The Voice of Harmony at the 2nd Daeyaksa Temple Religious Peace Camp – We Are One!

 

On November 2, 2023, the 2nd Daeyaksa Temple Religious Peace Camp was held at the Daeyaksa Temple of Korean Buddhism in Okcheon, Chungcheongbuk Province. The successful religious peace camp was co-hosted by HWPL Global 10 Branch. About 76 people participated, including leaders from various religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Taoism, and the Unification Church. Religious leaders from Hindu, Islam, and Protestant churches in India and Pakistan were also present.

 

 

Venerable Myung-an, the abbot of Daeyaksa Temple, co-organized the event. He actively attends and supports various peace events organized by HWPL. He also co-hosted the first religious peace camp at Daeyaksa Temple in February 2023.

This HWPL Religious Peace Camp was held to find and resolve the causes of wars and conflicts that are taking place all over the world, and to resolve them while transcending religions and ideologies.

The camp consisted of various programs such as the 2nd World Religious Unity Prayer Meeting, thematic discussions and presentations, and Buddhist cultural experiences. It was a time for participants to interact with other religions, understand each other, and seek ways to achieve world peace as a global family.

At the beginning of the camp, Myung-an, the abbot of Daeyaksa Temple, introduced Buddhism. There was a celebration performance of Haram Pungmuldan, a Korean traditional musical performing group consisting of Korean middle and high school students. The participants listened to traditional Korean music and vowed to pass on peace to future generations.

 

 

The second Prayer Meeting of the United Religions of the World was held around two main themes. First, they prayed for the cessation of war, world peace, and harmony among religions. There was also time given to remember the victims of war and offer condolences to bereaved families. Local religious leaders and others from abroad joined in the prayer with an earnest hope that peace would be achieved in the global village.

 

 

In the Buddhist cultural experience that followed, participants had time to write a wish for the cessation of war and world peace on a small lotus lantern and hang it on a peace tree.

 

 

“Through today’s event, I witnessed that everyone who participated in the event became one. We are one,” said Myung-an, the abbot of Daeyaksa Temple, who hosted the event. “It may be difficult to become one, but in Buddhism, there is a saying, ‘Segeilhwa (The world is one flower), Yookhwa jeongsin (the six Buddhism harmony spirits). Today, HWPL has confirmed that you and I are one, that the global village is one family for world peace, and that we are united for the end of war. I promise to work together not only for the end of global wars but also for world peace through more visionary work in the future.”

The event participants realized that although each religion expresses itself in different ways, there is one truth. They experienced firsthand that unity among religions contributes substantially to the achievement of world peace. It was also a valuable time to confirm the will of the people of the world for the peaceful reunification of South Korea and North Korea.

We who love peace are one. We are one!