Group 4

Hello! My name is Rise Saiki, and I was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan. I’m currently a fourth-year undergraduate student at International Christian University in Tokyo, majoring in International Relations.

Although I major in International Relations, I have a strong interest in Peace Studies and have studied topics such as peacebuilding, reconciliation, and human rights. Until now, however, I had never critically examined democracy from the perspective of peacebuilding. Therefore, my main goal in this forum is to explore whether democracy truly contributes to peacebuilding or whether it can also lead to conflict, and to examine the relationship between peace and democracy.

As I am most interested in the foreign policy and politics of my home country, Japan, I have also been involved in election administration in Japan. I hope to share some of the insights and experiences I gained through that involvement while exchanging perspectives on democracy and the societal challenges we face today.

I am very honored and look forward to participating in the 2026 Athens Democracy Forum!

My name is María Alejandra Núñez, and I am a law student in my sixth semester at Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), pursuing a minor in Conflict Management, Mediation, and Arbitration. My true passion lies in public international law and conflict resolution, focusing on helping people in a direct and meaningful way.

As a member of the Center for International Protection Law, I actively analyze government responses, the current landscape of human rights, and highly relevant international conflicts. This academic focus is deeply personal, having lived through nationwide blackouts in both Venezuela and Ecuador, I have seen firsthand how institutional crises impact daily life. These experiences drive my commitment to vulnerable populations, leading me to volunteer at Centro Amor and Buena Voluntad, and to engage directly with human mobility institutions like the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

I am also a passionate advocate. I thrive in competitive environments and have proudly represented my university in several competitions across debate, arbitration, and mediation. This background has taught me how to find consensus and practical solutions in the midst of complex disagreements.

At the Athens Democracy Forum, I want to explore how democratic systems can better manage crises and protect marginalized communities. Afterward, I plan to pilot a Democracy Lab at USFQ to share these insights. I look forward to bringing a strong commitment to making international legal systems work through their instruments to deliver practical, human-centered solutions.

Hello everyone! My name is Clarady Brooks, and I'm a third-year undergraduate student from the United States, studying Africana Studies with minors in Education and Writing and Communication at Oberlin College. I have had a critical interest in democracy since the beginning of my undergraduate career and have explored themes of politics and social justice in my coursework and Study abroad experiences in Mexico and Southern Africa. My focus lies in amplifying marginalized voices and bridging differences through cross-cultural understanding. I am excited to broaden my horizons through listening to the perspectives of diverse peers and speakers this fall.

I spent my Spring 2026 semester in South Africa and Namibia, interning with the nationally renowned Namibian Institute of Democracy (NID). There, I was involved in civic education programming and civil society development. Additionally, I worked as part of the communications team at NID to create media that encouraged civic engagement and raised political consciousness in Namibia. My recent experience has inspired me to become more involved with engaging youth in civic education in my hometown and college community. I look forward to participating in the Athens Democracy Forum and learning how I can continue to combat threats to democracy in my local governments and organizations.