[EN] 1st National Peace Convention Press Conference

Main Content of the 1st National Peace Convention Press Conference

 

 

HWPL Chairman Lee Man-hee and its peace delegates attended the 1st National Peace Convention which took place at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on January 24. This event was hosted by the Volunteer Individuals for Peace (VIP), who also invited HWPL to the event. Twenty-three major Philippine media outlets came to cover the event, such as PTV 4, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), NCRPO Press Club, and MAHARIKA News Channel.

 

 

#DPCW_1038 #IPYG #IWPG #WARP_OFFICE #HWPL #PEACE_WORLD #NO_WAR

 

 

Before the event, a press conference where reporters asked questions regarding the event took place with HWPL Chairman Lee Man-hee, IWPG Chairwoman Yoon Hyun-sook, IPYG General Director Chung Young-min, along with Dr. Ronald Adamat, Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Founding Chairman of VIP. Dr. Ronald Adamat, who hosted the event, emphasized that the media is an essential partner in directly informing the public of peace, the purpose and initiative of the National Peace Convention, why VIP should cooperate with HWPL, and why January 24th should be established as a national holiday to celebrate peace in the Philippines.

 

Below is the summary of the press conference.

 

1st National Peace Convention Purpose and Initiative

The 1st National Peace Convention was held to adopt a peace-themed resolution and to unite the nation. This resolution calls for peace and to bring people together. The resolution will be drafted in each “Sub-groups” that come from the legislative and policy-making sectors, education and youth sectors, media, and news sectors, religious, Indigenous Peoples, Muslims, and interfaith sectors, and women sector. Then, the suggested resolutions will be made into a unified resolution to be adopted.

 

The peace roadmap or framework is founded and grounded on the concept of PBBM-SD (President BongBong Marcos-Sara Duterte) otherwise known as “Peace Builds Binds Minds for Sustainable Development. Although President BongBong Marcos-Sara Duterte was not able to attend the conference, he will think gravely of the resolution as someone who mentions peace often.

 

The reason January 24 should be designated as a National Peace Day in the Philippines

The designation of January 24 as a possible National Peace Day is rooted in the historical narratives of the work HWPL accomplished in Mindanao in 2014. HWPL decided to visit after learning that Mindanao is a war-torn area due to the division of Christians and Muslims. So, Chairman Lee Man-hee went to Mindanao way back and was able to forge a non-governmental peace agreement between the Muslim communities represented by Governor Toto Mangudadatu and Archbishop Capella of Davao at the time.

 

This day was January 24 and the province of Maguindanao designated this day as a “Peace Day” the very next week. When considering this background, it is fit for January 24 to be established and celebrated as a National Peace Day in the Philippines.

 

There are two ways to create or establish a national holiday in the Philippines. The first way through an auxiliary law and the second is proposing it to the Congress so that it could be implemented. It is the government’s decision on how it will be established but we will do our best to urge for this to be possible.

 

Why VIP works with HWPL

What VIP and HWL have in common is very simple. It is peace. Both organizations are one for peace and we are volunteering for peace. I hope everyone can join us. This will make a difference not only for today but for the future generation as well. So, let’s invest in peace. Investing in peace is investing in the future. This doesn’t mean simply investing resources but investing your talent, expertise, and time to spread the culture of peace.

 

VIP is conducting peace education with HWPL. To integrate peace into the higher education curricula,

Executive Order No.1 was issued to all colleges by the Commission on Higher Education. The values of peace can be embedded in the hearts and minds of the students through education. The future depends on the children’s education.

 

HWPL is based in South Korea and to promote peace, we need to partner with organizations like HWPL. This is how the good news of peace and peace itself can spread like a virus. It is important to establish a partnership so that this peace movement can continue not only in the Philippines but around the world.

 

“Conference for the Guarantee and Realization of Law”

https://bit.ly/41cCFyY

 

 

Nine years after the peace agreement in Mindanao, Philippines Support for DPCW and desire for peace bring the Philippines together

https://bit.ly/3lCdTYA

 

 

The Need for Peace for Sustainable Social Development

https://bit.ly/3K75qai

 

 

Religious Peace Network 2022, Pakistan, Albania

https://bit.ly/3RUwICA

 

 

The National Youth Council of Côte d’Ivoire Peace Camp: To Spread a Culture of Peace Together

https://bit.ly/3E6RadB

 

 

A Place of Consolation for Those who Suffered the Pain of War, Christmas Pop-Up Event

https://bit.ly/416Uakn

 

 

Peace Journalism Studies

https://bit.ly/3E1jlL9

 

 

Youth Empowerment Peace Workshop(YEPW) in Timor-Leste

https://bit.ly/3Xvbj3V

 

DPCW_1038 : Conference for the Guarantee and Realization of Law

Report of the 32nd World Peace Tour

 

Country visited: Philippines

Period of Stay: January 23, 2023 (Mon) ­– January 28 (Sat)

Submitted a Resolution to Declare a National Peace Day on January 24th to the President of the Philippines

Erected a Peace Monument at the Cotabato State University in Manila

Held a Peace Concert in Mindanao 50 Years after the conflict

 

The 1st National Peace Convention in Plenary

At the 1st National Peace Convention in Plenary held at the Philippine International Convention Center on January 25th, the Volunteer Individuals for Peace (VIP) and its peace partner, HWPL, have unanimously agreed to draft a resolution calling on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., to declare a National Peace Day, otherwise known as “Truce Day,” through a Presidential Proclamation. This was submitted to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).

 

Each sector group—legislative and policy-making sectors, education and youth sectors, media and news sector, religious sectors including indigenous people and Muslims, and women sector—drafted its resolution respectively in the sessions. Including this resolution, a total of six resolutions were submitted to the OPAPRU.

 

This resolution emphasizes the peace roadmap and the institutionalization of peace founded and grounded on the concept of PBBM-SD otherwise known as “Peace Builds Binds Minds for Sustainable Development,” the agenda of Marcos administration for national unity agenda, and the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).”

 

#DPCW_1038 #IPYG #IWPG #WARP_OFFICE #HWPL #PEACE_WORLD #NO_WAR

 

Also at the conference, the Volunteer Individuals for Peace (VIP) presented the “Manila Declaration of Peace and National Unity” with the education and youth sectors, the religious, inter-faith, Indigenous peoples, Muslim, and inter-cultural sectors, the women sector, the media sector, the private sector, the government sector including the legislators and policy-makers, public officials and employees. They pledged to institutionalize peace in the Philippines in cooperation with HWPL.

 

Peace Monument Unveiling Ceremony

On 24 January 2023, the peace monument unveiling ceremony was held at the Plaza Asuncion in Malate. This monument, spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Manila Metro (RCMM) in collaboration with HWPL, calls for citizens and the government to make efforts to build peace and express support for the DPCW. On January 27, the unveiling ceremony of the HWPL-VIP peace monument was held at the Mindanao Cotabato State University, designated as the first peace academy in the Philippines.

 

Support for the DPCW, Designating January 24th as a Day of Peace

The City of Manila and the Province of Davao de Oro proclaimed a resolution supporting the DPCW. Ahod B. Ebrahim, the Chief Minister of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), signed to support the DPCW and designated January 24th as the official day of peace in the BARMM region.

 

We Are One Music Peace Festival in Mindanao, About 6,000 Youths Urge for Peace

On 26 January, for the first time in nearly 50 years since the conflict broke out, the “We Are One Music Peace Festival” was held at the Cotabato State University (CSU) gymnasium. It can be seen that Mindanao is safe and peaceful enough that 6,000 people can attend and enjoy the festival safely. Kutawato Greenland Initiatives (KGI) that organized this festival is establishing peace in the Cotabato region with HWPL.

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“Conference for the Guarantee and Realization of Law”

https://bit.ly/41cCFyY

 

 

Nine years after the peace agreement in Mindanao, Philippines Support for DPCW and desire for peace bring the Philippines together

https://bit.ly/3lCdTYA

 

 

The Need for Peace for Sustainable Social Development

https://bit.ly/3K75qai

 

 

Religious Peace Network 2022, Pakistan, Albania

https://bit.ly/3RUwICA

 

 

The National Youth Council of Côte d’Ivoire Peace Camp: To Spread a Culture of Peace Together

https://bit.ly/3E6RadB

 

 

A Place of Consolation for Those who Suffered the Pain of War, Christmas Pop-Up Event

https://bit.ly/416Uakn

 

 

Peace Journalism Studies

https://bit.ly/3E1jlL9

 

 

Youth Empowerment Peace Workshop(YEPW) in Timor-Leste

https://bit.ly/3Xvbj3V

 

 

DPCW_1038 : Joint Peace Camp

Sayanand Yarangfan, Peace Educator, Chak Kham Khanathon School, Thailand

 

The Thailand-Vietnam Peace Camp offered great opportunities and values for both Thai and Vietnamese students to get new experiences and knowledge about peace education. Moreover, they could learn and exchange their various cultural differences to fulfill their global citizenship. This camp inspired both Thai and Vietnamese students to grow in accepting and understanding each other. It was a very valuable and useful camp for everyone.

 

https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en

 

#DPCW_1038 #PEACE #PEACEWORLD #HWPL #WARP_OFFICE #PEACE_EDUCATION #UN #IPYG #IWPG 

 On November 19, a peace camp was held with the joint efforts of students from Vietnam and Thailand. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided opportunities to interact more actively through online platforms. The peace educators in Thailand and Vietnam organized this joint peace camp online for their students.

 

Students found this joint peace camp unique as an opportunity to unite as one under peace despite the differences in cultural and ethnic backgrounds. It taught them the sense of commitment that the global peace cannot be attained by the efforts of a particular group or nation but rather by the united efforts of every global citizen who are living in this particular era.

 

Below are some of the comments from educators, students, and parents who participated in the joint peace camp, sharing their inspirational moments or lessons.

🦋

Bao Han, Student, Le Loi Secondary School, Vietnam

 

Before this course, I simply thought that ‘peace’ means no wars and mutual love. Until now, I understand that in daily life, wars still exist in some other forms like conflicts, hatred, and fights. Most countries in the world are developed and peaceful nowadays. However, there are still many countries where wars still take place every day and people still have to suffer that terrible pain. Therefore, people have to love and share with each other more and more to stop wars.

 

Chitsanapong Kengwanit, Chak Kham Khanathon School, Thailand

 

As humans are much more conscious creatures than nature like trees, they can act more freely. Humans have their own minds, sets of beliefs, and opinions. Oftentimes, it is the reason why we cannot make harmony just like nature does. It’s like they want to stay in their comfort zone and don’t want to change. That is why we need effort for peace.

 

📨

The National Youth Council of Côte d’Ivoire Peace Camp: To Spread a Culture of Peace Together

The National Youth Council of Côte d’Ivoire Peace Camp was held over five sessions from 5 November to 3 December 2022. The camp was held online with around twenty participants including the National Youth Council of Côte d’Ivoire members and heads of affiliated NGO youth organizations within Côte d’Ivoire.

 

https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en

👆

The peace camp aimed to plant the value of peace in the youth to foster them as peace citizens to provide HWPL Peace Education across the nation as well as conduct various peace activities.

Twelve lessons from the HWPL Peace Curriculum were taught during the camp, and students shared what they learned after every lesson. On 14 Dec, after the course was completed, the Peace Education Graduation Ceremony was held online and the graduates pledged to spread the value of peace to the Côte d’Ivoire youth.

 

Niangoran Angelina, Président of the Political Women Group, stated in her graduation speech, “I want to thank you for allowing me to take part in this peace training. Abandoned by my biological father, I was confronted with many difficulties that I had to overcome alone; I slept on the street. Today, I give my all for others, I help my learners, but once I find myself alone, it is an inner wound that no one knows about. I found it hard to forgive him, but after this training, the wounds I felt are healed. I understood that I had to forgive him after many years in order to be free myself. I can use this training to educate others. Thank you so much, president.”

 

The National Youth Council of Côte d’Ivoire and Côte d’Ivoire’s youth organizations will continue to work with IPYG to host various peace activities.

 #DPCW_1038 #PEACE #PEACEWORLD #HWPL #WARP_OFFICE #PEACE_EDUCATION #UN #IPYG #IWPG

DPCW_1038 : A Place of Consolation for Those who Suffered the Pain of War, Christmas Pop-Up Event

On December 18 of last year, the IPYG Czech branch held a “Christmas Pop-Up Event” for cultural exchange and invited Czech citizens and Ukrainian refugees. Approximately 60 Czech citizens and Ukrainian refugees participated in this event, which was designed to comfort the pain of refugees who fled from their hometowns from the war and to inform the citizens of the horrors of war.

 

At the Pop-Up Event, Ukrainian designers and artists shared the stories of their works and sold design products. Several participants also engaged in environmental protection activities to reduce clothing waste by exchanging clothing with one another. There was also a celebration performance, a time of dancing, and a photo zone set up to leave warm memories of the end of the year.

 

Milana Kopyt, the founder of Felt You, participated in the event and stated, “I really feel thankful towards IPYG for this Christmas Pop-Up. I was amazed and touched by the fact that there were people in the Czech Republic who had such a heart for peace and for the Ukrainian community. I hope we can keep cooperating in projects like this and be able to promote one another mutually.”

 Since last October, the Czech branch of IPYG has been carrying out volunteer activities such as operating English and Czech classes to help Ukrainian refugees find jobs. The classes were prepared to help those struggling with communication and belonging even though they had been in the Czech Republic for over a year, and about 100 people attended the class for two months.

(As of 31 October 2022, the Czech Republic has granted Temporary Protection to 453,725 refugees fleeing from Ukraine. Source: Ukraine Situation: Regional Refugee Response Plan – March-December 2022, 26 April 2022, https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/download/96855)

 

 

The Czech branch will continue to ease the pain of war through various activities, such as providing English classes for Ukrainian refugees in 2023, operating a youth sovereignty peace class, and forming a dance time, so that the youth can unite in a culture of peace.

 

https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en

#DPCW_1038 #PEACE #CZECH #UKRAIN #HWPL #IPYG #IWPG #WARP_OFFICE #CHRISTMAS

 

International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness | 5 March

Did you know?

Did you know that in 2021, global military spending reached $2.1 trillion? 12,700 nuclear weapons remain an existential threat to humanity today. 26,000 people can be treated for malaria for the price of 1 battle tank. Here are some outreach materials.

 

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The International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness seeks to promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public, especially young people.

 

Since the founding of the United Nations, the goals of multilateral disarmament and arms limitation have been central to the Organization’s efforts to maintain international peace and security.

 

Weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, continue to be of primary concern, owing to their destructive power and the threat that they pose to humanity. The excessive accumulation in conventional weapons and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons jeopardizes international peace and security and sustainable development, while the use of explosive weapons in populated areas is seriously endangering civilians. New and emerging weapon technologies, such as autonomous weapons, pose a challenge to global security and have received increased attention from the international community in recent years.

 

Observed on 5 March, the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness plays a role in deepening the global public’s understanding about how disarmament efforts contribute to enhancing peace and security, preventing and ending armed conflicts, and curbing human suffering caused by weapons.

 

https://www.un.org/en

 

#UN #INTERNATIONAL_DAY#HWPL #DPCW_1038 #WARP_OFFICE #NO_WAR #GLOBAL #NUCLEAR

 

DPCW_1038 : Religious Peace Network

A religious peace network is an attempt to build a common front for the harmony and peace of religious leaders around the world. At the Religious Peace Network seminar, we will take a look at the situation of religious peace in a particular country or region. If there is a successful case of religious peace, we will share it and learn from each other. On the contrary, if there are large and small religious conflicts, we would like to share this situation as well, and send a message of religious harmony through dialogue. Seminars within the Religious Peace Network can be used to deliver specific messages of peace that are linked to the real situation of that region.

 

Pakistan, which was originally a united country with India, gained independence from England in 1947, and became its own sovereign country, predominantly for religious reasons. Since Pakistan is an Islamic republic, the human rights violations of minority religious people by Muslims, who occupy the absolute majority, have often been witnessed and are emerging as a social issue.

 

Although Pakistan is an Islamic republic, not only Muslims but also Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs are living in it, forming communities. The heads of each religious community interact with each other and communicate based on understanding and respect. However, ordinary citizens have not yet reached the level of consciousness that they must respect and understand each other.

 

At the Religious Peace Network 2022 Pakistan event, high-level figures from the Muslim, Christian, and Sikh communities met and had a conversation on the topic of “How to Promote Peaceful Interfaith Dialogue in Pakistan.” Dr. Shahbaz Manj, the head of the Department of Islamic studies at the Lahore University of Education, Pakistan; Tahir Naveed Chaudhary, a lawyer and president of the Pakistan Minority Association (PMA); Dr. Kalyan Singh Kalyan, Professor of Government College University, Lahore; and an audience of 70 members from Pakistan and South Korea also joined the event.

 

Dr. Shahbaz Manj, who serves as the head of the Department of Islamic studies at the Lahore University of Education said, “Pakistan came into being on the basis of the ideology of Islamic teachings but it does not mean that Pakistan is only for Muslims,” and he also said that they should be respected.

 

“I know that HWPL continues to do great peace work, such as the case of peace in Mindanao, Philippines,” said Tahir Naveed Chaudhary, the president of the Pakistan Minority Association (PMA). “I think because HWPL has a solid document like the DPCW, they can continue to do great peace works. Following this document is the way to create a culture of peace in Pakistan,” said Mr. Chaudhary.

 

HWPL emphasized that “A culture of dialogue is needed to create a peaceful atmosphere among religions, and free and respectful dialogue between various religious communities will guarantee Pakistani society ranks with other developed countries in sociocultural aspects,” and all speakers agreed with it.

 

The three speakers agreed that interreligious dialogue in Pakistan should be much more active than it is now. In 2023, we decided to promote interreligious dialogue in Pakistan with more people.

 

 

Religious Peace Network 2022 Albania

 

 

The Balkan Peninsula, where Albania is located, is a place called the powder keg of Europe. Historically, it is a region where the East and the West have met and many peoples, cultures, and religions have been intertwined and war has never ceased. Ethnic and religious conflicts continue to this day. However, despite its location in the Balkans, Albania has maintained interreligious peace.

At the “Religious Peace Network” event, high-level figures from the Albanian religious circle were invited to share the secret. Seventy-five audience members from Albania, Croatia, Portugal, USA, and more participated in the event.

 

 

 

Dr. Genti Kruja, Secretary General of the Interreligious Council of Albania (IRCA) said, “In many urbanized societies, interfaith conflicts are a major problem in many phases such as, social and political, religious and psycho-cultural. The Albanian religious tolerance that has been built over the centuries must be conserved and maintained in the future inside the people’s inherited mentality.”

 

He also gave concrete examples of how five religions (Catholicism, Orthodox, Judaism, Sunni Islam, and Bektashi Islam) have historically created a culture of peace in Albania. Audiences were greatly surprised to learn that during the Nazi occupation, people of other religions helped the Jews, and it made Albania become the only country with a larger Jewish population than before the outbreak of World War II.

 

Luigi Mila, Head of Justice and Peace Commission of Europe said, “The strengthening of relations should come naturally through contribution, cooperation, and mutual respect,” and deeply sympathized with the purpose of HWPL, which emphasizes the value of interreligious dialogue. Arben Sulejmani, Head of Bektashi Community in North Macedonia said, “Albania had a difficult time under Communism, but we rebuilt our country through religious harmony, peace, and national unity. We always help our neighbors and do the best we can for them.”

 

#PAKISTAN #PEACE_COMMISSION #EUROPE #WARP_OFFICE #DPCW_1038 #PEACE_WORLD #ALBANIA #WORLD_WAR #JEWISH #HWPL #IPYG #IWPG

 

Unlike other countries with a mix of Croatian, Bosnian, and Serb populations, Albania has a relatively high proportion of ethnic Albanians. Also, Muslims account for the majority. Therefore, Albania’s case may be so unique that it cannot be applied to other Balkan countries. However, the culture of tolerance and dialogue between religions does not have to be determined according to specific conditions but has an absolute value that precedes all situations and conditions. All participants at the Religious Peace Network 2022 Albania event also agreed with it.

 

In 2023, Religious Peace Network seminars will be hosted in other Balkan countries. At this time, the three presenters decided to actively cooperate to help bring a culture of religious peace to the Balkan region.

 

https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en/