Institutionalizing Peace: Designing Collective Action to Bring Peace as a Cultural Norm

    SEOUL, KOREA, June 04, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- To tackle the current threats to life and stability from international wars and conflicts, HWPL's 9th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace was held online on May 25th, 2022. With 3,000 participants representing political, religious, academic, news/media and civil ideologies, the event with the theme of "Institutionalizing Peace: Realizing the Collective Will for Peace" presented the progress of international cooperation to realize sustainable peace ensured by legal instruments.

The host organization, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), proclaimed the Declaration of World Peace in May 2013. The declaration addresses the endorsement of national leaders, engagement of women and youth, cooperation among civil societies, and expansion of media coverage on peace. Afterward, it was developed into the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) as a process to establish international legal instruments for global peace.

Young Min Chung, the General Director of the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), an affiliate group of HWPL, said in his progress report, "Seven hundred thirty thousand citizens from 176 countries have signed in support of the DPCW for the past nine years which has allowed them to express their opinions in the most direct way. Recently, the IPYG ran the Youth Empowerment Peace Workshop (YEPW), where they discussed topics such as education, human rights, and conflicts and conducting joint action as well as policy proposals."

The 10 articles and 38 clauses of the DPCW include prevention and resolution of conflicts, gradual reduction of war potential and turning weapons into daily tools, respecting and resolving conflicts based on religion and ethnic identity, and spreading a culture of peace. The declaration is geared towards engaging nations, international organizations, NGOs, and individual citizens in taking actions for a peaceful world.

As for the collaboration for peacebuilding, Chairman Man Hee Lee of HWPL appealed to the participants to be united as "messengers of peace" in order "to bring freedom and peace to future generations."

Chairman Lee also mentioned the Ukrainian conflict during his talk. "(Russia) invaded Ukraine and started a war. This is why HWPL and families of peace have long called for the establishment of international law to prevent war potential. So, we gathered experts from around the world in international law…and made the declaration with 10 articles and 38 clauses."

As a case of peace activities to resolve conflicts in India, MOUs among religious leaders were signed since to establish further cooperation with understanding religions based on comparative studies on religious scripture. In particular, the partnership between HWPL and the International Organization for Religion and Knowledge at Lampur led to erecting a peace monument to convey values of peace to local citizens.

Educators' participation in peace-related activities was also introduced in the event. Teaching methodology with the use of Metaverse was demonstrated as a virtual world platform where students are able to experience peace by reading materials and observing diverse peace activities that are carried out in many parts of the world.

Mr. Supalak Ganjanakhundee, Thammasat University's Pridi Banomyong International College Visiting Fellow and former Chief Editor of The Nation in Thailand, said at journalist reporting of these peace activities is closely related to democracy and serves as an open space for "allowing participation of civil society" to the peace process. Elaborating on the current deadlock of the peace process in Southern Thailand, he said, "(A)ny peace process that would lead to lasting peace must address the problem at its root cause and must be conducted along the democratization with intensive participation of not only stakeholders but also civil society."

HWPL has been developing global cooperation for peace both at the international level and at the national level by garnering the support of international organizations for the DPCW and working hand in hand to reinforce international norms to realize peace. With civil organizations, HWPL has been carrying out activities for the public good to ensure that peace takes root and remains for generations to come.

# # #