The sun-soaked skyline of Incheon, South Korea, recently served as far more than a scenic backdrop. It was the vibrant stage for an urgent, globally orchestrated dialogue on peace. The 9th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit saw 1,800 attendees hailing from 121 countries. With luminaries spanning international law, religion, education, and media, the summit was a veritable melting pot of ideologies and strategies, all aimed at forging institutional peace.
Diverse peace advocates, like Dr. Arsalan from Brisbane, Master of the Nematollahi Ghadeer Ali Shahi Sufi Order, and Mr. Umesh Chandra, the Executive Vice President of the Global Organization, People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), journeyed halfway across the world to be part of this collaborative endeavour.
Themed “Implementing Multidimensional Strategies for Institutional Peace”, the summit broke new ground in peace talks. The multi-day event enabled leaders and experts to engage in about 30 tightly-knit, field-specific sessions, each dissected further by the unique requirements of individual countries. The aim? To conjure up realistic strategies for establishing a legally binding international law for peace.
Lee Man-hee, Chairman of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the host organisation, didn’t mince words. He made an impassioned plea for collaboration amongst political and international figures. Drawing upon his own harrowing experiences as a war veteran, Lee questioned the heavy cost of war, particularly its toll on the youth. The chairman underscored that mere rhetoric was insufficient. “If we don’t have one, we have to create one,” he stated, emphasizing the need for peace to be more than just an ideological aspiration.
A notable voice at the summit was that of H.E. Prof. Dr. Emil Constantinescu, the 3rd President of Romania. He shed light on peace as not merely an abstract ideal but a “supreme value of humanity.” He urged for a paradigm shift, replacing attitudes of “man against man” with “man alongside man”.
To create a robust architecture of peace, HWPL promotes a multi-pronged approach. Its linchpin is the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), which outlines a comprehensive strategy to preclude conflict and maintain peace. Kang Tae-ho, Managing Director of HWPL, provided an update on the DPCW’s progress, which has thus far garnered approximately 900,000 supports from civil society in 176 countries, as well as backing from the Central American Parliament.
Furthermore, HWPL extends its peace initiatives to interreligious dialogues, youth and women-led peace activities, peace education, and media outreach. Hon. Ahod B. Ebrahim, Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from the Philippines, described his region as a symbol of successful private-level peace agreement.
During the summit, 13 individuals were acknowledged for their commitment to HWPL’s peace efforts. Among them were H.E. Prof. Dr. Emil Constantinescu and H.E. Mr. Oumar Keita, Former Permanent Delegate of Mali to UNESCO HQ.
As the curtain fell on this unique summit, HWPL’s message was clear: peace is achievable, but only when we roll up our sleeves and work together. Whether in Brisbane or Bucharest, the quest for peace is universal, transcending national boundaries and cultural divides. While the journey toward a more peaceful world is fraught with challenges, the summit was a testament to what humanity can achieve when united in the cause of peace.
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