Main Content of the 1st National Peace Convention Press Conference

HWPL Chairman Lee Man-hee and its peace delegates attended the 1st National Peace Convention which took place at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on January 24. This event was hosted by the Volunteer Individuals for Peace (VIP), who also invited HWPL to the event. Twenty-three major Philippine media outlets came to cover the event, such as PTV 4, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), NCRPO Press Club, and MAHARIKA News Channel.

Before the event, a press conference where reporters asked questions regarding the event took place with HWPL Chairman Lee Man-hee, IWPG Chairwoman Yoon Hyun-sook, IPYG General Director Chung Young-min, along with Dr. Ronald Adamat, Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Founding Chairman of VIP. Dr. Ronald Adamat, who hosted the event, emphasized that the media is an essential partner in directly informing the public of peace, the purpose and initiative of the National Peace Convention, why VIP should cooperate with HWPL, and why January 24th should be established as a national holiday to celebrate peace in the Philippines.

Below is the summary of the press conference.

1^st National Peace Convention Purpose and Initiative

The 1st National Peace Convention was held to adopt a peace-themed resolution and to unite the nation. This resolution calls for peace and to bring people together. The resolution will be drafted in each “Sub-groups” that come from the legislative and policy-making sectors, education and youth sectors, media, and news sectors, religious, Indigenous Peoples, Muslims, and interfaith sectors, and women sector. Then, the suggested resolutions will be made into a unified resolution to be adopted.

The peace roadmap or framework is founded and grounded on the concept of PBBM-SD (President BongBong Marcos-Sara Duterte) otherwise known as “Peace Builds Binds Minds for Sustainable Development. Although President BongBong Marcos-Sara Duterte was not able to attend the conference, he will think gravely of the resolution as someone who mentions peace often.

The reason January 24 should be designated as a National Peace Day in the Philippines

The designation of January 24 as a possible National Peace Day is rooted in the historical narratives of the work HWPL accomplished in Mindanao in 2014. HWPL decided to visit after learning that Mindanao is a war-torn area due to the division of Christians and Muslims. So, Chairman Lee Man-hee went to Mindanao way back and was able to forge a non-governmental peace agreement between the Muslim communities represented by Governor Toto Mangudadatu and Archbishop Capella of Davao at the time.

This day was January 24 and the province of Maguindanao designated this day as a “Peace Day” the very next week. When considering this background, it is fit for January 24 to be established and celebrated as a National Peace Day in the Philippines.

There are two ways to create or establish a national holiday in the Philippines. The first way through an auxiliary law and the second is proposing it to the Congress so that it could be implemented. It is the government’s decision on how it will be established but we will do our best to urge for this to be possible.

Why VIP works with HWPL

What VIP and HWPL have in common is very simple. It is peace. Both organizations are one for peace and we are volunteering for peace. I hope everyone can join us. This will make a difference not only for today but for the future generation as well. So, let’s invest in peace. Investing in peace is investing in the future. This doesn’t mean simply investing resources but investing your talent, expertise, and time to spread the culture of peace.

VIP is conducting peace education with HWPL. To integrate peace into the higher education curricula,

Executive Order No.1 was issued to all colleges by the Commission on Higher Education. The values of peace can be embedded in the hearts and minds of the students through education. The future depends on the children’s education.

HWPL is based in South Korea and to promote peace, we need to partner with organizations like HWPL. This is how the good news of peace and peace itself can spread like a virus. It is important to establish a partnership so that this peace movement can continue not only in the Philippines but around the world.

The 1st National Peace Convention Press Conference can be accessed through the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/VRr9QrLBHAE?feature=share