[HWPL]

[HWPL] HWPL 11th World Peace Summit Brings Together 800 Global Leaders

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 2025 HWPL 11th World Peace Summit :)

HWPL 11th World Peace Summit Brings Together 800 Global Leaders to Present Achievements and a Vision for Peace

Showcasing Achievements and Future Vision of Cooperation among International Organizations, Governments, and Civil Society for Peace

11th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit

Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international peace NGO based in South Korea, hosted the 11th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit on September 18–19 in Cheongju under the theme, “Uniting for Peace and Fulfilling Humanity’s Duty Together.” The commemoration will continue across 78 major cities worldwide through October.

This year’s summit gathered more than 800 global leaders—including former and current presidents, prime ministers, speakers of parliament, chief justices, cabinet ministers; and leaders in education, religion, media, and youth sectors—who voluntarily traveled to Korea, demonstrating expanding global support for HWPL’s peace initiatives.

Since the inaugural HWPL World Peace Summit in 2014, the organization has pledged practical approaches for conflict resolution through international law, interfaith cooperation, and peace education. At this 11th anniversary, HWPL presented its key achievements from the past year, notably the development of public–private partnership models for embedding sustainable peace within diverse national contexts.

Panel discussion on adopting the DPCW support resolution

A central agenda item was the global expansion of support for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), HWPL’s proposed legal framework to end wars and establish lasting peace. The DPCW sets out principles such as the prohibition of the use of force, conflict prevention and mediation, and ensuring sustainable peace.

Over the past year, 17 international and regional bodies—including 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, the U.S. state of Georgia, Madagascar, Mali, and India—adopted resolutions in support of the DPCW.

Former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović stressed that “all of us must be aware that our activity for banning war throughout the world is more important now than ever” and that this year’s achievements are the guarantees that humankind will one day achieve eternal peace.

Chairman Lee Manhee of HWPL emphasized global cooperation for peace, saying, “Conflict can never be good. Only the achievement of peace is truly good. If we fail to establish a peaceful world in our time, we will burden future generations with conflict. What we leave behind must be a world of peace, not one of conflict. The work before us today is to commit ourselves to acts of goodness.”

In the religious sector, the launch of the Solidarity of Religions’ Peace Committee (SRPC) was highlighted as a milestone. HWPL currently operates 292 WARP Offices across 132 countries, facilitating scripture-based dialogue and interfaith discussions. Since 2023, the HWPL International Religious Peace Academy has been implemented as an interfaith learning program, formally recognized in several countries as a platform for leaders and citizens to engage in peace-centered dialogue.

Appointment Ceremony of HWPL Solidarity of Religions’ Peace Committee

In education, progress was made in institutionalizing HWPL Peace Education into public school curricula. Zambia introduced the program across schools in its capital, Lusaka, and announced plans for nationwide expansion in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Mongolia also reported advancements in integrating HWPL Peace Education into both lifelong learning institutions and public education.

At the Global Peace Education Conference, Mr. Ian Miyoba, Director of Education Policy at Zambia’s Ministry of Education, stated, “Through peace education, we are amplifying citizens’ voices for peace and fostering a culture of peace. It can prevent issues like child rights violations, child marriage, and drug use, creating tangible change in the community. That’s what makes the HWPL Peace Education so unique and why it was the perfect fit for Zambia.”

Participant listening to HWPL’s achievements at the event

The summit also featured the 2025 International Conference on Preparing for Peaceful Korean Reunification, where discussions centered on “Inter-Korean Free Movement Through Public-Private Partnership.” Following the launch of the Preparatory Committee for Peaceful Unification on the Korean Peninsula (PCPUK) in March, this year’s conference discussed action plans focusing on inter-Korean exchanges, unification education, and international cooperation.

Over the past year, HWPL’s global membership increased by 140,000, surpassing 580,000. HWPL Secretary-General Kang Tae-ho noted this in his progress report: “Citizens worldwide, suffering from wars and conflicts, strongly yearn for genuine peace beyond the current order. This collective aspiration has directly led to the rapid growth of HWPL’s membership.”

While the Cheongju summit served as the centerpiece, HWPL emphasized that anniversary events will continue in 78 countries through October. More than 15,000 leaders from international organizations, governments, and civil society are expected to participate in in-depth discussions on long-term strategies for sustainable peace, tailored to their respective national contexts.