Where Should Humanity Go?

Where Should Humanity Go?

Where Should Humanity Go?

– The 10th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War” (DPCW): The Path to Institutionalizing Peace through Law –

 

On March 14, 2016, the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War” (DPCW) was proclaimed. This document was proposed to establish a shared framework for preventing war and promoting the peaceful resolution of conflicts in an international environment where wars and disputes continue to recur.

The DPCW originated from a deep awareness of the reality in which countless young people are sacrificed in wars. It goes beyond merely managing conflicts after they occur, and instead emphasizes structurally preventing disputes and institutionalizing cooperation.

Now, marking the 10th anniversary since its proclamation, the continued support and participation have significantly expanded the foundation for implementing the principles proposed by the DPCW.

▎ HWPL Born from the Experience of War

HWPL is an international peace NGO established to protect lives lost to war and to build a sustainable order of peace.

The background of its establishment lies in the war experience of Man Hee Lee, the Chairman of HWPL. He participated in the Korean War as a student soldier and directly witnessed the devastation of war. His conviction that no more young people should be sacrificed to war became the starting point for the founding of HWPL.

Since then, HWPL has built an international network connecting political leaders, religious communities, and civil society, while continuing efforts in international law discussions, peace education, and interfaith cooperation. The DPCW is a proposed international framework developed as an extension of these ongoing initiatives.

▎ HWPL Peace Summit (September 18) and Global Consensus

The starting point of the DPCW can be traced back to the HWPL Peace Summit held in Seoul on September 18, 2014. A total of 1,933 participants from 152 countries attended, including former and incumbent heads of state, government officials, religious leaders, international law experts, and representatives of civil society. A key issue raised during the conference was clear: responding only after conflicts occur is not sufficient to prevent the recurrence of war.

Accordingly, a shared understanding emerged on the need for international standards to prevent conflicts and institutionalize cooperation. In 2015, HWPL launched the “HWPL International Law Peace Committee” (ILPC), composed of renowned experts in international law. After thorough legal review and deliberation, the ILPC finalized the DPCW consisting of 10 articles and 38 clauses, which was officially proclaimed on March 14, 2016.

▎ Key Provisions of the DPCW

The DPCW consists of a preamble along with 10 articles and 38 clauses. While it is based on the fundamental principles of existing international law, it is characterized by clearly defining more specific measures for preventing war and strengthening frameworks for cooperation.

The DPCW includes the following key provisions: 

▪ Establishing international standards on the use of force

▪ Codifying procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes

▪ Strengthening principles of international cooperation and collective security

▪ Ensuring freedom of religion and promoting interfaith cooperation

▪ Expanding a culture of peace and encouraging civic participation

The DPCW is not intended to replace the existing international legal order. Rather, it focuses on reinforcing and supplementing established principles of international law so that they can function effectively in practice.

It is also significant in that it seeks to broaden the foundation for implementing international norms by going beyond a state-centered legal framework and incorporating the roles of various actors, including religious communities and civil society.

▎ Ten Years of Expansion and Consolidation

Since the proclamation of the DPCW, support has continued from international organizations and national legislatures. Several regional parliaments—including the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino)—have adopted resolutions in support.  More recently, support resolutions have also been passed by the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay, the Senate of the Dominican Republic, and the National Legislature of South Sudan.

At the civil society level, the movement has also continued to expand. Approximately 900,000 endorsements have been gathered from 178 countries. This demonstrates that the spread of these norms is taking place not only through state diplomacy but also through active participation from civil society.

This trend shows that the DPCW is not remaining as a mere declaration, but is gradually taking shape as a practical norm through ongoing discussions within the international community and civil society.

▎ Beyond the Era of War: The Path to Institutionalizing Peace through Law

Throughout history, humanity has often brought conflicts to an end through war. The pattern of allowing superiority in force to determine order has been repeated over time.

A civilizational shift lies in transforming this very structure. It means moving away from resolving conflicts through war and toward resolving them through law, agreement, procedures, and cooperation. While conflicts themselves may not disappear, the means of resolving them can change.

The DPCW clarifies standards on the use of force, establishes procedures for dispute resolution, and incorporates the roles of religion and civil society within an institutional framework. This represents an effort to strengthen a structure in which conflicts do not escalate into war.

The past decade has been a period of expanding these proposals within the international community and building institutional and social foundations. The task ahead is to further solidify this foundation. International norms must be strengthened to ensure that conflicts do not escalate into war, and a system must be established in which both states and societies share this responsibility.

▎ “Where Should Humanity Go?”

Rather than accepting war as a means of resolving conflicts, the direction forward is to structure and institutionalize peace. Conflicts may be inevitable, but whether they are allowed to escalate into war or addressed through alternative standards depends on the choices humanity makes. The DPCW represents an effort to translate that choice into the form of international norms, and the discussions and growing consensus over the past decade have demonstrated its potential.

One question remains: will this standard be transformed into a real-world order, or will it remain as just another declaration?

Reference : https://vo.la/GpHb5Im