CHEONGJU, Republic of Korea – The international peace NGO Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) hosted the 11th anniversary of the September 18 World Peace Summit in Cheongju, South Korea.
Held under the theme “Uniting for Peace and Fulfilling Humanity’s Duty Together”, the commemoration began with the main ceremony in Cheongju and will continue in 78 countries through October. More than 800 participants, including former and current presidents, prime ministers, ministers, religious leaders, and figures from education and media, attended to discuss practical measures for building sustainable peace.
The Cheongju event opened with a commemorative address by HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee, followed by panel discussions with experts from various sectors and cultural performances conveying hopes for peace. It is estimated that more than 15,000 people worldwide would join the 11th anniversary of the September 18 World Peace Summit both online and offline, reflecting the expansion of its global peace network since the first summit in 2014.
■ Peace Education Highlights in Thailand and Timor-Leste
This year’s summit featured concrete examples of HWPL’s peace initiatives making an impact at the local and national level.
In Thailand, principals and teachers from the Thai Islamic Integrated School, attended the Cheongju event and participated in discussions supporting the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW). They shared results of peace education programs and conflict resolution activities in their community. On September 24, the school hosted a commemorative event in Bangkok where 1,600 students witnessed its official designation as an “HWPL Peace Academy.”
Worasit Yuanploy, principal of the school, said, “It is a great honor for our school to be designated as an HWPL Peace Academy. HWPL’s peace education goes beyond knowledge, teaching students to respect differences and to practice peace in their daily lives. With this designation, we will work to serve as a hub for spreading the values of peace in Thai society.”
In Timor-Leste, which has experienced conflict in the past, progress was also noted. On September 27, an online commemorative event was held with participation from multiple educational institutions to review the outcomes of HWPL’s peace education. To date, 70 percent of the country’s higher education institutions have signed MOUs with HWPL, and six institutions have already incorporated peace education programs into their curricula.
■ Focus on Korean Peninsula Peace and Global Solidarity
At this year’s summit, HWPL called for greater international support for the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. The organization also reported that its global membership has surpassed 580,000, continuing to grow steadily.
Commemorative events are scheduled to continue in 78 cities through October, with further discussions on concrete strategies and action plans for advancing peace.
