The 10th anniversary of the HWPL World Peace Summit, themed 'Creating World Peace Community Through Regional Collaboration,' commemorates a decade of unwavering commitment by global leaders and citizens towards achieving peace. The event aims to reflect on past accomplishments and strategize future initiatives to foster global harmony.
In 2014, the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international peace organization, brought together over a thousand leaders from various sectors, including politics, religion, women's groups, youth organizations, and the media, representing approximately 140 countries in Seoul. The summit addressed critical issues such as conflict resolution, religious harmony, and the creation of legal instruments to ensure lasting peace.
The significance of this anniversary lies in its dual focus: reviewing achievements since 2014 and discussing future plans. The event seeks to gather regional talents and establish essential networks for tailored peace strategies. By strengthening regional networks, HWPL aims to tackle local peace threats and harness collective capacities through various sessions held across different countries.
HWPL's slogan, "Let's have everyone become a messenger of peace," emphasizes individual responsibility in promoting peace at all levels. The organization plans to collect and showcase messages of peace from people worldwide, symbolizing a unified desire for global harmony. This initiative underscores the importance of collective action in achieving peace.
Over the past decade, HWPL and its global partners have addressed numerous global challenges, including military tensions, economic disputes, climate change, and cyber security threats, through enhanced regional cooperation and collective action. The organization's dedication to establishing a robust peace governance framework has connected international organizations, governments, and civil societies in a unified effort towards peace.
Reflecting on the 9th anniversary in 2023, Chairman Lee Man-hee of HWPL stated, "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 young people who are sacrificed. Peace cannot be achieved through words alone. If peace had won in this world, there would have been no regrettable deaths. We must leave peace as a legacy to the global community where our descendants will live." This poignant message highlights the urgency of achieving sustainable peace for future generations.
As an international peace NGO, HWPL is committed to global peace and the cessation of war. The organization is registered with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and associated with the UN Department of Global Communications and the UN Economic and Social Council. Together with its partners, the International Women's Peace Group (IWPG) and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), HWPL leads an international peace movement that transcends national, cultural, and ideological boundaries.
HWPL's peace activities, which include forums, education, volunteer work, and campaigns, aim to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by spreading a culture of peace. The organization's efforts will continue until sustainable peace is assured for future generations.
