The Asia Foundation Announces 2024 Class of William P. Fuller Fellows in Peacebuilding

The Asia Foundation announces the 2024 class of William P. Fuller Fellows in Peacebuilding. The three fellows selected are from Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Nepal and are emerging peacebuilding leaders positioned to make significant contributions to their field.

The evolving complexity of subnational conflicts in the 21st century requires significant investment in an emerging generation of leaders to innovate and drive solutions for peace. The William P. Fuller Fellowship in Peacebuilding is dedicated to the professional development of the next generation of leaders committed to addressing conflict and peacebuilding in Asia and the Pacific. The program fosters collaboration through a small cohort model, connecting fellows with the global peacebuilding community and elevating their professional growth and work in the field.

The Foundation’s Board of Trustees first established the program in 2004 to honor William P. Fuller’s 15-year tenure as president of The Asia Foundation. This tribute reflects the organization’s long-standing commitment to Fuller’s concern for furthering the professional development of young Asians with the leadership potential and professional commitment to advance their knowledge on managing sub-national conflicts.

Each fellow receives a $5,000 grant to support their individually tailored projects or advance professional goals. The program year will include extended engagement with the Foundation’s Leadership & Exchange program unit and the Conflict & Fragility programs. Fellows will also embark on a 12-day Study Tour and Peacebuilding Exchange in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Fuller Fellows are early or mid-career professionals with demonstrated leadership in peacebuilding who actively promote peace through research, advocacy, policymaking, or other realms bridging knowledge and implementation.

Meet the 2024 Fellows:

Zar Ti Nwe Nu Aung (Myanmar) is working on her Master of Social Sciences student from Chiang Mai University. Her current dissertation, “Transnational Political Activism of Burmese Activists in Mae Sot and Chiang Mai,” explores the challenges of exiled activism, contributing to future transnational research on Burma studies. With Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), she supports women survivors of human rights violations along the Thai-Myanmar border and supports Rohingya programs in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps. She has spearheaded survivor exchange programs to facilitate direct exchanges between Rohingya, Burma, Karen, and Ta’ang survivors, empowering and acknowledging them.  Her expertise includes transitional justice and human rights, impacting accountability initiatives against the junta through international channels.

Mustafa Aryan (Afghanistan) is a Research Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. He previously served as the Director of Regional and International Affairs for Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation. Mustafa holds a Master’s in International Security from the University of Reading and is a Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow. He serves as a Board Member of the Canadian International Council—Toronto Branch and writes op-eds in both English and Dari, with several of his articles published in reputable international media outlets.

Anuja Sapkota (Nepal) holds a PhD in Transitional Justice and Reconciliation and an M.A. in Conflict, Peace and Development Studies from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Her academic, research, and applied professional background is centered on working in conflict-affected regions and directly with the conflict victims in Nepal and beyond. She has worked as a peace researcher, peace advisor, and program officer with various international, bilateral, and national organizations in Nepal. She is also a certified trainer and facilitator on Nonviolence, Do No Harm, Dialogue, and Women’s Peace Mediation.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, gender equality, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.

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