Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), the international peace NGO, has concluded its 11th HWPL World Peace Summit in Cheongju, welcoming 800 global leaders to highlight its achievements and present its vision for peace. The summit placed strong emphasis on strengthening cooperation between governments, civil society, and international organisations to advance peacebuilding efforts worldwide.
This year’s gathering underscored progress in three pivotal areas. In international law, HWPL’s Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) gained new momentum as the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), alongside 16 other parliamentary and governmental bodies, adopted resolutions in support of the framework.
Significant developments in peace education were also spotlighted. Zambia’s Ministry of Education has introduced HWPL’s Peace Education programme to all schools in its capital, Lusaka, with plans to expand nationwide. Mongolia has similarly incorporated the programme into its own educational system.
In the field of interfaith dialogue, the summit announced the establishment of the Solidarity of Religions’ Peace Committee (SRPC). Since 2023, HWPL’s International Religious Peace Academy has been operating as an interfaith learning initiative and has received formal recognition in multiple countries as a platform for leaders and citizens to engage in peace-focused dialogue.
Chairman Lee Man-hee of HWPL stressed the urgency of global cooperation, stating, “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.”
Offering his congratulations, the former President of Croatia, H.E. Ivo Josipović, remarked, “all of us must be aware that our activity for banning war throughout the world is more important now than ever,” highlighting that this year’s milestones demonstrate humanity’s capacity to work towards lasting peace.
The summit also addressed pathways for peaceful Korean reunification and reported a surge in HWPL’s global membership, which now exceeds 580,000. Following the main proceedings in Cheongju, satellite events will continue across 78 cities worldwide, including in Europe and the UK, drawing over 15,000 leaders to further discussions on peacebuilding strategies throughout October.
