish this opportunity she took it upon herself to share her passion with her art. As a female artist, most of the topics she has chosen are about women’s issues. In most of her projects, she deals with how women have reached hope in difficult circumstances like war. She believes that the war has been hardly looked at through a woman’s eyes. But it is not enough for her, she studies world peace activists, documenting women and addressing the issue of “inner peace”. In her view, art is a kind of adventure that ultimately addresses life and hope.
Charlotte Reece
In a world that is becoming increasingly unstable it is important for the younger generation to have an education on peace, so that the “never again” statements are not lost in the folds of time, or shrouded in a Western perspective. My dedication to peace stems from a profound understanding of its cultural, social, and ethical dimensions. My academic journey—culminating in a MA in History and Philosophy of Art, with a thesis on "The Role of Art and Culture in Alleviating Poverty"—underscores my belief in the transformative power of culture and education. These experiences, combined with my earlier studies in Philosophy and Ethics, revealed a commitment to exploring and promoting ethical frameworks that nurture harmonious coexistence.
I have collaborated across international educational and cultural organisations, advocating for diversity and inclusive policies. As an Educational Consultant I am grateful to have worked on initiatives that impact marginalised communities, from securing funding for youths at risk to integrating cultural heritage into education. These endeavours embody my vision of fostering environments where empathy and understanding thrive.
My other volunteer roles—providing empathetic support through Seven Cups of Tea or championing sustainability with Olio—further highlight my dedication to community and environmental well-being. My belief in peace is not merely theoretical but a practical commitment to creating equitable, compassionate, and sustainable societies.
Nikolina Bobar is a communications professional deeply committed to advancing peace and global understanding. She completed her BSc in journalism at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Science and a master's in communications at the University of Vienna, where she also began her PhD studies. During her academic journey, she volunteered at the Peace Museum in Vienna, contributing to initiatives that underscore the crucial need for peace in the world.
Nikolina’s work as a Communications Associate at the United Nations focused on managing communications for major international events aimed at fostering global cooperation and conflict resolution. She played a key role in crafting messages that called for peace and understanding during times of crisis, with a particular emphasis on how communication can bridge divides and promote sustainable peace.
For her master’s thesis, Nikolina studied nation branding in post-war ex-Yugoslav countries, exploring how these nations rebuild their international image in the aftermath of conflict. Having experienced the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars as a child, Nikolina understands the profound impact of conflict on both individuals and societies. Although only four years old during the war, the lasting effects of those events have fueled her passion for advocating peace. She remains hopeful that, despite current global challenges, peace can be restored through concerted efforts and collaboration across borders.