The Story that HWPL Peace Messengers Achieve Peace: Alliance of Religions

Many peace messengers from all over the world attended the “7th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit” held online last month. HWPL asked some common questions to the attendees for the future activities. Many answered with all their heart, and HWPL would like to share some of them.

Meet the stories of the peace messengers who are achieving peace with HWPL in their respective fields such as peace international law, alliance of religions, peace education, and the IPYG!

▲ Salim M. Charo, Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, Former Nairobi Country Chairman(Left), Gwang-Ja Im, Daejonggyo General Headquarter Samilwon Monastery

Q1. How has HWPL peace activities influenced you?

Salim M. Charo, Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, Former Nairobi Country Chairman
It (HWPL Peace activities) has influenced me in so many ways and one big thing is that we can come together as world religions to work for a cause. And the cause being, you know, achieving peace in the world. You know, it is the first time I’ve been able to be in the same platform as the other faiths like the Buddhists. And I came to understand at least I can sit with many other faiths in the same panel. And we discussed and talked about peace without the initial differences that arises when it comes to religious matters.

Gwang-Ja Im, Daejonggyo General Headquarter Samilwon Monastery in S. Korea, Abbot
What I did for world peace was to pray vaguely. But now, I am grateful for not only praying, but actually participating in peace activities on the front line through HWPL. Through comparative discussion of scriptures, I am also interested in the scriptures of others, so I understand other religions, gain a deeper understanding of the religion I am serving, and I feel a lot of responsibility as a religious leader because I immediately know the reality of the religious world. So I have a sense of mission to more actively invite the religious leaders around me to participate together.

Q2. Like the theme of the 7th Anniversary of the September 18 HWPL World Peace Summit, joint efforts are urgently needed for sustainable peace. In times like this, what do you think is the ‘common effort’ for sustainable peace? Also, what would your plans be for sustainable peace with HWPL?

Salim M. Charo, Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, Former Nairobi Country Chairman
I think the most important thing is you know, stakeholders. And here, stakeholders mean different faiths, different people, from different backgrounds, and you know, from all levels. They should come together and start debating about how to achieve peace. And it’s not only important for us to, you know, to have these discussions and dialogues, but it is also important for us to start engaging in activities that will lead us towards achieving peace. So importantly, it is also to get ourselves into action, and to ensure that we do everything that is humanly possible for us to ensure that number one, we avoid conflict, and number two, that we achieve peace.

For religions to become one, I believe even through our Islamic teachings, we believe in different faiths and beliefs, but also what is more important is tolerance—religious tolerance, where people can sit together and discuss on faith or matters that are of importance to the communities, especially different faiths.

Gwang-Ja Im, Daejonggyo General Headquarter Samilwon Monastery in S. Korea, Abbot
As a religious leader, I believe that I must first know the scriptures properly. We will continue to participate in biblical comparison forums to help find the most reliable scriptures. And since I have been silently praying for world peace by myself for decades, I plan to promote it so that many religious people can participate in this peace activity. We plan to do so in the future. We are one! Go for it!