December newsletter

No. 8

HWPL NEWS Monthly Newsletter of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light

2015

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Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light

Contents

2015 HWPL TOP 5 NEWS The Mar Elias Educational Institutions to become the first Peace Academy of HWPL The Intractable Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Finds a Practical Approach Towards Resolution The 25th Anniversary of the Fall of Communism in Albania Chairman Man Hee Lee and the Peace Delegation — Making Peace a Reality in Kosovo Advancing the Light of Peace: HWPL Peace Event in America 2 DECEMBER 2015 HWPL NEWS

p.4-5 p.6 p.7 p.8 p.9 p.10

The Light of Peace Shines Healing on the Scars of Civil War in El Salvador HWPL Peace Discussion in London amidst Impending Global Conflict Innovative Convention to strengthen the global society

p.11 p.12 p.13 p.14-15

The Model United Nations Conference at the University of Oxford Peace Attractions Project: Becoming a Peacemaker Peace Attractions Project: The World Peace Gate

p.16-17 p.18

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Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light

2015 HWPL

Reflecting on 2015 as it nears its end, HWPL has been able to Publicity Ambassadors, Peace Advisory Council members, the IPYG members, and not to mention our newsletter readers. you have contributed in working with HWPL to make world

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The 1st Annual Commemoration of the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit

The 2nd Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace

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HWPL Day

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TOP 5 NEWS

take big leaps in establishing peace because of the help of our International Law Peace Committee members, the IWPG and HWPL is sincerely grateful for all the effort and passion that peace a reality.

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HWPL Peace Monument

HWPL International Law Peace Committee

World Alliance of Religions Peace Office

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The Mar Elias Educational Institutions to become the first Peace Academy of HWPL

flurry of anticipation filled the Mar Elias Educational Institutions of over 3,000 students and faculty on Wednesday, December 2nd. The institutions were designated, for the first time in history, as the Peace Academies of HWPL. A three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and former Archbishop of the Melkite Catholic Church, Father Elias Chacour is a founder and principal of the schools of the Mar Elias Educational Institutions (MEEI) established in Ibillin, an Arab town in the Northern District of Israel. Fr. Chacour, an active Publicity Ambassador of HWPL, has cooperated to establish the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Office in Israel and united the MEEI high school students with HWPL’s youth division, International Peace Youth Group (IPYG).

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Chairman Lee will serve as a honorary principal and Chairwoman Kim of the IWPG as a vice-principal of the MEEI. The establishment of the HWPL Peace Institute through the MEEI in Israel will serve as a comprehensive program which provides an educational framework on interfaith conflict analysis and resolution, interfaith peace dialogue sessions, and alliance of religions through the World Alliance of Religions Peace (WARP) Office. HWPL will work to design programs and courses to enhance the peacemaking capacities of individuals and organizations from various faiths through the WARP Office events and will highlight HWPL’s most recent peacemaking efforts.

The Intractable Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Finds a Practical Approach Towards Resolution

https://youtu.be/8n8vp2MRqzI

resident Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine met with Chairman Lee on 4 December to discuss HWPL’s proposal on the International Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts.

The meeting between the two leaders was also to discuss the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, referred as the world’s ‘most intractable conflict’, which needs a precise but immediate resolution.

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President Abbas strongly agreed with the urgent need of implementing the Convention, HWPL’s core peace initiative and the steps being taken to overcome the deficits of current international peace laws. Pleasantly surprised by the efforts and vision of Chairman Lee, President Abbas shared his experiences and presented the ways in which he will begin supporting HWPL’s peace campaigns.

s. Vera Baboun, the first elected female mayor of Bethlehem also met Chairman Lee with Chairwoman Kim. Serving as a chairperson of the Board of Directors for Guidance and Training Center for Family and Children, as well as a gender studies researcher, Mayor Baboun was especially inspired and motivated by Chairwoman Kim’s dedication in empowering women in every sector of society through the IWPG Network. Chairwoman Kim shared, “the implementation of the Convention will bring forth world peace when women of the world unite as one with the heart of a mother and urge for it. We, women, are the start of world peace.” Mayor Baboun became a member of the IWPG.

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The 25th Anniversary of the Fall of Communism in Albania he ‘25th Anniversary of the Fall of Communism’ was held on December 8th in Tirana Sheraton Hotel, celebrating the revolution in Central and Eastern Europe that led to the fall of communism in 1990 which was stirred by a youth movement. Hosted by President Bujar Nishani, the anniversary, considered the biggest commemoration in Albania, was attended by over 80 leaders in various fields including, former and current political leaders from all over Europe. As a Korean War Veteran at the forefront of leading the unification of the two Koreas, Chairman Lee of HWPL, accompanied by Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), was invited to deliver a keynote speech.

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Chairman Lee said at the occasion, “Korea is a country divided into North and South by political leaders. The North is yet far from being liberated from the Communist party. Dear citizens of Albania, let us become messengers of peace and leave a legacy of peace to future generations by ceasing all wars on this earth. Through urging the implementation of

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the International Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of Wars and International Armed Conflicts, let us make a peaceful world where we can also form a strong alliance of religions, moving the heart of individuals in search of peace amid struggles and persistent violence in the world.”

Chairwoman Kim added, “The systematic process that led to communism’s fall in Albania is very similar to that of democratization in South Korea. The collective wishes for peace and freedom moved all of Albania to transform the government’s structural hurdles and we now see the free Albania of today.”

Albania is located at the center of Balkan Peninsula, also known as the “Powder Keg” of Europe, because of the political and religious conflicts that have long persisted there. The 25th Anniversary of the Fall of Communism was broadcasted live through the Albanian regional broadcasting station, News 24.

Chairman Man Hee Lee and the Peace Delegation — Making Peace a Reality in Kosovo pon their arrival in Kosovo on December 10th, Chairman Lee and the HWPL peace delegation met with all thirteen justices of the Supreme Court of Kosovo including Chief Justice Fejzullah Hasani, Justice Nesrin Lushta, presider of the meeting, and Justice Shukri Sylejmani at the “Advocacy of the International Convention on the Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts”.

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During the meeting, Chairman Lee asked the justices, “When we speak of democracy, whom does it represent? Aren’t the citizens the face of democracy?

If leaders are only trying to maintain their power, we face authoritarianism in the name of democracy. We, the citizens of this globe, must urge them to pursue true democracy. People are the owners of democracy. The Convention that cares about human dignity must be drafted, but it must not be done using any forms of power or authority.” After Chairman Lee’s rousing speech, all justices signed an agreement pledging to support the International Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of War and Interna-

tional Armed Conflicts.

At the meeting with President Atifete Jahjaga, the first female President of Kosovo, Chairwoman Kim appealed to the President to motivate women and youth in Kosovo to participate in the peace activities of HWPL. She said, “What terrifies us the most is not the wars that we experienced in the past, but the ones we are still to experience. What terrifies us is the fact that our children may encounter the same suffering and pains. We absolutely have to stop handing down the atrocities of war. Women and youth are uniting and raising their voices to help the implementation of the Convention on the Cessation of War.” President Jahjaga was impressed with Chairman Lee and Chairwoman Kim’s effort that she decided to establish a HWPL peace park and a peace monument in Kosovo to support HWPL’s global peace initiatives.

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Advancing the Light of Peace : HWPL Peace Event in America

Advancing the Light of Peace: HWPL Peace Event” held on November 7th was a forum bringing together people from various sectors in the Southern California region to discuss peace initiatives.

question, “How sad it is that the young people are the ones sent to war, without having a chance for their lives to fully blossom. Isn’t it our responsibility to change this? If not us, who will?”

To a pensive audience, Chairman Lee posed the

The forum concluded with a united unanimous raising of hands, from volunteers to leaders signifying their commitment to peace and establishing a HWPL Peace Institute.

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Marking his 21st World Tour, Chairman Lee started his journey by visiting Los Angeles, California to meet international heads of states, religious leaders, media and youth to speak on the urgency of a united global commitment for HWPL’s two initiatives. The first initiative is the International Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts and the second initiative is an alliance of religions through its WARP Offices.

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After hearing Chairman Lee’s message, educators, community leaders, and religious representatives spoke about the importance of including religious dialogue into school curriculum, expressing their commitment to work with HWPL to incorporate HWPL peacebuilding methodology into the classroom.

The Light of Peace Shines Healing on the Scars of Civil War in El Salvador

WPL caught the interest of those who seek peace by unveiling a peace monument and establishing a peace park in Santa Tecla, El Salvador on November 10th. The unveiling was followed by a peace rally, attended by Mayor Roberto José d´Aubuisson Munguía the former Deputy Head of the Legislative Assembly of the state of La Libertad, along with over 1,000 citizens. Chairman Lee and Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim of the IWPG were invited to attend and graced the occasion with their presence.

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Mayor Munguía and the citizens of Santa Tecla, volunteered to build the peace monument and collaborated with HWPL to take a new leap toward bringing peace in their community. HWPL’s Peace Monuments

are being erected in many parts of the world, including the United States, the Philippines, and South Africa, and are the symbols of sustainable world peace.

The citizens of El Salvador, meaning ‘The Savior’, are taking this pioneering event as an opportunity to be at the forefront of leading the WARP Office events.

Moving forward from the pain and suffering of the 12-year civil war that took the lives of over 80,000 people, Santa Tecla is fully supporting the implementation of the Convention on the Cessation of War. The City Council of Santa Tecla has also designated September 18th as HWPL Day to annually commemorate the unprecedented WARP Summit in Seoul, South Korea.

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HWPL Peace Discussion in London amidst Impending Global Conflict

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ast month, while the world was sending its grievances and expressing fury at the indiscriminate armed violence perpetrated by terrorists in Paris, the HWPL International Law Peace Committee members and renowned international law scholars met with Chairman Lee to discuss the Declaration of the Renunciation and Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts. Discussions were held over the course of three rigorous meetings on November 12th through 14th in London, and included a post-action plan for drafting the International Convention and its implementation.

Chairman Lee declared at the International Law Committee meeting that “without the implementation of an International Law on the Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts, world peace would remain a remote goal. Because law itself acts as watchman, no one can easily perpetrate violence and cause conflicts

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once the International Law is set in stone. Today at this very important gathering, the HWPL International Law Peace Committee members will discuss the Declaration, which can then be divided into each provision which will be finalized by making necessary revisions.

Once proclaimed, this Declaration will be engraved in the hearts of many people to have a peaceful life.”

The International Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts is HWPL’s core initiative, which was first presented at the 1st Annual Commemoration of the World Alliance of Religions Peace (WARP) Summit in September this year. It aims to prevent any warlike activities throughout the world.

Innovative Law to strengthen the global society

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r. Kamal Hossain, the Vice Chair of the International Law Association, played an integral role in drafting the constitution of Bangladesh and is active in the arena of peace activism. During the committee meeting in London, Dr. Hossain said, “The Declaration of the Cessation of War 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 Declaration will strengthen our global society and international law framework by supplementing the gaps.”

One of the members of the HWPL International Law Peace Committee said, “There are other institutions that are dealing with the same subjects. What we have is the strong network which can be provided

by HWPL. We can propose a Declaration followed

by Convention and with it, HWPL, as an organization

representing a number of legal minds, can approach the heads of state, calling on them to help this initiative…. Chairman Lee is someone with lots of wisdom and has access to a large number of young people.

At the end of the day, the change can only come from states, and as such, they must be pushed…

This provides room for innovation and initiative.”

Upon its presentation, it is expected that the Declaration followed by the International Convention will serve as a unique and effective tool in preventing any further nihilistic activities like terrorist attacks and civil wars. It will ensure lasting peace.

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The Model United Nations Conference at the University of Oxford n 15 November 2015, at the University of Oxford, Chairman Lee delivered a closing speech at the Model United Nations (MUN) conference, emphasizing the significant role youth of this generation can play in making peace a reality. “If we wish to permanently end all wars and armed conflicts, youth and women should act as watchmen of each state, overseeing the progress of the International Convention on the Cessation of War to ensure global peace.” The Oxford MUN’s mission is to promote an increasingly global exchange of ideas and connections through collaboration among participating conferences, enabling a greater diversity and awareness of attending delegates. This year’s Oxford International MUN was the largest and most prestigious conference to date.

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Having encountered the harsh realities of war crimes against youth first hand, Chairman Lee strongly appealed to the audience and all individuals — “Even before their precious lives fully blossom and receive proper education, should youth ever be forcibly taken away from their mothers and be trained and used as tools to satisfy the greed of others? We must compensate for the lives lost in the midst of all conflicts by providing access to education, especially regarding various peace initiatives to those who are still forced to carry out non-peaceful activities in the world.” At the end of his speech, Chairman Lee received a standing ovation. Many of the participants wanted to find out more information about how they could join IPYG and be part of the peace movement.

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Peace Attractions Project:

Becoming a Peacemaker China

18 Sep 2015

Monument to the Success of the World Alliance of Religions' Peace Summit HWPL Peace Academy

HWPL Peace Academy

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HWPL DAY

HWPL DAY

Republic of South Africa 28 Mar 2015

World Peace Summit Memorial

1. Purpose of the project

2. Next Steps

As an international peace organization, HWPL is initiating the ‘Peace Attractions Project’ to reach out to every corner of the earth by introducing peace sites in various countries. HWPL aims to present this meaningful project through its monthly newsletter to motivate active participants who love and live for peace to carry out their duty as peace messengers all over the world. Through the Peace Attractions Project, the participants can take a proactive step to experience and bring forth peace.

All participants are encouraged to conduct the Peace Attractions Project with sincerity and responsibility to deliver the message of peace. “Peace Attractions” refer to symbolic sites, monuments and/ or museums representing peace including places and regions that are in need of peace. HWPL will put forth efforts to build peace monuments and peace parks in the places introduced by our peacemakers.

Peacemakers are here to spread the good news.

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Republic of Korea

HWPL DAY

19 May 2015

Monument to the Success of the World Alliance of Religions' Peace Summit in Goseong, South Korea

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WARP Summit Day

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World Alliance of Religious Day

Philippines 25 May 2015

Mindanao Peace Agreement Monument in Maguindanao Province, Mindanao, Philippines

El Salvador 18 Sep 2015

Monument to the Success of the World Alliance of Religions' Peace Summit

Step 1 : Y ou will select the peace attractions (sites,

monuments, museums, etc.,) in your country

Step 2 : A fter selecting the sites, you will visit and

record a video or write a script that introduces and highlights the selected peace attractions.

- Please briefly introduce yourself, your country, and the reason why you are participating in this project. Additionally please include why you picked that site as a peace attraction

- P lease be sure to include a clear narration or subtitles in your recording if the on-site audio recording is not clear enough for audience.

- A fter introducing the sites, please share your words to encourage and motivate the global family to participate in the project to bring forth peace.

Step 3 : Send your recordings or writing to (pr_hq@

hwpl.kr) with title of “Peace Attractions Project your name_country” Ex) “Peace Attractions Project_Hannah Jeon_Korea”.

Please be sure to include your contact information.

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Peace Attractions Project:

The World Peace Gate

he World Peace Gate was built to celebrate the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The Seoul Olympics was recorded for having the largest scale Olympics at its time and was a stepping stone of reconciliation for opposing ideologies around the world. The World Peace Gate has therefore become a symbolic icon of world peace. In the center of the World Peace Gate, a fire has been lit since the 1988 Seoul Olympics and many flags are always at work fluttering around the huge square of the World Peace Gate. Starting from announcing the Declaration of World Peace, the peace walk of the IPYG with numerous youth from

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various nations in May 2013, the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit in September 2014 and the 1st Annual Commemoration of Sept 18th WARP Summit in September 2015, HWPL has held various ceremonies in front of the World Peace Gate. At this location, Chairman Lee also presented about the creation of an International Convention on the Cessation of War and the WARP Offices. We can see that much work dedicated towards world-wide peace has occurred at this location. Therefore, the World Peace Gate would qualify as a worthy “Peace Attraction”.

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What should we call this era?

It is the perfect time to bring about peace, if we put our efforts.

Our goal is to make peace a reality.

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2015 December | No. 8

HWPL NEWS Monthly Newsletter of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light

Tel +82 (0)2 514 1963 Fax +82 (0)2 514 1961 Email hwpl@hwpl.kr Website www.hwpl.kr