World peace is no longer a promise — it’s a fading illusion. As the wars in Ukraine and Gaza rage on, and genocides unfold in places like Sudan, we’re reminded that conflict is not an exception, but a constant. History, as we’re often told, repeats itself. But that’s not an excuse — it’s a warning.
In this issue — our November 2025 edition — we reflect on that warning in a month marked by Remembrance Day, a time meant to honour those lost to two world wars and to strengthen commitment to peace. Yet, in today’s world, remembrance feels less like reflection and more like persistence.
Our Periscope feature centers on 93-year-old Terumi Tanaka, a Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor and co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. In 2024, he received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the group — a powerful moment in the lead-up to the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Tanaka doesn’t just recount the horror of nuclear war — he warns us about the growing global appetite for militarization and the evolving threat of nuclear weapons. His message is clear: peace is not passive; it must be fought for.
In People, Varsity reporters introduce you to Miru Wong Ka-lam, who keeps tradition alive by running a 67-year-old embroidered shoe shop in modern Hong Kong — a quiet resistance against cultural erasure. We also feature a bar where people can enjoy “Hitting Villain Cocktail,” an experimental mixture of stress relief with Cantonese folk rituals, proving that even in chaotic times, tradition can thrive.
Other stories explore the uneasy relationship between students and GenAI. More are using it to ace assignments, but many fear they’re trading intellectual growth for convenience — and losing the ability to think for themselves. Our reporters also dig into the subtle politics of dating apps, where digital loneliness is reshaping intimacy and youth culture, and where personal choices are increasingly influenced by algorithms and isolation.
Varsity reporters also report on how storm-chasing for social media clout turned dangerous during Typhoon Ragasa, with arrests and hospitalizations raising questions about public safety and digital recklessness.
From tech to tradition, our stories this month reflect one core question: what does peace look like in a fractured world? At a time when the world feels like it’s unravelling, we believe journalism must do more than document — it must ask the hardest questions, challenge apathy, and imagine better futures.
Because peace isn’t just the absence of war.
It’s the presence of justice, empathy, and truth.
Thank you for reading.
Erica Hwang & Suan Yeon
Co-Chief Editors
