[HWPL]

[HWPL] A gift from Bangladesh's former Minister of Foreign Affairs: Tagore's Poem, 'Lamp of the East'

In September 2015, Dr. Kamal Hossain, former Minister of Justice in Bangladesh, presented Tagore’s poem ‘Lamp of the East’ to Chairman Man-hee Lee at the HWPL Peace Institution. In the middle of the frame is a copy of Tagore's manuscript of "Lamp of the East", translated in both Korean and English, and the poetry collection Gitanjali which secured Tagore the Nobel Prize in Literature

“The ‘Lamp of the East’ that Tagore spoke of is Chairman Man-Hee Lee.”

These words were spoken by Dr. Kamal Hossain (practicing barrister, former Vice Chairman of the International Law Association (ILA), former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh) to Chairman Man-Hee Lee, waiting for the elevator enroute to a banquet following the moving opening ceremony of the ‘WARP Summit’ that Dr. Hossain attended that day on September 17th 2014.

On that day, as an assurance of his commitment to the peace activities of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL, Chairman Man-hee Lee), Dr. Hossain attended the 'WARP Summit' and was visibly moved, not only by the contents of the event, but also the actions of the young male volunteers of International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) who aspire for world peace.

Dr. Kamal Hossain and Chairman Man-Hee Lee at the HWPL International Law Committee Conference held in London, England during Chairman Lee's 21st Peace Tour in November 2015

One year later in September 2015, Dr. Kamal Hossain, who travelled to Korea to seek counsel on an international law for peace promoted by HWPL, said, “Chairman Man-hee Lee is the ‘Lamp of the East’ that Tagore spoke of.” A gift frame containing a copy of Rabindranath Tagore's poem ‘Lamp of the East’, as well as their English and Korean translations, was presented to Chairman Lee.

Expressing his respect for everything he had witnessed at the WARP Summit, Dr. Hossain said, “It is very insightful having the youth group participate for world peace. I was really surprised last year (WARP Summit).”

HWPL International Law Peace Committee members engage in a heated discussion at the HWPL International Law Committee Conference held in London, UK during the 21st peace tour of Chairman Man-hee Lee in November 2015

Dr. Kamal Hossain, who returned to Bangladesh after completing his itinerary, sent his alumnus Dr. Mohammad Nazrul Islam (Professor of International Law, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh) to Korea to help draft the ‘Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)’. The draft declaration developed by Professor Nazrul Islam was later revised into “The 10 Articles and 38 Clauses of the DPCW” following discussion with the HWPL International Law Peace Committee.

As a member of the HWPL International Law Peace Committee, Dr. Hossain worked hard to enact the DPCW, and introduced it to the former president of Sri Lanka in person, serving as a bridge to inform the international community of HWPL's peace movement.

Dr. Hossain, who attended the HWPL International Law Committee Conference in London, England, during the 21st Peace Tour of Chairman Lee in November 2015, said, “The Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) is imperative for various reasons because this initiative was developed from the marginalized voices, the voices of women and youth. War does not benefit anyone. Rather, it takes everything away. This innovative Convention will strengthen our global society and international law framework by supplementing the gaps.''

After the conference in London, Dr. Hossain introduced Chairman Man-Hee Lee as keynote speaker at the ‘Model United Nations (MUN) conference’ at his alma mater, Oxford University, UK. Chairman Man-Hee Lee presented the significant role that the youth of this generation, who were in attendance that day, can play, saying, “Please play the role of a watchdog for the cessation of war and world peace.”

Since then, Dr. Kamal Hossain has been committed to ensuring the enactment of the DPCW as an international law for peace, and attended the proclamation ceremony of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) in Seoul on March 14th 2016.

Following the conference in London, Dr. Hossain introduced Chairman Man-Hee Lee as keynote speaker at the ‘Model United Nations (MUN) conference’ at his alma mater, Oxford University, UK. Chairman Man-Hee Lee presented the significant role that the youth of this generation, who were in attendance that day, can play, saying, “Please play the role of a watchdog for the cessation of war and world peace.”

Korea: "The Lamp of the East"

"In the golden age of Asia

Korea was one of its lamp-bearers

And that lamp is waiting to be lighted once again

For the illumination of the East..."

Tagore’s ‘Lamp of the East’ is a short poem published in the Dong-A Daily on April 2nd 1929. In 1929, when Rabindranath Tagore, the great Indian poet, visited Japan, he was asked to visit Korea by a reporter from the Dong-A Daily, but his schedule would not allow it. It was translated and published by the poet and editor Yo-Han Ju.

This poem is one of two poems written by Tagore about Korea. It was an encouraging ode for Koreans living under harsh Japanese colonial rule that instilled the hope of attaining independence if they remained steadfast. By expressing the excellence of Korean national culture and Korea's strong and flexible national character as the “Lamp of the East,” it became a source of great encouragement and comfort to the Korean people living under colonial oppression at that time.

Tagore, who won Asia's first Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for 'Gitanjali' (poetry collection of devotions to the gods), is considered a great poet because he wrote spiritual and revelatory poetry that crosses human boundaries. Just as many poets write after being inspired by revelations from the Bible, Tagore also wrote poetry with exemplary religious intuition. It is a poetic expression of the revelation of God. In that respect, Tagore is considered a prophet, and his poem ‘Lamp of the East’ is not merely a poem that urged the independence of Joseon (Korea) under Japanese colonial rule, but is a prophetic and revelatory poem.

‘Lamp of the East’ depicts how Korea, which is one of the most ancient civilizations on earth (oriental civilization), will again spread true civilization to the world and bring about the unfolding of a future anew. In other words, this short poem implied Korea's past, present and future, and at the same time, foreshadowed that Korea would usher in a new era of humanity.

In particular, in the expression ‘And that lamp is waiting to be lit once again’, it can be seen that the ‘lamp’ refers to a person who will assume the role as ‘Lamp of the East’.

Dr. Kamal Hossain, after watching the unprecedented ‘WARP Summit’ peace event held in Korea in the East in September 2014, spoke with conviction about the ‘Lamp of the East’ that opens a new era for mankind being Chairman Man-hee Lee.

Meanwhile, Tagore's birthplace was formerly part of India, and now forms part of Bangladesh. The national anthem of Bangladesh, ‘My Golden Bengal’, is a song written and composed by Tagore himself.

Peace!