About 2,000 representatives across the globe comprising political leaders, faith leaders, women and youth organisations, educators, and media converged in South Korea to attend 2018 HWPL World Peace Summit from 17th to 19th in September.
In an effort to find solutions to achieve sustainable peace, the participants discussed their roles and actionable plans in relation to the enactment of the international law for peace, the development of peace education, the promotion of a culture of peace as well as religious harmony.
On the last day of the 3-day summit, the host organisation, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) held sectorial conferences for members of youth and women organisations, religious leaders, and media.
The Role of the Youth and Women in Realising Peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the World
Organised by International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), an affiliated group of HWPL, the youth session titled, ‘The Role of the Youth in Spreading a Culture of Peace for the Realisation of World Peace was to get the support and the participation of youth in the ‘Peace letter campaign’.
Peace letter campaign is one of the peace projects of IPYG to urge government to support the implementation of the international law for peace based on the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).
Speaking on the peace letter campaign, Herculano Amaral, Coordinator of International Rotary Club of Dili Lafaek in Timor-Leste, said “Last year, IPYG members of Timor-Leste Branch met the former President and introduced HWPL and IPYG’s activities to him. And this year, our team convey the documents of the DPCW and a peace letter to the cabinet of the President. The movement is intended to get support from the President of our country and also those who involved in the decision making.”
This year’s conference also aimed to call for support for the peaceful reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
According to the General Director of IPYG, Mr. Young Min Chung, IPYG has made progress within Korea.
The Declaration of Unification of Korea, declared by Chairman of HWPL in 2010, stated the need for the two leaders of Korea to listen to the voices of the Korean citizens.
To achieve this, thousands of youths in Korea have written peace letters to President Moon to voice their support for the unification.
At the same time, hundreds of political leaders from around the world wrote letters to urge the leader of North Korea to talk to HWPL for the peace of the Korean peninsula.
The 2018 Worldwide Women’s Peace Conference was also held by International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), an affiliate of HWPL to share the progress of its peace activity such as women’s peace education, plan peace campaign and to discuss the role of women leaders in promoting peace in the world as well as help in bring the two Korean nations together.
Addressing the conference, Former First Lady of Croatia, Dr. Tatjana Josipović said the only legitimate and reasonable politics is to search for the permanent peace, without any violence.
She stated that Women in the creative fields of activities can contribute to the implementation of peace by influencing other people to advocate the DPCW to become a binding legal instrument.
“I think the provisions of the DPCW should not only be a moral obligation but to be binding rules for all world leaders.”
“Our voice must be heard from political institutions, art scene, sports fields, classrooms, and media to warn humanity that we must do everything to stop wars and violence once forever.” She demanded.
4th International Religious Leaders’ Conference: Spreading the Culture of Seeking a Trustworthy Scripture to Realize the Era of Peace.
World religious leaders from 20 different denominations gathered together to promote the culture of peace among religions and seek for the dedication of faith leaders to realise peace.
For this, the members of ‘Solidarity of Religions’ Peace Committee’ were appointed and charged with the responsibility of spreading the culture of seeking a trustworthy scripture.
The Most Rev. Wattegama Dhammawasa Nayaka Thero, President of Sri Subodharama International Buddhist Center in Sri Lanka said, “Even though my place is peaceful right now, we cannot be completely free from conflicts deeply.”
He observed that religious extremists do not practice their own religion and some hold strongly to their own religious views, hence conflicts and misunderstandings occur due to this discrepancy.
He underscored the need to find out the most trustworthy scripture that can overcome the differences of ideologies among religions to achieve world peace.” stressing the need for the religious harmony based on a trustworthy scripture.
Speaking about the need of the comparative studies of the scripture, Chairman Lee of HWPL said people need the scripture because the scripture leads the righteous way for people.
“Thoughts or wisdom of one’s own can’t be defined as a scripture.”
“At this time, the comparative studies of scripture are the most urgent since it is the definite way for the religions to become one.”
