[HWPL]

[HWPL] HWPL's Pacific Nuclear Legacy International Human Rights Webinar

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 Pacific Nuclear Legacy International Human Rights Webinar :)

Second Pacific Nuclear Legacy International Human Rights Webinar Discusses Preserving Nuclear Records and Passing on a Legacy of Peace to Future Generations

On May 9, HWPL held the Second Pacific Nuclear Legacy International Human Rights Webinar online under the theme “Nuclear Records as Global Heritage: Securing Peace in a Changing Climate.”

The webinar was a follow-up to the first International Human Rights Webinar, titled “Nuclear Legacy: Enduring Impacts in a Changing Climate,” which was held in February. While the first webinar highlighted the connection between the damage caused by nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands and the climate crisis, the second focused on preserving records, testimonies, and community memories related to nuclear testing in the Pacific and exploring ways to pass them on as a legacy of peace for future generations.

 

 

Representatives from the legal sector, civil society, religious communities, education, the media, and youth from countries including Fiji, Belgium, Zambia, Malawi, and the Republic of Korea attended the webinar. Participants exchanged views on the importance of preserving nuclear test records and ways to strengthen international cooperation.

In his opening remarks, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe of the High Court of Fiji stated, “Nuclear records are not merely historical documents, but testimonies to human suffering and resilience, as well as to the need to prevent future nuclear catastrophes.”

Andy Vermaut, founder of the Belgian human rights organization PostVersa, emphasized the importance of preserving nuclear records as part of humanity’s shared heritage. He said, “Evidence and memories of nuclear testing are at risk of disappearing due to climate change and rising sea levels.”

During the first session, representatives from religious communities, education, civil society, and the media gave presentations under the theme “The Roles We Can Play in Preserving Records and Memory.”

 

 

Godfrey Kaoma, Assistant Director at the Department of National Guidance and Religious Affairs under Zambia’s Office of the Vice President, said, “Truth is passed down not only through records, but also through testimonies and teachings of faith.” He emphasized that preserving records is not merely an act for the sake of the past, but a responsibility toward future generations.

 

 

Olaf Sanga, Principal of Njamba Secondary School in Malawi, explained the importance of addressing nuclear legacy in education, stating, “Students need to understand the impact nuclear testing has had on people and the environment.”

Andrew Junior Mwima, founder of the Mental Health and Anti-Drug Abuse Organisation in Zambia, said, “The legacy left to young people today may not be a relic of the past, but an unresolved social challenge.” He emphasized that peace must be built through responsible action rather than silence.

Ousman Kaliati, a journalist with the Times Group in Malawi, spoke about the role of the media, stating, “Continuing to raise awareness of international issues such as nuclear legacy is one of the media’s important responsibilities.”

 

 

In the second session, Martin B. Kalinowski, Coordinator of Peace Science Collaboration and a former official of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), delivered a presentation titled “Data from Past Nuclear Tests.”

He stated, “More than 2,000 nuclear tests have been conducted worldwide since 1945, with large-scale atmospheric nuclear testing concentrated particularly in the Pacific region.” He further explained, “The effects of nuclear testing extend beyond health damage to forced displacement, economic loss, psychological suffering, and broader impacts across society. Scientific analysis and the use of modern data are essential for the recovery of affected communities.”

He continued, “The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty must enter into force as soon as possible. To ensure that the damage and lessons of nuclear testing are not forgotten, we must preserve these memories and establish a cooperative framework involving residents of affected areas and experts so that radiation risks can be addressed effectively.”

During the final session, participants shared a range of practical measures for preserving records and building peace. Harrison Phiri, Manager of Radio Delight Kwitonta in Zambia, explained that digital archiving and the preservation of photographs and oral histories are also forms of peacebuilding that individuals can carry out.

The webinar served as an opportunity to reaffirm that preserving records of the past is an important foundation for building peace for future generations.

HWPL Official Homepage

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