[IPYG]

[IPYG] HWPL's 3rd Peace Festival in Madagascar

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 regarding HWPL's 3rd Peace Festival in Madagascar :)

Youth Leads, Government Responds: The Spirit of Solidarity Confirmed in Madagascar

Peace walk in the city center of Antananarivo led by peace library project volunteers 

SocialIssues & Advocacy

 

On June 6, the 3rd Peace Festival was held in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Madagascar, HWPL, and IPYG, the event marked the beginning of the Youth Engagement & Peacebuilding Working Group (YEPW) in Antananarivo. It also established a foundation for young people to participate continuously in peacebuilding activities within their communities.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Madagascar has organized the Peace Festival annually based on Fihavanana, a traditional Malagasy value that represents solidarity, harmony, and mutual coexistence. As the importance of youth participation and social cohesion has grown during the country’s reconstruction process, the Ministry proposed a partnership with HWPL and IPYG to support youth-led peace initiatives. Through this collaboration, the YEPW was actively launched to connect the  government, civil society, and young people in a unified peacebuilding effort.

 

Antananarivo: peace walk

 

The Ministry provided the event venue, Palais des Sports Mahamasina, and deployed police officers to ensure the safety of the Peace Walk, demonstrating its active administrative support. With this  governmental backing, civil society organizations and youth leaders took the lead in organizing and implementing the festival’s programs.

20 civil society organizations participated in preparing the festival, including the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), Femmes Plateforme pour l’Équité (FPFE), Dis-Moi Madagascar, and Mouvement Jeunesses et Citoyenneté. 

People& Society

 

 

The festival began at 8:00 a.m. with the Peace Walk starting from Ambohijatovo. A total of 779 youth leaders marched through downtown Antananarivo, sharing the values of Fihavanana with local residents. The march was followed by a large group photo and a flash mob performance, delivering messages of peace and unity to the public.

During the official opening ceremony, Alain Désiré Rasambany, Minister of Youth and Sports of Madagascar, emphasized: “Peace is not merely the absence of war. It begins with respecting one another, standing in solidarity, and practicing tolerance and love. We must come together beyond regional,  religious, and cultural differences to build a harmonious society, and it is the youth who will lead this transformation.”

 

 

Following the opening ceremony, participants took part in workshops and interactive programs prepared by the YEPW. They explored practical approaches to building peace in their communities by discussing a range of topics, including youth and women’s empowerment, peaceful conflict resolution, and interfaith understanding. Exhibition booths also showcased community-based peace initiatives while providing opportunities to build collaborative networks with local NGOs and media representatives. 

SocialIssues & Advocacy

Through the YEPW, which was begun through this Peace Festival, we look forward to continued peacebuilding efforts driven jointly by the government, civil society, and young people. We also hope that the spirit of Fihavanana will spread throughout Madagascar, inspiring greater unity, solidarity, and lasting peace across the nation.

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