[HWPL]

[HWPL] HWPL's New Settlers' Day of Dialogue

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 New Settlers' Day of Dialogue :)

HWPL Seoul–Gyeonggi East Branch Holds 4th “New Settlers’ Day of Dialogue,” Connecting Hearts Through Culture

On November 8, the HWPL Seoul–Gyeonggi East Branch held the 4th “New Settlers’ Day of Dialogue” at its Taereung office under the theme “Shared Culture, the First Step Toward a Better Tomorrow.”

Now in its fourth year, the event served as a platform for cultural exchange, bringing together people from the South and the North to reflect on the meaning of peace and reunification. Approximately 50 participants—including new settlers, local residents, and youth volunteers—attended the event.

During the program, inter-Korean exchange activities were conducted. Participants engaged in open conversations and shared meaningful moments of mutual understanding through interactive programs such as a “North Korean Culture Quiz” and “Guess the Song Title.”

One participant shared, “I realized that reunification begins with small meetings and communication. By directly hearing and sharing about everyday life in North Korea, I felt that our hearts grew closer.”

Kim Seong-geun, CEO of Samho Tech Co., Ltd. and an advisor to HWPL’s peace initiatives, stated, “By asking questions directly to new settlers, I was able to experience the true meaning of genuine communication.”

In the subsequent performance session, a new settler singer—formerly a member of a North Korean arts troupe—performed “Fly High, Little Dove,” a song symbolizing peace through the image of a dove. Following the performance, participants shared laughter and built empathy during a free question-and-answer session focused on the everyday cultures of North and South Korea.

Additionally, an HWPL Peace Educator emphasized in the lecture “Seeds of Peace” that respect for life and love for one’s community are the foundations of peace, highlighting that small, everyday actions can lead to harmony on the Korean Peninsula.

The event concluded with remarks by Ryu Hyang-seon, Domestic Affairs Team Leader of the HWPL Seoul–Gyeonggi East Branch, who shared future plans, stating, “The participation and communication between new settlers and local residents are practical first steps toward peaceful reunification through free interaction. Next year, we plan to regularize the ‘New Settlers’ Day of Dialogue’ with a continued focus on culture and exchange.”

HWPL Official Homepage

https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en/home-hwpl-_en/