HWPL Holds 11th Anniversary of the Peace Summit, Gathering 800 Global Leaders

HWPL Holds 11th Anniversary of the Peace Summit, 

Gathering 800 Global Leaders

- Presenting Achievements and Vision for Cooperation among International Organizations, Governments, and Civil Society for Peace -

Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL, Chairman Man Hee Lee), an international peace NGO, held the “11th Annual Commemoration of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit” under the theme “Uniting for Peace and Fulfilling Humanity’s Duty Together”. The main event took place in Cheongju, Republic of Korea, on September 18–19, and will continue in major cities across 78 countries worldwide until October.

This year, more than 800 leaders—including former and current presidents, prime ministers, speakers of parliament, chief justices, ministers, as well as leaders from the fields of education, religion, media, and youth—voluntarily gathered in Korea to mark the 11th anniversary.

At the 9.18 World Peace Summit in 2014, participants pledged practical approaches and implementation for peacebuilding in areas such as international law for the guarantee and maintenance of peace, and interfaith harmony. At the 11th anniversary, HWPL shared the outcomes of its three core initiatives over the past year, highlighting cases where public–private cooperation models were developed and implemented for sustainable peace across diverse national and social structures.

One of the central agendas of the conference was the expansion of international support and implementation of the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).” Proposed by HWPL, the DPCW is an international legal framework that includes principles such as ▲prohibition of the use of force, ▲prevention and mediation of conflicts, and ▲assurance of sustainable peace.

Over the past year, support for the DPCW has grown on both international and regional levels. Seventeen entities—including major intergovernmental organizations such as the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), the legislatures of Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and South Sudan, as well as local governments in the Philippines, Mongolia, Georgia (U.S.), Madagascar, Mali, and India—adopted resolutions in support of the DPCW.

In his commemorative address, HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee emphasized global cooperation for peace, stating, “Conflict can never be a virtue; establishing peace is the true good. If we fail to create a peaceful world in our time, we will pass conflicts on to the next generation. What we must leave for the future is not conflict, but a world of peace. Today, the work we must do is an act of goodness.”

In a congratulatory speech, Ivo Josipović, the 3rd President of Croatia, stressed, “We must recognize that our efforts to ban war across the globe are more important than ever. The achievements we have made this year are evidence that humanity can one day realize everlasting peace.”

Sectoral sessions also presented various achievements. In the field of religion, the launch of the “Social–Religious Peace Committee (SRPC)” was introduced as a significant milestone. Currently, scripture-based dialogue and discussions are being carried out in 292 locations across 132 countries. Since 2023, the World Religious Peace Academy has been introduced as a program for interfaith understanding and learning. Some countries have officially approved the Academy as a communication platform for both leaders and citizens.

In the field of education, the introduction of HWPL’s Peace Education into national curricula was highlighted. A representative from Zambia reported that peace education programs have been introduced in all schools in the capital, Lusaka, and are being expanded nationwide in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Mongolia also shared progress in integrating HWPL Peace Education into both lifelong learning institutions and the public education system.

At the Global Peace Education Conference, Ian Miyoba, Director of Education Policy at Zambia’s Ministry of Education, stated, “Through peace education, we are gathering citizens’ voices for peace and realizing the spread of a culture of peace. This helps prevent social issues such as child rights violations, early marriage, and drug abuse, bringing about real change. These are the unique strengths of HWPL Peace Education and the reason Zambia has chosen to adopt it.”

The International Conference for Preparing Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula also discussed free exchange between South and North Korea based on public–private cooperation. Following the launch of the Preparatory Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Korean Peninsula in March, this conference focused on formulating activity plans centered on inter-Korean exchange, unification education, and international cooperation.

As a result of such diverse activities, HWPL’s global membership increased by 140,000 over the past year, surpassing 580,000. HWPL Secretary General Kang Tae-ho reported, “Citizens worldwide who suffer from war and conflict are yearning for practical peace beyond the existing order. That yearning has led to explosive membership growth.”

Meanwhile, the HWPL 9.18 World Peace Summit 11th Anniversary, which began on September 18, will continue until October in major cities across 78 countries, including Korea. Approximately 15,000 leaders from international organizations, governments, and civil society will engage in in-depth discussions on long-term strategies for establishing sustainable peace tailored to each country’s context.

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