[IPYG]

[IPYG] IPYG's YEPW Safer Communities Project in UK

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 IPYG's YEPW Safer Communities Project in UK :)

YEPW in London, UK, Holds ‘Safer Communities Project’ Civic Dialogue

A Promise of Peace Created Together by Youth and Citizens

Amid a recent rise in religious and racial conflicts and hate crimes in the UK, IPYG UK organized the Youth Engagement & Peacebuilding Working Group (YEPW) and launched the ‘Safer Communities Project’ to encourage youth and citizens to build a culture of peace together. As part of this project, the “3rd Citizens’ Dialogue” was held both online and in person on February 21 at St. Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London. A total of 101 people attended the event.

Since launching its first Citizens’ Dialogue in October 2025, YEPW in London, UK has steadily expanded its activities. Citizens from more than 10 cities across the UK identified common issues—such as isolation, misinformation, and the lack of peace education—which have been cited as causes of hate crimes, and shared their perspectives. Participants then became active agents of peace initiatives by engaging in educational programs designed to strengthen reconciliation and dialogue skills, as well as community outreach activities.

In particular, the “3rd Citizens’ Dialogue” centered on the message that “diversity” is not a factor that divides society, but rather the foundation for building strong and healthy communities.

Dabi Jacob Dominic Beko, co-chair of the Ambassadors of Peace East Africa, and Najma Abdi, a community-based knife crime prevention activist and ward manager of the Labour Party, publicly signed the “Declaration on Leadership for a Culture of Peace.” They expressed their commitment to realizing a culture of peace in accordance with the spirit of the “Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War” (DPCW) and the UN’s “Resolution on Human Rights and a Culture of Peace” (A/HRC/RES/55/17).

“I believe in the power of civic dialogue like one — The Safe Community Project — that’s what has brought me here today. Peace comes when everybody who is hurt has a place at a table like this one — and can speak with us about what they think,” said Co-Chair Dabi Jacob Dominic Beko as he reflected on the significance of civic dialogue. “That habit you build within yourself makes you peaceful, and that’s when you can take peace to others.”

“The Affirmation of Culture of Peace was an honour to sign,” said Manager Nazma Abdi. “I wasn’t signing with my hand, but with my heart and my mind — to me, it was a pledge, I will work together with you for peace.”

Additionally, event participants signed the “Civic Record,” collectively expressing their intention to engage in dialogue and action for peace.

Based on the outcomes of this Civic Dialogue, YEPW in London, UK plans to further develop the youth-led “Safer Communities Project.” The action items derived from each Civic Dialogue will lead to concrete activities aimed at fostering a culture of peace within British society. Through YEPW, IPYG continues to carry out youth-led initiatives that encourage people of different generations and members of civil society to participate in addressing community issues and building peace together.

HWPL Official Homepage

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