10th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit
On September 18th, at the HWPL Peace Training Institute located in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, the 10th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit was held under the theme of “Creating World Peace Community Through Regional Collaboration.” This event commemorates global leaders’ and citizens’ commitment to peace that lasted for a decade with an eye towards future strategies to promote global harmony.
The event, attended by distinguished domestic and international guests representing various sectors such as politics, education, youth, women, media, and religion, along with HWPL members numbering 30,000, was a large-scale gathering. Despite its size, it was carried out orderly and safely thanks to the efforts of many HWPL volunteers. Additionally, the event was supported by over 300 sponsoring organizations and groups that endorse HWPL’s peace activities. Since 2014, peace advocates from around the world who have been working with HWPL for over 10 years have sent more than 10,000 peace messages from 158 countries to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the World Peace Summit.
Chairman Lee Man-hee of HWPL pointed out that division of religion caused tremendous loss of life, emphasizing that religions must take the lead in dialogue and understanding. “We must work together to create a world of peace and leave it as a legacy for future generations. This is to fulfill our mission as a light that brings life to the global village. Only through love and peace can the world become one,” he said.
In line with the event theme of regional cooperation, HWPL formed a partnership with the intergovernmental organization Group of 7+(G7+) and the high-level political forum organization The Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) to develop peace initiatives. G7+ was established to unite conflict-affected countries by a vision of peace, stability, and development, with 20 member states, and Parlatino was founded to promote development and integration within a framework of full democracy, having 23 member states.
A peace project in the Timor-Leste presented by Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture of Timor-Leste, Dr. Jose Honorio da Costa Pereira Jeronimo. He explained that the Ministry and eight higher education institutions partnered with HWPL to introduce peace education in the country. “I believe that peace education will play a crucial role, not just as a simple subject, but in helping students grow into future global citizens and in laying the foundation for peace and stability across society.“ he expressed.
H.E., Prof., Dr. Emil Constantinescu, the 3rd President of Romania and President of Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization reminded participants of the 2014 HWPL summit that advocated international cooperation for peacebuilding, “An incredible and impressive image proves that the faith in global peace is very much more than a mere initiative. It was then that I first truly felt that we are all one and be irrespective of our perceived differences. We are all united in one breath in the service of the greater calling of global peace.”
Starting on September 18, 2024, the 10th Anniversary of the HWPL World Peace Summit is being celebrated in South Korea and various locations worldwide, reaching 122 countries. Various sessions are being held in each country at different levels to gather regional talents and establish networks essential for tailored peace strategies, strengthening regional networks to address local peace threats, and harness collective capacities.
