[HWPL]

[HWPL] Peace Tours of Man-hee Lee (18): “I have been looking for a spiritual solution, not a physical or legal one. I want to participate 100% in this peace movement”

On April 7, 2014, the former President of Colombia Belisario Betancur Cuartas met Chairman Man-hee Lee (right) at the president's residence in Colombia, holding hands and expressing his intention to participate in the peace movement

During the 9th peace tour in 2014, 13 current and former heads of state from Europe and South America promised to work with Chairman Lee. The heads of state of the global village who love their countries and people as paramount proposed their wish to join Chairman Lee's works for peace.

After hearing about Chairman Lee's visit to Germany, a discussion on world peace was held upon the invitation of the former Premier of East Germany Hans Modrow. Former Premier Modrow is respected by many for his work for German reunification and world peace. He deeply sympathized with the will of the Chairman and expressed respect for his peace activities and consistent mindset to achieve this. Former Premier Modrow promised to actively support the peace movement by becoming a member of the HWPL Peace Advisory Council. Former Premier Modrow said, “It is impossible to use force to end war and prevent war with war”.

Later Chairman Lee visited Austria where he met the former Chancellor of Austria Alfred Gusenbauer. He is a politician known for supporting the policies of the common people and rejecting luxury or preferential treatment. The two leaders became one under peace following their meeting.

In Slovenia, Chairman Lee met two leaders. First, Danilo Türk, who was the third President of Slovenia. Former president Türk has been working on human rights issues since working as a law professor, and he has gained public support by focusing on communicating with young people in particular. As he works closely with international organizations and is well aware of the past conflict in Mindanao, the Philippines, he was very surprised by the results achieved there and expressed his gratitude. He became an advisor to HWPL and requested active correspondence with the peace delegation.

This was followed by a meeting with Milan Kučan, the first President of Slovenia.

In the process of building the country after independence, former President Milan Kučan gained absolute support from the people and succeeded in his re-election, serving as President of Slovenia for about 10 years. Former President Milan Kučan made a personal visit to the lodgings of Chairman Lee in the midst of a busy schedule. He told Chairman Lee, “What humanity needs most right now is peace. Humanity has always wanted peace, but it has not yet achieved that peace. That is why all of your activities and achievements for peace are so noble." He signed the peace agreement and was appointed as Slovenia's second HWPL advisor.

Talks about peace continued in Slovakia as well. After Slovakia's first female Prime Minister Iveta Radičová left her political career, she became the very first female sociology professor of Slovakia. She was deeply impressed by Chairman Lee, who also loves the youth of the world and nurtures the next generation of talent. Former Prime Minister Radičová decided to join International Women's Peace Group (IWPG) and participate in the IWPG peace movement.

Emil Constantinescu, the 3rd President of Romania, met with Chairman Lee for the first time during his 6th visit (October 2013), and has become HWPL’s most enthusiastic “Missionary of Peace”. On that visit, former President Constantinescu made another new proposal as soon as he met Chairman Lee. President Constantinescu said, “Tomorrow I will go to New York, USA, and the next day I will have a meeting with many members of the National Assembly in Washington. Please tell me the message that you want to deliver to them. I will deliver your message on your behalf."

As if they had been working together for years, the two leaders shared a common understanding of peace.

Chairman Lee met with the 2nd and 4th President of Romania, Ion Iliescu, who had also connected Chairman Lee to key Romanian government officials during Chairman Lee's six previous peace tours. For this meeting, former President Iliescu invited Chairman Lee to the memorial house of diplomat Nicolae Tatulescu, where a peace agreement had been signed 80 years prior. A peace agreement was also signed on that day.

In Serbia, former Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković actively joined Chairman Lee's peace activities. After meeting with Chairman Lee, he became a member of HWPL, saying, "Chairman Lee is now doing a peace movement with really good intentions, so please give me an agreement so that I can sign it quickly."

In Spain, Chairman Lee had a meeting with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the former Prime Minister of Spain. He is a so-called ''quiet'' socialist who allocated half of the cabinet to women after taking office and withdrew Spanish troops stationed in Iraq. He is also actively involved in major international organizations for peace and democracy. He sympathized with the work of Chairman Lee and the women's organization and said, "Everything always goes well when women hold power, whether in peace or religion." Former Prime Minister Zapatero was appointed as an HWPL advisor and decided to actively support HWPL's peace movement.

In Central and South America, peace agreements were signed by the incumbent and former leaders of each country.

The relationship between HWPL and Colombia started in 2013. On their 7th peace tour, Chairman Lee and the peace delegation held a meeting with the 56th President of Colombia, Ernesto Samper Pizano, in Bogota, Colombia, and signed a peace agreement. The following year, Chairman Lee again visited Colombia and met Belisario Betancur Cuartas, the 26th President of Colombia (1982-1986).

On April 7, 2014, Chairman Lee met with former President Betancur Cuartas, who was then 91 years old, at his residence. After listening to Chairman Lee's peace message, former President Betancur Cuartas said, "Today's meeting was really great," and, "I want to participate in this peace movement 100%. Chairman Lee is giving me good energy.” He said, “I have been looking for a spiritual solution, not a physical or legal one. So, listening to Chairman Lee’s story today gave me great strength and new hope.” He also said, "After listening to Chairman Lee's words today, I have a big mission. I can't go to Korea that day (WARP Summit in September 2014), but I will be attending in truth and spirit." On that day, former President Betancur Cuartas signed a peace agreement and became an advisor to HWPL.

Álvaro Colom Caballeros, the former president of Guatemala, also met with Chairman Lee and promised to work together for world peace and attended the WARP Summit held in September of that same year.

Old tie-down pants, cheap sneakers, and tousled hair:  José Alberto Mujica Cordano, the then 40th President of Uruguay, described as “the world's humblest head of state,” is one of the most respected leaders around the world. During his tenure, he donated 90% of his salary and gave his official residence to the homeless and his villa to Syrian refugees, attracting attention for his simple and unconventional ‘no-own’ deeds. He also met with Chairman Lee during his trip and promised to join HWPL's peace activities. Former President Mujica Cordano, who had a conversation with Chairman Lee at his sister-in-law's farmhouse, pledged, "I will join Chairman Lee's peace movement because it is essential for humanity."

Peace!!