The International Peace Foundation Network has facilitated visits to Asia for around 100 Nobel laureates since 2003. In an exclusive interview with The Storm Media, its chairman Uwe Morawetz stated, "Education is the foundation, science is a cornerstone for peace. I hope that Taiwan BRIDGES will become sustainable ones, Nobel laureates will regularly visit Taiwan to conduct research projects with universities and invite Taiwanese students to their laboratories.”
Under Morawetz's leadership, the International Peace Foundation launched the first Thailand BRIDGES in 2003, and invited Nobel Prize winners gave speeches in Thailand and engaged in dialogue with young students, creating a success. “Now Nobel laureates who have never been to Taiwan before will visit for their first time and hope that Taiwanese universities will proactively invite them back to Taiwan in the years to come," Morawetz said.
Morawetz: Peaceful dialogue takes time to build.
Taiwan BRIDGES, from November 2025 to May 2026, invited thirty-one Nobel laureates who came to Taiwan to give lectures and engaged closely with university and high school students. Morawetz stated, "The BRIDGES project is not a one-time event. We want to build long-term bridges, not just one-time visits. Peace and dialogue are a process; they cannot be achieved overnight and require time to develop. We hope Taiwan BRIDGES will continue in the future."
Taiwan BRIDGES plans to invite former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso to give a speech at Academia Sinica this October. Barroso served as President of the European Commission from 2004 to 2014, during which he promoted the expansion of the EU from 15 member states to 28, facilitated the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, and initiated the 2020 Climate Change and Energy Security Plan. In recognition of the EU's contributions to promoting peace, human rights, and democracy in Europe, he received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the European Union in 2012.
To prepare for Taiwan BRIDGES, Morawetz visited Taiwan about 50 times over two years. He met community and business leaders, NGOs, policy makers, heads of government and universities in Taiwan. It involved about 400 meetings in total.
In an exclusive interview with The Storm Media, he reflected on the original intention behind founding the International Peace Foundation, his connection with the Dalai Lama, the launch of the Asian BRIDGES Projects, and his outlook for the future.
Witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall, he was determined to create an independent platform for dialogue.
Morawetz was born in Germany and, at 17, toured European cities with classical choirs and orchestras. He later became a writer and published several poetry books and essays. He moved to Berlin in 1986, and due to the wall, he could not travel to East Berlin. When the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, he witnessed everything on site and was deeply moved. He said, "Although the wall has collapsed, there are still misunderstandings between East and West Germany, and both sides desperately need dialogue. I wanted to create an independent platform for such a dialogue."
Morawetz had many friends in the arts and music world. With the help of renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin, he held a public forum in Berlin in 1993, including former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former West German diplomat Egon Bahr, and former Soviet veteran diplomat Valentin Falin in their first dialogue, discussing secret diplomacy during the Cold War and new developments in Europe.
The Dalai Lama sponsored his ideals, followed by 20 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
The Dalai Lama received Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. Movie star Richard Gere traveled to India to visit the Dalai Lama, with Morawetz accompanying him, making the Dalai Lama the first Nobel Laureate to support his ideas. Later, 20 Nobel Peace Prize laureates followed, including South African human rights fighters Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Soviet and US Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Jimmy Carter and others.
In 1995, during the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, Morawetz held several public forums in Berlin, with 500 events in one month by inviting 200 speakers including the Dalai Lama, Punk legend Patti Smith, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, and members of the hip-hop band The Beastie Boys. Benefiting the Kosovo War victims, Morawetz produced the CD 'Voices for Peace', inviting 50 artists including Elton John and Paul McCartney to contribute songs. Several Nobel laureates issued statements, which were read by actress Sophia Loren, film director Woody Allen and others.
The International Peace Foundation was established in 1999, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and is a non-profit, non-governmental organization. At that time, seed funding was provided by Swarovski, an Austrian crystal maker, with the advisory committee chaired by Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein. Several Nobel laureates were invited to serve as members of the advisory committee.
Morawetz: Although everyone speaks English, politicians and scientists speak different languages.
Morawetz stated, "This project basically starts from an ideal: young people yearn for new models and solutions for peace and development. Although we all speak the same language, such as English, German, or Chinese, the languages spoken by different language groups differ greatly. For instance, the language spoken by politicians is different from that of artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, or religious leaders, and different groups rarely have the opportunity to come together and have conversations."
In search of a new language of collaboration, Morawetz discovered "a new art form that brings everyone together to foster a culture of peaceful dialogue as a way to advance peace and promote understanding and mutual trust among different cultures and societies." He believes, "The problems facing the world are interconnected and cannot be solved by politicians alone, or by science, business, or religion alone; instead, they must be solved by working together."
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Morawetz has held public forums and art events in West and Eastern Europe and in the US. Ten years later, he decided to expand these activities to other parts of the world, such as Asia.
The first stop in Asia was Thailand, where he spent a year listening to and experiencing Thai culture.
Morawetz came to Thailand in 2000, giving himself a year to listen to and experience Thai culture and life, following in the footsteps of Father Joe Maier, supporting Joe Maier’s care for street children, AIDS patients, and drug addicts in the slums of Bangkok. He practiced at several temples in Thailand, became a monk, and learned Thai. He currently lives in Thailand. He said, "My first step in Asia was to listen, to understand Asian culture not only with my mind, but with my heart and my hands."
At the invitation of the Thai government and with the support of the Thai royal family, the International Peace Foundation began the BRIDGES Project in Thailand in 2003, inviting 27 Nobel laureates to visit Thailand and deliver keynote speeches, as well as inviting figures from the music and arts sectors to participate. At that time, ambassadors from ASEAN countries stationed in Bangkok participated in the BRIDGES project and invited the International Peace Foundation to host BRIDGES in other ASEAN countries. Thus, starting in 2007, the first ASEAN BRIDGES Project was launched, starting from the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, and the events have been held for thirteen consecutive years.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of official relations between Japan and ASEAN, Japan-ASEAN BRIDGES was launched in November 2023. Next, Taiwan BRIDGES was conducted from November 2025 to May 2026, and thirty-one Nobel laureates were invited to Taiwan to give lectures and engage closely with university and high school students.
The International Peace Foundation has been promoting Asian BRIDGES Projects for over 23 years. Morawetz said that its partners are universities and schools, hoping to inspire young people because they are the hope for the future. Nobel laureates meet with leaders from various countries, helping governments to allocate more funding to science, research, and education, while also building schools and hospitals in remote areas. The BRIDGES events not only invite Nobel laureates but also business leaders such as the founder of the Body Shop Anita Roddick, former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, former President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, American vocalist Jessye Norman, film star Jackie Chan, Thai-British violinist Vanessa May, and Hollywood film director Oliver Stone and others to Asia.
Morawetz: Peace begins with education and requires time, attention, and the participation of all of us.
Morawetz believes, "Peace is not reserved for a select few elites; it requires everyone's participation. Peace is not a given good; it must be continuously learned, experienced, and created anew; Peace is not a passive state; it is a process that requires time, attention, and the participation of everyone. Peace begins with education. The seeds of peace need to be planted in schools and universities to inspire the young generation—they are the voices of the future."
Nobel Chemistry laureate and former president of Academia Sinica Lee Yuan-Tseh was invited to Thailand in 2003 to give a lecture under "Thailand BRIDGES." At Lee Yuan-Tseh's invitation, Morawetz visited Taiwan for the first time in 2023 and began preparations for “Taiwan BRIDGES." For more than two years, he visited many community leaders, nonprofits, and universities in Taiwan, as dialogue begins with listening.
Morawetz: Nobel laureates can become Taiwan's goodwill ambassadors.
Morawetz pointed out, "We encourage important organizations in Taiwan to create their own events. The role of the International Peace Foundation is being a facilitator, not an organizer." At that time, National Taiwan University was the first to commit six Nobel laureates, while Academia Sinica committed to host ten Nobel laureates. In June 2024, Morawetz visited President Lai Ching-Te, the Honorary Chairman of the Taiwan BRIDGES program, to discuss expanding the event's reach across Taiwan. Then 12 universities and research institutions pledged to host 31 Nobel laureates.
"Nobel laureates can become goodwill ambassadors for Taiwan." Morawetz pointed out, "I prepared for Taiwan BRIDGES with intensive visits to Taiwan. I hope Nobel laureates will have similar experiences and gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan, becoming true friends of Taiwan and serving as goodwill ambassadors for Taiwan. When they return to the United States, Australia, Europe, or Japan, they can share their wonderful experiences in Taiwan and will visit Taiwan regularly." Therefore, Nobel laureates come to Taiwan not just to give speeches, but also to listen, to share, to participate in processes, thus fostering long-term cooperation."
Taiwan can promote global dialogue and cooperation through science diplomacy, academic freedom, and humanitarianism.
How do you view Taiwan's role in international dialogue and cooperation? Morawetz believes, "Taiwan is a platform for high-level scientific dialogue. Taiwan is a global leader in physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics. Taiwan highlights a free and open academic environment that is crucial for addressing the complex challenges facing the world. The active participation of the younger generation is key to our future. Taiwan also represents a neutral humanitarian pathway, participating in global dialogue through organizations like Tzu Chi. Therefore, Taiwan can play a unique role in promoting global dialogue and cooperation through science diplomacy, academic freedom, and humanitarian efforts."
Three heroes guided him, emphasizing the power of less is more.
Who has the greatest impact on your life? Morawetz pointed out that three heroes have guided his path. First is the Italian saint Franz of Assisi, a 12th-century saint who represents soul and empathy for nature. He emphasized the power of less is more, finding joy in small things, discovering wonders in the present moment, and learning to listen and engage with humility and service as a lifestyle. Basically, start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you accomplish the impossible!
The second person who influenced him most was Austrian musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who represents the infinite potential of the human mind. He worked diligently, integrating existing ideas into brand new ones, with the freedom to create in his own way, using quiet preparation and fast execution, and ultimately achieving perfection in structure.
The third is the 19th-century French poet Arthur Rimbaud, who wrote most of his important work until he was in his early 20s and then stopped writing. Morawetz said, "He represents the rebellious spirit of youth by inventing new languages, forward thinking and knowing when to quit, because the impact of your work is not measured by how long you do it, but by the intensity and authenticity you pour into it."
For 23 years, Morawetz has promoted BRIDGES projects in Asia, traveling across various Asian countries.
In 2016, he went to North Korea to embark on a humanitarian journey. At that time, three Nobel laureates were invited to North Korea, together with Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein. To prepare for the North Korea trip, Morawetz traveled to North Korea six times. He stated, "The main purpose of the North Korean humanitarian tour was to listen to the voices of North Korea's young generation and to give them opportunities to experience the outside world. The visit to North Korea was based on humanitarian concern; threats, sanctions, and fear divide people, and only through bridges and dialogue can people be brought closer together."
Morawetz: Nobel laureates plant seeds in Taiwan, hoping to build a sustainable bridge for Taiwan.
After Taiwan BRIDGES ends, the International Peace Foundation will go to other countries to promote other projects. Morawetz stated, "We continue to promote education, and in the long term, education contributes to peaceful development and regional prosperity. We hope to foster a new culture of peace through dialogue. Peace is not just the absence of war and armed conflict; its foundation is education."
Morawetz stated, "The International Peace Foundation is merely a facilitator; the universities are the organizers. We are planting seeds which will grow in the future. We hope Taiwanese universities will invite Nobel Laureates to Taiwan in the future, to build long-term friendships and cooperative relationships, and thus create sustainable bridges." （Related： Exclusive | A Nobel Laureate's Warning: AI Overpromises, Underdelivers — and Kills Creativity ｜ Latest ）
