Road CompletionChapterPeaceto12.of Peace Humanity Has Long-awaited
12 Section 1 Courage Section 2 Peace-loving Heart Section 3 Messenger of Peace Section 4 HWPL Establishing World Peace Completion of Peace Humanity Has Long-awaited Chapter
Overview During a long history of war and countless conflicts that continue today, humanity longs for peace. However, a world of peace is not achieved on its own when we merely earnestly wish for it. Not even a single invention is made without effort but requires constant attempts and challenges. Similarly, practical actions are needed to achieve humanity’s longing for peace. To realize peace, we first need courage. In addition, we need a peace-loving heart. A person who practices realizing peace based on these two factors is called a “messenger of peace.” The process of achieving peace is arduous. However, if we start by looking for small actions that each can practice for peace, the gathering of our efforts will bring a world of peace into fruition. Therefore, let us not forget that we are the subjects who realize peace first and that we are the main characters of peace.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Nelson Mandela (Former President of South Africa, 1918-2013)
SECTION 01 Section Courage1 #
Conflicts are taking place worldwide, even in the 21st century. According to the World Bank report released, there are 39 countries on “The list of fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS)” as of 2020. 1) Despite this reality, the cessation of war and peace are the highest values and goals pursued by all humanity. What kind of mindset do we need to overcome the conflict and realize peace? It is courage. 1. What is courage?
1) Taking the first step without the fear of failure
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Realizing peace requires courage
pdforiginal/FCSList-FY22.22d4-0090082021/6924d682486726f4doc/bb52765f3815worldbank.org/en/https://thedocs.
Brian Tracy is the founder of Brian Tracy International, a global consulting firm. Without graduating from high school due to low-income family circumstances, he switched between 22 industries, including washing dishes at hotels, washing cars, cleaning the floors of buildings, felling, and working as a
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The true story film Hacksaw Ridge features Desmond Thomas Doss, who was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest award bestowed on American soldiers. He is a noncombative soldier who defended his religious belief of “Thou shall not kill” during the war. He voluntarily enlisted as a medic for his country during World War II but refused to fire because of his religious beliefs. Fellow soldiers who did not like his behavior criticized and harassed him, such as skipping vegetables and giving raw meat to his vegetarian diet. However, he did not give in to any situation and kept his belief that life is precious. His belief was illuminated in the Battle of Okinawa. He jumped into the enemy fire without weapons to rescue his comrades dying in battle, gave first aid, and carried them to safety. His courageous act of risking his own life
clerk at gas stations. He was often homeless because they had no home. However, Tracy was not pessimistic or frustrated with his situation. When he began working as a salesperson, he visited his high-performing colleagues daily and asked for advice, read sale books late into the night, and gained knowledge from various seminars. Eventually, he became a sales manager with millions of dollars in annual sales. He stated that the driving force behind his success was “courage.”
What would his life be like if he had not done anything because of his fear of failure? Regarding courage, Tracy explains, “The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from the losers.” Courage is overcoming fear and moving forward. Courage is not waiting until all conditions are met. Courage is taking the first step into the dark reality where we can’t seem to do anything.
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2) Upholding the correct values and beliefs
saved as many as 75 precious lives. Like this, courage is not merely exerting a loud voice or a strong person showing off their strength. True courage is overcoming fear and upholding the correct values and beliefs.
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3) Having hope and not giving up Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi is a Swiss educator who devoted his entire life to educating children. In 18th century Europe, there was discrimination based on status, and only the wealthy and the aristocrats could benefit from education. Under these circumstances, Pestalozzi tried to reform education, arguing that education could solve social inequality. He moved to a rural area to provide education to poor children. He brought in children who had no money to provide education and taught them how to work during the day and study in the evening. However, soon after, the school was closed due to financial difficulties, but he later established an orphanage and taught children to restore their moral qualities. However, the orphanage closed down after operating for less than half a year. Pestalozzi taught children free of charge while running the school. Pestalozzi’s educational reforms were met with opposition from the upper class, and the school management failed repeatedly. However, his efforts introduced the theory of national education in European society, in which every citizen has the right to receive education and be happy. What gave Pestalozzi continued courage? Pestalozzi did not give up hope of helping children grow up to create a better world by teaching them the right things and awakening them to good nature. In other words, his hope gave him courage and not to give up. He believed that even though presently his hope would be challenging to achieve, it would surely succeed
2 mountain-rescuepilots-make-daring-org/news/lafd-https://www.lafd. in the future. If the future generations can benefit from his efforts, he considered having fulfilled something worthwhile. Ultimately, his courageous efforts profoundly impacted humanity’s educational history, and his teaching methods laid the foundation of early childhood and primary education. 2. Courage to overcome fear In 2018, a massive wildfire in California killed 11 people and evacuated approximately 300,000 residents. On November 9, David Nordquist and Joel Smith of the Los Angeles Fire Department were fighting a wildfire in Woolsey, California, with a helicopter. The helicopter had no lifesaving equipment and was running out of fuel at that time. However, David and Joel did not hesitate and courageously jumped into the wildfire. The fire was close enough to devour people within 30 minutes. It was difficult to secure visibility due to the thick smoke, and it was a dangerous situation where the helicopter could crash if it collided with nearby structures. However, the two attempted to land and succeeded. After rescuing three people and two dogs, they quickly escaped from the fire. Many who watched the video of the scene at this time praised the two men’s valiant rescue that required risking of their lives.2)
Andrei Sakharov, a Russian nuclear physicist, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his opposition to nuclear testing. Initially, Sakharov contributed significantly to developing weapons in the former Soviet Union during World War II. In 1945, he entered the Lebedev Physics Institute. However, when his research team joined the secret project to develop the hydrogen bomb, he became involved in
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developing the hydrogen bomb regardless of his will. During his time in research, the former Soviet Union successfully tested unclear explosions three times which gave Sakharov money and fame. However, Sakharvo’s doubt grew bigger. He knew that nuclear weapons could cause war and fear on a different scale than before. Furthermore, he felt anger towards the irresponsibility of the authorities who recklessly handled the innocent death of a young girl in the aftermath of a nuclear test. Eventually, he went against nuclear testing. Sakharov called for a ban on nuclear tests and wrote articles and books to prove the biological dangers of nuclear weapons scientifically. His activities led to the declaration of a temporary cessation of nuclear tests in the former Soviet Union, and in 1963 influenced the conclusion of the “Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty” between the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom. However, Sakharov’s antinuclear peace campaign was not always easy. On 22 January 1980, he was arrested and exiled for participating in protests against the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and was deprived of all honors and decorations he had received in the former Soviet Union. During his exile, he received several threats of imprisonment in psychiatric hospitals and death threats. It was not until 1986 when the Soviet government reinstated Sakharov, and he did not stop working for human rights and peace until his death in 1989.
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Realizing peace is by no means an easy task as it is the same as changing the history of humanity. However, the hope of establishing peace and passing it on to future generations gives us courage. One word or one action does not change everything in an instant. However, peace is not impossible if all who wish for peace overcome their fears and take the
courageous first step. Road to Peace 10
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Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Martin Luther King Jr. (American pastor and human rights activist, 1929-1968)
# The foundation of peace is a peace-loving heart
Realizing peace requires a sincere peace-loving heart.
1. A peace-loving heart can move even the enemy
Heart
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3 From 1910 to 1945, the KoreanfortheunderofGovernment-GeneralJapaneseKoreawasdirectlythecontrolofJapaneseEmpiretheruleofthePeninsula.
If someone is developing weapons and preparing for war but is saying he wants peace, he would be a liar. It is undesirable to cry for peace only with words or use it for political purposes.
In 1909, a young man was imprisoned in solitary confinement in Lushun Prison in China. His name was An Jung-geun, a Korean-independence activist who assassinated Ito Hirobumi, the first Japanese resident general of Korea.3) In Korea, An Jung-geun was a doctor who sacrificed his life for the country’s independence, but from the perspective of Japan, he was just a terrorist. Toshichi Chiba, a Japanese military guard for An Jung-geun at Lushun Prison, aimed a gun at An Jung-geun out of revenge. However, An Jung-geun did not Section
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It was the day of An Jung-geun’s execution. It was a day when the joys and sorrows of the two countries were markedly mixed, but the conversation between the two people was quite different. First, An Jung-geun said, “I am deeply grateful for your kindness. When peace returns to the East and friendly relations between the two countries are restored, let’s be reborn and welcome to meet.” Chiba replied to this. “Sir, I sincerely ask for your forgiveness. My heart aches with regret. I will dedicate my life to becoming a good person.” An Junggeun left a letter to Chiba ten minutes before his execution, telling him not to suffer too much. He wrote, “The duty of a soldier dedicated to the country” to mean that it is the duty of a soldier to sacrifice himself for the country and thus not to feel sorry. Chiba took these words as a family heirloom and mourned for him every morning when he returned to Japan.
And the descendants of Chiba who heard this story enshrined An Jung-geun’s writings at the temple where Chiba attended and returned these writings to the Republic of Korea in 1979, the 100th anniversary of An Jung-geun’s birth.
resist the enemy who was aiming the gun and bluntly spoke, “We are each doing this for our own country. Kill me.” Chiba’s strength was released from the hand holding the gun at these words. An Jung-geun’s words reflected Chiba’s patriotism. Chiba put the gun away and began to think about An Junggeun once more and began to understand that the opponent he encountered was a man who respected even the enemy. Afterward, Chiba found and read Ahn Jung-geun’s books, including The Theory of Oriental Peace. He discovered that Ahn Jung-geun was a person who aspired for peace in East Asia more than anyone else and thus, grew a heart of respect for him.
Although the two met as enemies during the imperial era, they understood each other’s situation and pursued peace together. The pure love of peace transcends any barriers of reality, such as conflicts between countries, ideologies, and beliefs.
Peace is one of the core teachings of religion. Most religious scriptures commonly deal with values such as peace, justice, human dignity, respect, harmony, etc. However, such messages of these scriptures are often overlooked or interpreted vaguely. Therefore, it can be said that the root cause of the conflict between religions is a misunderstanding or ignorance of the scriptures that are the standard of each religion. Therefore, if Figure 2-1 “Dedicating one’s body for the country” (Writing to Chiba Toshichi, handwritten by An Jung-geun)
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2. A peace-loving heart and religion
Hinduism <Atar Barveda> He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Christianity <The Bible> He is Allah; besides Whom there is no god; the Sovereign, the Holy, the Peace-Giver, the Faith-Giver, the Overseer, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Overwhelming. Glory be
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Buddhism <dhammapada> Let us be in peace and harmony with our Earth and with the skies. Let us be in harmony with the waters and with the plant kingdom; Let us be in harmony with the forests. Let us be in peace and harmony with the Devas. May we dedicate this invocation for harmony everywhere. May the Lord make a gift of peace to us and to all men. May harmony be established by removing what is dreadful. May harmony be established by removing what is sinful. May peace and harmony reign everywhere.
one is a true religious person, one should not cause conflicts or neglect but instead strive to love and practice peace. All men tremble at punishment: all men love life. Likening others to oneself one should neither slay nor cause to slay.
5 UNDP. 1994. Human Development Report 1994: New Dimensions of Human report-1994human-development-undp.org/en/content/http://www.hdr.Security.
6 Adelphi, web.pdfInsurgency_170724_CD%20Report_default/files/2020-10/diplomacy.org/sites/https://climate-aOrganisedTerrorismInsurgencyandCrimeinWarmingClimate, to Allah, beyond what they associate.
Sikhism <Sri Guru Grant Sahib, Sri Raga>
Islam <Quran> Now, the Merciful Lord has issued His Command. Let no one chase after and attack anyone else. Let all abide in peace, under this Benevolent Rule.
4 Human Security: The concept that the ultimate target of security are humans.
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What is the relationship between human security and peace?
Let us look at the relationship between climate change, one of the representative elements of human security and peace. The Adelphi Institute in Germany published a report titled “Insurgency, Terrorism and Organized Crime in a Warming Climate” on the security threats posed by climate change.6) Climate change causes instability in drinking water and food supplies. Terrorist organizations use the water shortage or
“Human Security” 4) has been officially used since the Human Development Report published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 1994.5) The term emerged as an extension of “national security” and makes it a task to solve all problems that threaten the survival of individuals. In other words, even if there is no external aggression or threat of force, peace can be guaranteed by considering various factors surrounding humans, such as poverty, disease, environmental pollution, health, and education.
3. A peace-loving heart and human security
In fact, in Syria, when agriculture became difficult due to a prolonged drought, low-income boys joined the terrorist group to provide for their families. According to a report published in 2020 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about 690 million people (8.9% of the world’s population) face hunger from an unstable food supply, which is up by 60 million in five years.7) Furthermore, an estimated 115 million children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition. The drinking water and food problems that started with climate change create an environment prone to conflict and terrorism. Climate change also causes “climate refugees.” The sealevel rising results in the loss of livelihood of many. According to the 2018 World Bank report “Groundswell - Preparing for Internal Climate Migration,” it predicts that by 2050, there will be approximately 140 million global climate refugees. 8) Furthermore, conflicts with local residents are expected as climate refugees migrate to neighboring countries. Refugees who have lost their homeland find it difficult to lead ordinary lives. According to the Coming Together for Refugee Education, Education Report 2020 released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in September 2020, 48 percent of refugee children are out of school, leading to other social problems such as child labor and violence.9) As such, climate change is not only an environmental problem but also threatens peace by leading to various human security problems such as famine, poverty, refugees, and violence. Factors that threaten human security also threaten national security and further threaten global security. Therefore, even if there is no large-scale war, no place in the world can be
7 Food and pdfSOFI-2020-full-report.media/72676/file/www.unicef.org/WorldandStateUnitedOrganizationAgricultureoftheNations,TheofFoodSecurityNutritioninthe2020,https://
9 UNHCR, Coming Together for Refugee Education, 2020-RN-v4.pdfEducation-Report-2020/Embargoed-education-report-www.unhcr.org/https:// food shortage as an opportunity to spread their influence.
8 climate-migrationpreparing-for-internal-19/groundswell---infographic/2018/03/org/en/news/https://www.worldbank.
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considered a safe zone until various factors that ignite war are addressed. For this reason, the UN has presented the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by organizing a comprehensive plan for human security and detailed goals to be achieved. The majority of global citizens want peace and have hearts that love peace. However, it is difficult to realize peace only with a vague love for peace. A world of peace will come closer and closer when the love of peace accompanies practical efforts to achieve human security.
Today, as we gather our hearts together, wars and the destruction of mankind will be abolished, and the world of peace that all creation has long awaited will be established, which will be a legacy for future generations. Now, let us all follow the times. So let us bury ourselves in peace and become tools for establishing peace.
Lee Man Hee (Republic of Korea HWPL Chairman, 1931-present)
The future is not determined. However, the future is predictable, and American computer scientist Alan Kay said, “the best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Our future depends on what we do now and how we create it. It is the same way for peace. Many people say that peace is impossible because there has never been a period of complete peace, but these are the thoughts of those who do nothing for the sake of peace. Even now, those who sincerely desire peace are moving for peace and are certain that the world of peace will become a reality.
Messenger3
# Individuals, civil society, countries, and international organizations must all be messengers of peace
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1. I am the subject who makes peace
1) People who changed the world In 2005, an Australian physician and microbiologist, Barry James Marshall, was awarded the Noble Prize in Physiology Section of Peace
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or Medicine for his discovery of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach. It was first claimed in 1979 by an Australian pathologist, J. Robin Warren, of bacteria colonizing in the stomach. However, it went against the conventional idea that bacteria could not survive in the stomach’s highly acidic environment. Therefore, when Warren reported it to the conference, he was even called a liar. It was Marshall who then proved Warren’s claim. Marshall confirmed the identity of the bacteria in the stomach through several biopsies and demonstrated that these bacteria are the cause of various digestive diseases and stomach ulcers. Marshall’s efforts shattered the conventional wisdom that stress or bad eating habits caused gastritis and stomach ulcers and had no relation with the bacteria. Furthermore, it helped thousands of people around the world suffering from stomach ulcers to regain their health.AFrench educator, Louis Braille, was blind and the first person in the world to create braille for the visually impaired. During the early 19th century France, blind people were treated useless in society. Braille lost vision in both eyes at the age of four due to a stabbing accident and subsequent infection. Louis Braille grew up in darkness before he could see the world fully. One day, he was handed a piece of code from an army artillery officer visiting the school, which was embossed with slight irregularities not to be exposed to the enemy. It was a method to read by fumbling with a finger even in the absence of light. Braille used this code to develop braille so visually impaired people could read and write. After three years of hard work, He created a braille system that displayed all 26 letters of the alphabet. In the 20th century, braille that Braille created gradually became known worldwide and is now
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It is challenging for anyone to keep precious values and correct beliefs because there are situations during which people suffer inconvenience or sometimes lose money because of misunderstanding. There is also the labor of carving a path no one has walked on before. In 1951, the Polish-American psychologist Solomon Eliot Asch experimented to see how well people could hold to their beliefs.10) Except for one of the Figure 3-1 Braille alphabet
2) Factors that prevent us from becoming a subject
The commonality of the two figures above is that they did not turn away from the difficulties people face, and they overcame society’s conventional wisdom. Furthermore, they did not sit still and wait for the world they wanted but established and pioneered the path themselves. In other words, they lived as subjects who changed the world. Likewise, the subjects of peace, who are the messengers of peace, are needed to realize world peace.
10 Asch, S. E. Effects of group pressure upon the modification and distortion of explainedexperiment-asch-conformity-online/blog-2/moderntherapy.(1951),judgmenthttps:// being applied and used in the language of each country.
377–383.Socialofresponsibility.Diffusionemergencies:interventionBystanderinofJournalPersonalityandPsychology,4,(1968) eight participants in the experiment, the remaining seven were actors, not subjects. He hid these facts, and the participants were shown the problem and asked to guess the answer. The participants were shown a target line, and the problem was to find a line of the same length. The answer was obvious. Surprisingly, however, only three participants gave the correct answer out of the 12 trials. Even though the answer was obvious, why didn’t most people get the answer right? It is because the actors were given the wrong answer in advance, not the correct one. In addition, if all participants gave the wrong answer, the subject would also give the wrong answer. This experiment demonstrated that it is challenging to keep one’s beliefs if one conforms with the gazes and actions of others. Furthermore, it confirmed that no matter how important and correct one believes they are, one is easily governed by the general opinions of the majority.
11 Darley, J. M., & Latané, B.
In 1968, J. Darley of New York University and B. Latane of Columbia University invited participants to have a group discussion in order to conduct an experiment of bystander apathy.11) Participants were left alone in separate rooms and talked through the intercom installed in each room. During the discussion, a voice of an urgent actor would be heard who said, “Somebody come help me! There is a problem!” What were the participants’ reactions who heard the voice through the intercom? When two people were in discussion, 85% reported the accident immediately. When there were four people, 62% reported, and when there were seven people, 31% reported the news of the accident. When asked, “why didn’t you report it?” the participants answered, “I thought the others would report it.” This experiment confirmed that the more people there are, the higher the probability that an individual will have a
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2. The importance of civil society and nongovernmental organizations for peace
bystander apathy. Due to the factors described above preventing us from becoming subjects, the majority of citizens in the global village are unable to live as subjects of peace, and a world of peace has not yet been established. Conversely, if we all become subjects of peace, that is, messengers of peace, it sufficiently suggests that peace is attainable. First, if I become the subject of peace and all the societal classes who desire peace unite and speak with one voice, the realization of peace is by no means impossible.
In the international community, there are various actors such as countries, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), companies, and individuals. Among them, the state and IGOs have played significant roles in conflict resolution and peacekeeping since World War II. However, changes in the international situation due to changes in interests between countries, diversification of conflict types, and other such causes make it no longer possible to achieve peace with the state’s power and IGO alone. Let us look at the limitations the state and IGOs have and the roles of civil society and non-governmental organizations to complement them.
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1) Roles and limitations of states and IGOs
The United Nations was founded in 1945, currently made up of 193 Member States. The purpose of its establishment is to
12 The five France.Russia,UnitedtheSecuritymemberspermanentoftheCouncilareUnitedStates,Kingdom,Chinaand maintain world peace through international law, international security cooperation, promotion of economic development cooperation, and improvement of human rights. Although the United Nations has made numerous achievements in the 75 years since its inception, its fundamental purpose of world peace has not yet been achieved due to several important limitations. The most significant limitation of the UN lies in the veto power of the five permanent members of the Security Council.12) As a result, it is difficult for the UN to pass agenda items that do not match the political positions of the five countries, and the UN is unable to actively participate in disputes in which the permanent members directly or indirectly intervene. For example, since all of the five permanent members are nuclear weapons states and representative arms exporters, most exercised veto power on issues such as the abolition of nuclear weapons or reduction in arms production and trade. In addition, the United Nations failed to actively respond to disputes in which the permanent members directly intervened, such as Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the US’s Iraq war and Israeli Arms Support, and China’s dispute over territorial integrity in the South China Sea. The veto power of permanent members cannot be limited unless the UN Charter is amended. However, since permanent members have the veto right to amend the UN Charter, it is not easy to amend the UN Charter. Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan proposed two Security Council reforms. The first was that it should not be possible to exercise veto power in all conflict situations related to crimes against humanity. The other is that all countries should alternate the Security Council’s permanent members. However, the permanent members rejected these two reform proposals. Road to Peace 26
Another limitation of various IGOs such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the EU is their dependence on national contributions for the cost of running the organization. For example, as of 2019, UN membership dues are 22% in the United States, 12% in China, 8.5% in Japan, 6% in Germany, and 4.5% in the United Kingdom.13) Therefore, it is difficult for IGOs to speak out against the state’s position that pays a lot of financial contributions, and many decisions are made for political purposes. A prime example is the UN peacekeeping force operation.14) UN peacekeepers stationed around the world often remain without clear goals. For example, Haiti has not had a single armed conflict in the past decade, and electoral fraud is an issue that the military cannot solve. However, for 13 years, the peacekeeping forces were stationed in Haiti. It was even more shocking when it was revealed that UN peacekeepers had been sexually exploiting Haitian girls.
13 Nations#Fundingorg/wiki/United_https://en.wikipedia.
14 The New York Times, I Love the U.N., but It Is Failing by Anthony Banbury, March 18, 2016
Next, let us look at the limitations of countries responding to various conflicts. In traditional inter-state warfare, the state’s role was very clear because the state was both the subject of armed force and peace negotiations. However, as the conflict forms and actors become more diversified, it is becoming increasingly difficult to resolve conflicts and maintain peace with only the efforts of the state. For example, civil wars that occur due to conflicts between politics, religion, and ethnicity within a country cannot be resolved by the state’s efforts alone. In addition, since some extremist religious groups operate by establishing a military base in several countries, it is beyond the scope of a single state’s efforts to solve it. Even local terrorism planned and executed on an individual basis is emerging. Security cooperation between the traditional state and IGOs
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2) The role of civil society and non-governmental organizations
The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize, is an exemplary case showing the role of civil society in resolving domestic conflicts. Since December 2010, large-scale anti-government protests called the “Arab Spring” had occurred simultaneously in various parts of North Africa and the Middle East, including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen. After the Arab Spring, Tunisia succeeded in a peaceful and democratic regime change, but most countries faced continued chaos due to military coups and civil wars. The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet was key to Tunisia’s democratization. In the summer of 2013, when social unrest in Tunisia reached its peak, four representatives of civil society: General Trade Union (UGTT), Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), Tunisian League of Human Rights (LTDH), and Tunisian Bar Association (ONAT) established the National Dialogue Quartet for the first time. The National Dialogue Quartet placed both sides of the political dispute at one table, and after more than six months of negotiations, it reached an early general election and agreement to enact a new constitution. Afterward, the general election was successfully held in October 2014, and in December of the same year, Tunisia succeeded in the inauguration of its first peacefully
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alone is insufficient to respond to such diversified conflict situations. Active cooperation of all actors in the international community, including civil society, non-governmental organizations, and businesses, and establishment of security governance is necessary.
elected president in Tunisia history. As a result of these efforts, Tunisia achieved a democratic society without experiencing a coup, terrorism, or civil war. The Nobel Committee announced that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet “for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.” Like this, the role of civil society is significant because conflicts and disputes occurring within the country cannot in principle be resolved through the intervention of international organizations or other countries. In particular, as the types and actors of conflicts become more subdivided, practical solutions for security and peace can be found within civil society.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) supplement existing international organizations’ political and financial limitations. Médecins sans frontiers, an international humanitarian and medical relief organization that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999, is an international organization such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Médecins sans frontiers raises more than 95% of its operating costs from private donations, especially to maintain independence from political, religious, and financial influences. The financial independence of NGOs is a major differentiator that allows them to overcome the limitations of IGOs and affiliated international organizations such as the United Nations and UNESCO.
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, is also a non-governmental organization, showing a path toward peace that the state and IGOs cannot do. ICAN, launched in 2007,
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passed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) with the consent of 122 countries at the UN General Assembly in July 2017. The TPNW is a treaty that completely bans nuclear weapons, which are weapons of inhumane mass destruction. It prohibits the State party’s development, testing, production, manufacture, acquisition, possession, stockpiling, transfer, and use of nuclear weapons. As Honduras became the 50th country to ratify the treaty, the TPNW entered into force on 22 January 2021. Of course, there are also criticisms of the treaty as a half treaty because the countries that possess nuclear weapons have not ratified the treaty. However, it is evaluated as a groundbreaking treaty because it substantially outlawed nuclear weapons only for ratifying countries and significantly raised the world’s awareness of the illegalization of nuclear weapons. ICAN’s achievements for the abolition of nuclear weapons are difficult to achieve under the leadership of the United Nations, IGOs, or specific countries. They are benchmark examples of the importance of non-governmental organizations for realizing peace. As we have seen in the several examples above, the role of civil society and non-governmental organizations in realizing practical peace is increasingly emphasized. In particular, in areas where the state and IGOs have limitations, the active participation of civil society and non-governmental organizations is required. Peace cannot be achieved through the efforts of one person alone. However, if everyone in the world becomes a messenger of peace, we can certainly achieve peace in our generation.
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Road to Peace memo
What kind of world do you look forward to? Isn’t Earth a beautiful place? Be is mankind or animals or plants, we all live thanks to heaven’s light, rain, and air. As we have received such grace, shouldn’t we share the grace with many around us like light, rain, and air?
Lee Man Hee (Republic of Korea HWPL Chairman, 1931-present)
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Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), established on 25 May 2013 for world peace, is a non-governmental organization that has obtained Special Consulting Status from the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). HWPL is a non-governmental organization that aims to end wars and achieve world peace. It proposes practical alternatives that complement the limitations of countries and international organizations regarding the realization of peace and establishes peace governance that encompasses civil society and religion. In addition, it is drawing solidarity and cooperation with countries and various IGOs for peace. A distinctive feature of the HWPL peace project is that it presents a clear solution to peace: conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace maintenance, and the spread of a culture of peace. The ultimate purpose of the HWPL peace project is to create peace, the greatest legacy, and pass it on to the next generation.
Section HWPL4
#
Establishing World Peace What work is HWPL doing?
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Today we have many laws and systems for peace. Nevertheless, wars and conflicts are constantly occurring worldwide, and the devastating consequences of these are not limited to any one nation or ethnic group. A comprehensive and practical solution that transcends race, religion, and borders are needed to end the global war. Accordingly, HWPL, comprised of international law experts from 15 countries, drafted and announced 10 articles and 38 clauses of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), the answer to conflict resolution and a basis to establishing a legal system. The DPCW deals with the principles of establishing international peace, including respect for international law, peaceful dispute resolution, maintaining friendly relations between countries, and spreading a culture of peace through education and freedom of the press. Furthermore, it contains not only the issue of ending the war but also the solution to the UN’s goal of conflict prevention and peace.
1) Enactment of International law named the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War
1. HWPL’s major peace projects
2) Alliance of Religions: The path to reconciliation HWPL World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Office is a scripture comparison group where various religious leaders regularly meet to compare scriptures for inter-religious harmony. HWPL World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Office focuses on preventing religious conflicts arising from misunderstandings between religions and achieving peace through a deep understanding of the peace in the teachings and scriptures of each religion. It promotes in-depth dialogue
with religious leaders of various beliefs and breaks down the barriers to misunderstanding religions.
2. HWPL’s peace project with civil society
HWPL Peace Education aims to educate students with the values and spirit of peace and cultivate ‘citizens of peace’ who play a pioneering role in spreading a culture of peace. HWPL Peace Education presents the basic principles people must follow to create peace. Therefore, students who participate in peace education can cultivate the ability to live in harmony with others in their community, country, and even internationally. The world’s major educational institutions are already cooperating with HWPL to educate students to strengthen the spirit and capacity of peace. It is expected that all students worldwide will soon receive peace education, understand the value and importance of peace, and become citizens of peace.
3) Peace Education: Cultivating citizens of peace
To end the war and inherit peace, we need to teach values that are appropriate for the new era of peace.
HWPL World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Office is a bridge of communication that connects religions all over the world and a ‘wind of peace’ that brings peace, the hope of all humanity. HWPL World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Office, which started in 2014, is currently seeking a path to peace through comparative scriptural studies in 260 places in 129 countries.
A distinctive feature of the HWPL peace project is that it started with the voluntary requests of women and young people who are the biggest victims of war. It is a bottom-up project
4. HWPL Establishing World Peace 35
Road to Peace 36
1) IPYG (International Peace Youth Group): Building a global youth network IPYG is a youth group under HWPL, and its slogan is “Youths, We are tomorrow’s Decision makers.” On 23 May 2013, HWPL announced the “Declaration of World Peace,” and then introduced IPYG to protect the youth and threats such as war. As of 2021, IPYG works in 111 countries with 851 organizations. IPYG’s main activities include the LP project to promote DPCW to citizens and urge leaders to support it, the Youth Sovereignty and Peace Workshop (YEPW) for youth education and global network establishment, and volunteer work and various cultural activities for the cessation of war and the spread of a culture of peace. “Youths around the world who long for peace, please join IPYG. If youths take the lead and speak out with one voice, they can leave a valuable legacy of peace to the next generation. Youths, We are tomorrow’s Decision makers.”
2) IWPG (International Women’s Peace Group): Building a worldwide women’s peace network The main purpose of establishing the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) is to end wars in the global village and realize world peace as a legacy to future generations
that delivers the voices of civil society to governments and international organizations. No country’s leaders can ignore the opinions of their own people. In this regard, HWPL’s peace projects in each country are rapidly expanding based on the full support of civil society. Furthermore, women and youth who want peace worldwide become the two wings of HWPL and play practical roles in changing the world peacefully.
by uniting women around the world with a heart of peace that transcends borders, race, religion and ideology. IWPG has around 100 branches in 130 countries with over 400 cooperative organizations and is registered with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (EOCSOC) and the Global Communications Commission (DGC). In addition, it is advancing the realization of world peace through four major peace projects: supporting and urging the enactment of the DPCW international law, women’s peace education, Plant Peace, and the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. In particular, the Peace Lecturer Training (PLTE), a women’s peace education project, will serve as a basis for resolving conflicts and conflicts while maintaining peace in the families, societies, and countries to which women around the world belong. Figure 4-1 IPYG and IWPG, two wings of HWPL
4. HWPL Establishing World Peace 37
Road to Peace memo
Road to Peace memo
However, the world is still not peaceful. In addition to various lifethreatening causes such as terrorism, civil wars, ethnic conflicts, and religious wars, numerous factors that indirectly harm peace remain a challenge to be solved. Now, we must all become subjects of peace and create world peace with our own hands. Realizing peace is not difficult. What is needed first for achieving peace is courage and a peace-loving heart. Let us remember that my small actions for peace are by no means small. They are a path for humanity, and it will be an achievement that will leave peace for future generations. Furthermore, let individuals, civil society, the state, and international organizations work in solidarity and
Conclusion
Many people have worked hard to realize peace in the human world until now. They have contributed to the peace of humanity in various ways, including selling their property for use for aid, traveling abroad to treat patients, and making great inventions that improve the quality of life. They were not those who merely dreamed, but they desperately longed for peace, and the reality without peace was so desperate. Thus, we can enjoy peace, security, and joy today because of their efforts. We call them “messengers of peace.”
cooperation to become messengers of peace. To this end, HWPL is working with young people, women, and all world citizens to become one ‘the completion of peace’ that humanity has long-awaited. The world of peace created through the enactment of the international peace law, the unification of religions, and the peace education project will become the greatest and most brilliant legacy and will be passed down to future generations forever. We can complete the world peace that humanity has been waiting for. We are one!
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2022 Published by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light ISBN 979-11-91898-65-1 ISBN 979-11-91898-53-8 (set)
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