Russia's weapons will cause generational suffering in Ukraine. I know. Sera Koulabdara

From the ruins of World War II to the jungles of Southeast Asia and now to the burning fields of Ukraine, the weapons may change, but the human cost of war remains heartbreakingly familiar. Opinion contributor

As we approach Sept. 21, International Day of Peace , I found myself reflecting on the theme for 2025, "Act Now for a Peaceful World," while flying home from Japan. August marked 80 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , and Japan's subsequent surrender to the Allied forces. This is also the 50th year since the end of the U.S. wars in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam .

As a Laotian American, I carry a deep connection to these histories ‒ events that took place long before I was born but continue to shape the world around me.

I grew up in Laos, a country deeply