Global Leaders Gather in South Korea for HWPL World Peace Summit
The event, themed "Implementing a Multi-dimensional Strategies for Institutional Peace," brought together leaders and experts in various fields, such as international law, religion, education, youth.
INCHON, South Korea - More than 1,800 people from 121 countries, including prominent figures from the United States, the Philippines, Ukraine, South Africa, Pakistan, Thailand, Romania, and India, attended the 9th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit held in Incheon, South Korea, from September 18th to 21st, writes Winston Mwale.
The event, themed "Implementing a Multi-dimensional Strategies for Institutional Peace," brought together leaders and experts in various fields, such as international law, religion, education, youth, women, and the media.
Over the course of four days, they participated in approximately 30 sessions, engaging in discussions on practical strategies to establish a legally binding international law for peace.
At the press conference on the 18th, Lee Man-hee, Chairman of the host organization Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), called on politicians and world leaders to take action for peace.
Drawing from his personal experience as a war veteran, Lee emphasized the need to prevent the sacrifice of young lives in war.
"Why should the lives of young people be sacrificed in war? What is politics, and for whom is it for? When war breaks out, it is not politicians who go out and fight, but young people who have never blossomed before who are sacrificed. Peace cannot be achieved through words alone. If we don't have one, we have to create one, so we have travelled 32 times around the world to carry out peace activities. If peace had won in this world, there would have been no regrettable deaths. Through the enactment of international law, we must leave peace as a legacy to the global community where our descendants will live," stated Lee.
During the main session on the 18th, HE Prof. Dr. Emil Constantinescu, the 3rd President of Romania, highlighted the importance of peace as a supreme value of humanity.
He stated, "Peace is not an abstract concept but rather a supreme value of humanity that can generate a calm environment in which people can live without the threat of violent conflict or psychological pressure. We agreed to work towards the implementation of concrete measures, both in the short but above all in the long term, in order to fashion a new system of reference that replaces attitudes of 'man against man' with 'man alongside man', expressed in the motto we adopted in 2014, 'We Are One'."
HWPL advocates for building an internationally agreed-upon concrete institutional peace based on the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).
The organisation aims to establish a comprehensive peace continuum, ranging from conflict prevention to maintaining peace.
HWPL also conducts interreligious dialogues, peace activities led by youth and women, peace education, and media outreach to promote a culture of peace.
In the progress report presentation, Kang Tae-ho, Managing Director of HWPL, introduced the progress of the DPCW, which has garnered support from approximately 900,000 individuals and civil society organisations in 176 countries.
The Central American Parliament and the case of Mindanao, a private-level peace agreement, were also highlighted as successful examples.
Hon. Ahod B. Ebrahim, Al haj, Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from the Philippines, expressed his gratitude for the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Christians, Indigenous Peoples', and Lumad in the region. He called on influential leaders and policymakers worldwide to promote peace, disarmament, and a sustainable future.
The HWPL Peace Award was presented to 13 individuals at the event in recognition of their contributions to HWPL's peace initiatives.
Among the recipients were H.E. Prof. Dr. Emil Constantinescu, the 3rd President of Romania; H.E. Mr. Oumar Keita, Former Permanent Delegate of Mali to UNESCO HQ; and Dr. Ciaran Burke, Professor of International Law at Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany.
HWPL officials expressed their gratitude for the visit of global peace messengers, including former heads of state and leaders of ministerial rank.
They called for the cooperation of the South Korean government and the support of the international community to ensure that such nongovernmental diplomacy can contribute to achievable and lasting peace.