[HWPL]

[HWPL] What is HWPL's Peace Walk? 1

Chairman ManHee Lee is the head representative of the global peace organization HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), which is striving for the enactment and implementation of the international peace law 'Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)'. The  DPCW is a legal instrument comprised of 10 articles and 38 clauses that can end wars and hostilities throughout the world. HWPL is also spreading a culture of peace and implementing peace education.

Chairman ManHee Lee experienced the cruelty and tragedy of war as a veteran of the Korean War. This is one of the reasons why he founded a global peace campaign as the head of HWPL. He has traveled the globe more than 35 times to meet and persuade politicians, legal experts, journalists, professors, peace activists, civil organization leaders, heads of tribes and others to unite them for the work of peace. The significant fruits borne out of his hard work are the World Alliance of Religions' Peace (WARP) Summit and HWPL Peace Committee. The DPCW was drafted and finalised by the HWPL Peace Committee.

How, you may wonder, do I know this? About 10 years ago, when I had just been discharged from military service, I came to know HWPL and Chairman ManHee Lee while researching the topic of civil conflicts to satisfy my curiosity in ongoing global issues. At that time, the island of Mindanao in the Philippines was suffering from a major civil conflict that lasted more than 40 years, and Chairman ManHee Lee and HWPL resolved this conflict through non-violent means.

Chairman Lee brought an end to the conflict in Mindanao by holding a peace talk between the warring Catholic and Islamic groups. Before the talk, HWPL and Chairman ManHee Lee held a Peace Walk to spread the culture of peace in Mindanao with the many locals who had gathered out of a desire for peace.

Chairman ManHee Lee's pressing appeal today is that humanity unites for sustainable peace in order to pass on the legacy of peace to future generations worldwide. He doesn't just talk peace, but has worked tirelessly for it through practical peace campaigns for over a decade.

I decided to become a supporter of HWPL and Chairman ManHee Lee's peace initiatives because I also desire a world of peace for all posterity.

Today I'd like to introduce an article from HWPL official homepage regarding Peace Walk

Institutionalizing Peace: Realizing the Collective Will for Peace

HWPL’s 9th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace will be held online on 25 May 2022.
The annual commemoration was planned to remember the spirit instilled in the Declaration of World Peace proclaimed before the World Peace Gate in Seoul, South Korea, on 25 May 2013, and the meaning behind the civil society-led Peace Walks held worldwide, and to reinforce the solidarity among civil societies amid many challenges the world faces.

HWPL has been expanding various forms of international cooperation to cease conflicts and disputes across the globe and to realize sustainable peace. In the annual event, updates will be shared on the progress of HWPL’s peace efforts, such as the Legislate Peace (LP) Project that promotes the implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), Religious Youth Peace Camps, HWPL Peace Education, and media’s peace activities. Through this opportunity, participants will be able to gain insight on how to act on the collective will for peace, a shared goal of humanity, and HWPL’s vision of institutionalizing peace to establish sustainable peace.

Background

The world today is seeking ways to promote the institutionalization of peace to safeguard lives and ensure safety from the threats of daily conflicts and war. International organizations such as the UN, the AU, and the EU are widening research on normative guidelines to peacefully address current conflicts.
In particular, discussions on establishing peace and resolving conflicts are recommended to include women and youth, who are both actors and beneficiaries of peace, together with NGOs which have the expertise and experience in the field. What is also emphasized is having a democratic process that reflects social consensus when implementing the institutionalization.

On 25 May 2013, not only was HWPL established, but Chairman Man Hee Lee drafted and proclaimed the Declaration of World Peace. The declaration embodies basic principles to build a peaceful world, and seeks to guarantee peace through legal instruments such as international law. It also proposes that to meet this goal, endorsement of national leaders, engagement of women and youth, coalition and cooperation among civil societies, and expansion of media coverage on peace are needed. On the day the Declaration of World Peace was proclaimed, over 30,000 participants with diverse backgrounds, such as different nationalities, religions, and ethnicities, joined the Peace Walk, urging the global population to join the efforts to create a peaceful world.

Afterward, the Declaration of World Peace and the international endeavors for peace were further developed, leading to the proclamation of the DPCW and a wide spectrum of peace efforts. The key ideas embodied in the 10 articles and 38 clauses of the DPCW include prevention and resolution of conflicts, gradual reduction of war potential and turning weapons into daily tools, respecting and resolving conflicts based on religion and ethnic identity, and spreading a culture of peace. The declaration explicitly states the elements of threats the world faces, and suggests nations, international organizations, NGOs, and individuals come together in response so that all global citizens will engage in the efforts for peace and establish a peaceful world.

With the aim of passing on a peaceful world as a legacy to future generations, HWPL has been developing global cooperation for peace. At the international level, HWPL has been garnering the support of international organizations for the DPCW and working hand in hand to reinforce international norms to realize peace. At the national level, heads of state have expressed their endorsement of the DPCW and begun discussions to establish and implement legal instruments based on the DPCW. With civil organizations, HWPL has been carrying out activities for the public good to ensure that peace takes root.

Interested in HWPL's peace work for the world? Please visit following link :)

HWPL Official Homepage

https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en/home-hwpl-_en/