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Tag: Man Hee Lee

  • Lee calls for implementation of cessation of war convention

    Lee calls for implementation of cessation of war convention

    The Chairman of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Man Hee Lee has appealed for the implementation of an International Convention on the Cessation of War and Achievement of World Peace.
    He made the call at the 1st Annual Commemoration of September 18th World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit (WARP) held in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 17-19 of September.
    Chairman Lee emphasized that “our future generations can inherit peace only if the international law experts do their part,” and urged them to “make good laws to make the world a better place.”
    The Summit was attended by about 300 people including not only those in the various fields that had participated in the summit of the previous year but also international law experts.
    In order to create an institutional framework for the realization of peace, a draft convention on the cessation of war was presented. This presentation was witnessed by the youth, women, and journalists, as each group holds an important role in achieving peace.
    The Summit 2014 was attended by about 2,000 guests including former and current heads of state, religious leaders, youth, women, and journalists from around the world and its outdoor events (World Peace Walk and Pre-event) by about 30,000 people.
    It was a summit of an unprecedented scale, where all participants came together and made promises that laid the foundation for world peace. Notably, former and current heads of state and religious leaders showed their determination to realize world peace by signing the Agreement to Propose the Enactment of International Law for the Cessation of Wars and World Peace and the Unity of Religions Agreement respectively.
    Below are the four highlights of the summit :
    1. Moving forward – International law experts modify the draft convention on the cessation of war
    To fundamentally resolve international armed conflicts, HWPL invited international law experts, as suggested by Chairman Man Hee Lee, and presented the Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of War and International Armed Conflicts, which was drafted by members of the HWPL Peace Advisory Council. Through discussion and modification by the HWPL International Law Peace Committee, the draft convention will be improved into a complete and applicable international convention. Furthermore, HWPL aims to send the final convention to heads of state around the world and have it ratified, and to go through the deliberative process of the UN so that the convention will be fully adopted and implemented. Also, it was proposed that UN agencies should monitor and oversee the enforcement of the convention by each state. The convention will include provisions on inter-religious conflict as well.

    Group photo of all attendees
    Group photo of all attendees

    At the afternoon session of the international law conference, Chairman Lee emphasized that “our future generations can inherit peace only if the international law experts do their part,” and further requested them to “make good laws to make the world a better place.” Moved by Chairman Lee’s earnest appeal, the international law experts suggested setting a specific schedule for drafting and finalizing the convention.
    1. -Launching the HWPL International Law Peace Committee
    This day, twelve international law experts including Dr. Fathi Kemicha (former member of the UN International Law Commission), Prof. Ibrahim Aljazy (President of the International Law Association, Jordanian Branch, and former Minister of State for Legal Affairs of Jordan), and Prof. Enver Hasani (former President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo) were appointed as members of the HWPL International Law Peace Committee. They pledged to work together for the implementation of an international convention on the cessation of war. As the first step for this purpose, the participants discussed practical ways to draft the most essential provisions based on the draft convention that HWPL prepared in advance.
    2. Inter-religious conference for resolving religious conflict

    During the HWPL World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Office Presentation Meeting and Religious Leaders’ Conference, the role that religious people hold in the peace movement and the current state of the religious world were addressed. The HWPL WARP Office is a gathering of religious leaders and scholars where they study religious texts and realize that peace can be achieved in the religious world only through religious unity and the answer to peace is within the Creator who gives life to this earth. To find that answer along with people of all religious backgrounds, HWPL began to hold dialogue sessions at HWPL WARP Offices for comparing religious texts. As of September 11th 2015, 104 offices have been established in 53 countries. This day’s session stressed the role and importance of religious figures in achieving world peace and further instilled in each participant a sense of responsibility and commitment to world peace through the unity of religions.
    3. Establishing roles of the youth and women in the direction of the implementation process of the international convention
    Chairman Lee addressed the importance of the youth and women in the implementation of the international convention on the cessation of war. He stressed that they should raise their voices to monitor the implementation process of the convention. For this purpose, the IWPG and IPYG presented the Statement to Urge for the Implementation of an International Convention on the Cessation of War, which all participants signed to strengthen their determination. A worldwide online signature campaign will be launched soon as a means of implementing and expanding the project. Ms. Nam Hee Kim, the chairwoman of the IWPG, said in her speech that, “When the ability of international law experts, heavenly wisdom of HWPL, and work of the youth and women come together, all wars on earth will be brought to an end. Along with all women of the world, members of the IWPG will support the work of international law experts.”

    4. Discussing the mission of journalists for peace
    A total of 17 journalists from 13 media organizations in 14 countries attended the 1st Annual Commemoration of the WARP Summit. During the press conference on the 17th and HWPL Media Forum on the 18th, they shared the publicity work they have done as HWPL Publicity Ambassadors and discussed the mission of journalists in achieving peace. The journalists in attendance, who swiftly deliver the news of peace to the world, said that issues that the media of each country face should be resolved for such good news to be spread more widely. Also, they brought up the necessity of creating various TV and radio programs to arouse the youth’s interest in peace. Furthermore, they suggested that media coverage on international law that the public can easily understand is needed.
    For the 1st Annual Commemoration of the WARP Summit, high-tech filming equipment including helicopter cameras were used to broadcast historical moments where prominent leaders discussed world peace, enabling over 30,000 people in 60 countries to watch them live online. On the 19th, the last day of the event, “Inside WARP Summit,” a newsletter that introduces about the programs of the first day, was provided to each participant and delivered the news regarding the opening ceremony and each session. This event was more than just an international peace conference; it was a harmonious combination of culture and technology that took the cultural events to the next level.

  • World Peace: Religious leaders converge in Australia

    In a bid to end terrors across the world, religious representatives have converged in Australia for a three-day retreat.

    Representatives from: Christian, Anglican, Islam, Buddhism, they were enlightened that as religious leaders, who sermon ideas and philosophy, that they should be aware of their roles and missions.

    The meeting of the religious leaders was on discussion for Peace and Alliance of Religions that convened as another stepping stone for peace. This was a continuation of the work started at the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit, which was hosted by Heavenly World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) last September in Seoul, South Korea. The retreat was held in three Australian cities.

    The religious leaders through a video by HWPL Chairman, Man Hee Lee, found out the most trustworthy teaching by comparing every religious book. They were also enlightened that as religious leaders, who sermon ideas and philosophy, that they should be aware of their roles and missions.

    According to Jennifer Lee, host of the meeting: “It is very difficult to talk about what they really have in mind while other religious people are all around you.

    “But as they look at their faces and share about their thoughts more and more, they began to understand each other and found out that actually, most conflicts were happened because religious misunderstanding and got confident that it can be solved,” she concluded.

     

     

  • Chief Justices sign Korean peace activist’s anti-war proposal

    Chief Justices sign Korean peace activist’s anti-war proposal

    An agreement for the enactment of an international law to end all wars proposed by world renowned peace activist Mr. Man Hee Lee has been signed by Chief Justices from across the world.

    The agreement was signed at the International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW) held in India from December 13th – 15th attended by 160 judicial officers from 43 countries.

    The Chairman of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light, ( HWPL) Mr. Lee in the keynote address at the conference on December 13 noted that the enactment of the international law is the solution to achieve world peace and cessation of wars.

    “If the leaders truly want world peace and love their nation and its people, then they must add a clause to end all wars in the international law and sign the agreement for world peace,” Mr Lee said in his congratulatory remarks to the conference.

    In his speech on December 14, Mr Lee noted that the “the world is living in anxiety and is in chaos: nations fighting nations, civilizations fighting civilizations, fellow countrymen killing each other, believers killing other believers, the youth killing the youth.”

    “ The world is in the midst of this conflict where nation and ideology are divided because there is no clause in the international law to end all wars on this earth and create peace.”

    The pragmatic solution to the global problem according to Lee is to have former and current heads-of-state implement the cessation of wars and world peace in the international law with HWPL.

    Legal, political, and religious leaders are already involved in the movement.

    Among participants at the conference were Former President Emil Constantinescu of Romania, Former President Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa, Chief Justice of the Afghan Supreme Tribunal Abdul Salam Azimi, Indian First Secretary to the Permanent Mission to the UN Prakash Gupta, Chairman of the International Judicial Conference, USA Frederick Furth, and other former and current heads-of-state.

    Soon after the conference, Mr. Lee joined the Peace Walk at Montessori School with more than 2,000 students, judicial officers, former and current heads-of-state to promote world peace and the cessation of wars.

    Peace Walk City Montessori School (CMS)Students in India
    Peace Walk City Montessori School (CMS)Students in India

    Before this trip, Mr. Lee had embarked on 15 journeys around the world, visiting 56 different nations and presenting a pragmatic solution for world peace. During his 16th grand peace journey, before arriving in India he visited the United Nations Headquarters in New York and then also visited Los Angeles, USA.

    While visiting the UN HQ, he discussed the reformation of the international law to end all wars and ways to resolve the religious discord in the conflict areas in Africa.

    In Los Angeles, Mr. Lee met and pleaded to Los Angeles County Superior Court Justice Presiding Judge the Honorable David S. Wesleyto join the enactment of the international law for world peace.

    Presiding Judge David S. Wesley promised to help with this endeavor as an advisor of HWPL.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Lee and Ms. Nam Hee Kim, the chairwoman of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), both received the news that the City of Carson, USA had designated May 25th as “Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Day” to commemorate annually the first day that the World Peace Declaration was proclaimed.

    In September, HWPL held the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Summit in Seoul and since then the organization has continued working to end wars and usher in world peace pragmatically.

    Assembled at the Peace Summit were national and international political, religious, and youth leaders and members of media from 170 nations.

    Each party promised to contribute to the achievement of global peace. Political leaders signed to collaborate for the enactment of the international law, religious leaders signed to unite as one, and the youth and the media made commitments to do their part to bring about peace.

     

  • Advocating new era of world peace

    Advocating new era of world peace

    The World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Summit, which held from September 17 -19, 2014 in Seoul, was an event that opened a new chapter in the peace movement worldwide.

    Theme of the event was “The Enactment of an International Law for the Cessation of Wars and Legacy of Peace and the World Alliance of Religions.”

    This summit was groundbreaking in the sense that it presented; “the World Alliance of Religions” as a concrete proposition for realizing the cessation of wars and world peace.

    The event presented a platform for realising peace worldwide – first is to sign the Unity of Religions Agreement, and the second is to present the Agreement to Propose the Enactment of an International Law for the Cessation of Wars and encourage political and religious leaders around the world to participate.

    The WARP Summit was hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL, Chairman Man Hee Lee), which is a purely non-governmental organization, and it was attended by more than 50 former and current heads of state including presidents, vice presidents, and prime ministers from all around the world.

    world alliance of Religious peace

    Stjepan Mesic (former President of Croatia and former President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia), who was among the attendees, said, “This occasion where the heads of state and religious leaders came together for peace is unprecedented. Mr. Man Hee Lee’s idea is really amazing and excellent. This wonderful event will definitely play a positive role in bringing wars to an end and achieving world peace.”

    The fact that over 680 religious leaders from 120 countries agreed on the idea of “the World Alliance of Religions” and that they came to the Republic of Korea all the way from foreign countries has a significant meaning in the history of religions. Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of the Akal Takht, emphasized in his speech at the opening ceremony that; “All scriptures are telling us that religions must unite. A religious leader who speaks of division and conflict is not a religious leader.”

    The WARP Summit was actively supported by people from all walks of life. Since young people are the biggest victims of war, it is natural that over 600 representatives and members of youth organizations in 139 countries attended the event.

    Also, women—whose sons and husbands participate in war—actively participated in the WARP Summit. The fact that women organizations, including the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG, Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim), played a key role in the event was enthusiastically received by the foreign press.

    An anchorman of a famous broadcasting station, said, “I have often heard of the peace movement of Mr. Man Hee Lee, so I came to this event. The message that he delivered to the heads of state and religious leaders around the world for the cessation of wars and the achievement of world peace was impressive. The message of Ms. Nam Hee Kim saying that women are working together for world peace in the spirit of motherly love in order to protect children really touched my heart.”

    WARP

    On the first day of the WARP Summit, the opening ceremony was held at Seoul Olympic Stadium. The event was attended by approximately 200,000 people both inside and outside of the stadium, establishing itself as the biggest event ever for peace. The Card Section performance by 12,000 members of the youth organizations presented a spectacular view and delivered the message of peace to the whole world.

    On-ground performances expressing the wish for peace also left an unforgettable impression on the attendees.

    At the opening ceremony, a congratulatory video message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the spiritual leader of South Africa and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, attracted much attention.

    In his message, he said, “I would like to congratulated both Chairman Man Hee Lee and the members of HWPL for hosting the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit. Thank you for delivering the message of peace and the cessation of wars to the whole world.”

    The second day of the WARP Summit, religious leaders proclaimed they will transcend religion and denomination and embark upon the establishment of the unity of religions in order to bring about world peace. Twelve religious leaders, including Antonio Ledesma (Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines), Swami Chidanand Saraswati (the president of Parmarth Niketan Ashram), Martin De Jesus Barahona (Bishop of the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador), and Giani Gurbachan Singh (Jathedar of the Akal Takht), participated in the signing ceremony of the Unity of Religions Agreement.

    Through this agreement, they declared to work with people all around the world to realize world peace through the unity of religions, saying, “All religions must unite as one under the name of God.”

    warp 6

    Representatives from different nations gave speeches under the theme of “Religious Conflicts and World Peace” on that day. The event was attended by heads of state, ambassadors, and other dignitaries. Five group sessions also took place that afternoon to encourage participants to share methods of cooperation to achieve the cessation of wars and world peace. Representatives from each nation including political and religious leaders, prime ministers, and chief justices attended the various sessions.

    The Agreement to propose the Enactment of an International Law was declared along with Unity of Religions Agreement, and political leaders and government officials of the world pledged to be on the frontlines of spreading the necessity of enacting an international law to bring cessation of wars.

    On the last day of the event, a total of 200,000 people, including the participants of the Summit, the members of youth and women’s groups, and local citizens, participated in the Walk for World Peace near Seoul Olympic Park.

    This event, hosted by the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), commemorated the huge success of the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit, attended by about 600 members from youth and women groups representing organizations in 139 countries.

    warp 12

    Mr. Man Hee Lee, the chairman of HWPL, emphasized the realization of the cessation of wars and world peace through the unity of religions in numerous meetings with the media. This was stressed in a press conference with foreign media that took place on the day before the opening ceremony.

    Another press conference with national and international reporters was held at the conclusion of the Summit on the 19th. Mr. Lee said that through the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit, “The wars within humanity can be avoided by the determination in our hearts, and we can accomplish a world of peace to leave as a legacy for our future generations.”

    He also brought attention to the role of those of faith, the religious people, for this purpose. Mr. Lee also encouraged the media from different countries of the world to frequently report on the peace agreement signed at the Peace Summit.

     

  • South Korea Peace Advocte Lee honoured in China

    South Korea Peace Advocte Lee honoured in China

    The Peace advocate of South Korea, Mr. Man Hee Lee, has been granted the ‘Peace Advocate of World Peace’ award at the Great Hall of the People of Beijing.

    Lee who is the representative of Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light (“HWPL”) was granted the award by Zhang Meiying, the Vice President of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (“CPPCC”) of China after a recent meeting on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

    The award for Lee, a Korean War veteran was inspired by his promise to work peace and call on leaders of every country to sign a peace agreement that will bring the cessation of war and world peace..

    He also met with other groups during which he echoed his call for peace.

    Last January, Mr. Lee brought peace to the war-torn region of Mindanao, Philippines, where religious conflicts between Catholics and Muslims caused over 10,000 casualties.

    Before visiting China, the representative of HWPL hosted a Peace Walk with about 12,000 participants at Zamboanga, Philippines and showed the world that world peace is possible.

    Lee’s visit to China was part of his 13th Peace World Tour to spread the message of peace. Territorial disputes in Asia and denuclearization on the Korean peninsula were the two topics discussed during the Peace Forum.