[HWPL]

[HWPL] Higher Education Vision Forum Co-hosted by HWPL and Timor-Leste

Chairman ManHee Lee is the head representative of the global peace organization HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), which is striving for the enactment and implementation of the international peace law 'Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW)'. The  DPCW is a legal instrument comprised of 10 articles and 38 clauses that can end wars and hostilities throughout the world. HWPL is also spreading a culture of peace and implementing peace education.

Chairman ManHee Lee experienced the cruelty and tragedy of war as a veteran of the Korean War. This is one of the reasons why he founded a global peace campaign as the head of HWPL. He has traveled the globe more than 35 times to meet and persuade politicians, legal experts, journalists, professors, peace activists, civil organization leaders, heads of tribes and others to unite them for the work of peace. The significant fruits borne out of his hard work are the World Alliance of Religions' Peace (WARP) Summit and HWPL Peace Committee. The DPCW was drafted and finalised by the HWPL Peace Committee.

How, you may wonder, do I know this? About 10 years ago, when I had just been discharged from military service, I came to know HWPL and Chairman ManHee Lee while researching the topic of civil conflicts to satisfy my curiosity in ongoing global issues. At that time, the island of Mindanao in the Philippines was suffering from a major civil conflict that lasted more than 40 years, and Chairman ManHee Lee and HWPL resolved this conflict through non-violent means.

Chairman Lee brought an end to the conflict in Mindanao by holding a peace talk between the warring Catholic and Islamic groups. Before the talk, HWPL and Chairman ManHee Lee held a Peace Walk to spread the culture of peace in Mindanao with the many locals who had gathered out of a desire for peace.

Chairman ManHee Lee's pressing appeal today is that humanity unites for sustainable peace in order to pass on the legacy of peace to future generations worldwide. He doesn't just talk peace, but has worked tirelessly for it through practical peace campaigns for over a decade.

I decided to become a supporter of HWPL and Chairman ManHee Lee's peace initiatives because I also desire a world of peace for all posterity.

Today I'd like to introduce an article regarding HWPL's co-host of Higher Education Vision Forum with Timor-Leste :)

‘Higher Education Vision Forum’ Co-hosted by HWPL and the Ministry of Higher Education of Timor-Leste

– Discussions on Introducing Peace Education and MOU Signing with Three Universities –

The Higher Education Vision Forum, co-hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture of Timor-Leste (Ministério do Ensino Superior, Ciência e Cultura) and HWPL, was held in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, on June 2nd, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Approximately 22 representatives from 17 higher education institutions across Timor-Leste participated in the forum to discuss the introduction of peace education and potential avenues for collaboration.

This event was organized with the aim of promoting a culture of peace through education by introducing and implementing peace education in higher education institutions. It is hoped that the younger generation will internalize the values of peace and grow to become Messengers of Peace.

▲ Presentation and Q&A Session by the Rector of IPB, Q&A Session by the Vice-Rector of ISJB

The forum began with a welcoming address from the General Director of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture of Timor-Leste, followed by a presentation introducing HWPL and emphasizing the need for peace education. The event continued with discussions on the implementation and operation of peace education, concluding with a Q&A session with attendees.

During the Q&A session, Dr. Acacio Cardoso Amaral, Rector of Betano Polytechnic Institute (IPB), expressed his agreement with the presentation, saying, “I agree that the root of war lies in human greed.”

Dr. João Soares Martins, Rector of Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), commented, “Thank you for the insightful presentation today. As a national university, we follow a set curriculum, so incorporating peace education as a formal course may be difficult. However, we are willing to collaborate with HWPL to implement it as part of our extracurricular programs.” Following his remarks, UNTL signed an MOU with HWPL.

Professor Luciana from the Instituto Católico para Formação de Professores (ICFP) in Baucau, shared,

“We came from Baucau, which is about a three-hour drive from Dili. We arrived in Dili yesterday to attend this event. I learned a lot from today’s presentations. I will make sure to report what I heard today to our rector when I return.” The institution has also signed an MOU with HWPL.

At the end of the event, Mrs. Maria Filomena Lay Guterres, General Director of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture of Timor-Leste, stated, “Our Ministry will serve as a bridge between you and HWPL. Peace is an extremely important topic, and we hope that each higher education institution will work together with HWPL.”

Through this forum, three higher education institutions signed MOUs with HWPL to cooperate on peace education. This marks a significant step in planting the seeds of peace within Timor-Leste’s higher education landscape. It is hoped that, in the future, an educational environment will be fostered where students can internalize and practice the values of peace.