Photojournalist Julia Cumes, a 1990 Iolani graduate, and her husband, David Karam, an architect, were the first speakers for the Iolani Peace Instiute.

They spoke to students and faculty about their travels to Thailand, where they helped villagers rebuild homes and boats after the devestating Tsunamis hit the Indian Ocean coasts on December 24, 2004. They visited on March 4 in the Weinberg Building.

They shared photographs of children and their families left homeless and orphaned. Villagers have been forced to live in make shift tents without privacy or running water, trying to maintain their dignity and cultural pride.

But they also spoke of hope and optimism, telling of how children played with balloons or made games out of toy boats and sticks.  Cumes and Baram helped villagers build homes.

Cumes and Baram currently reside in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They plan to return to Thailand in the near future.