Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the New York branch of the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a program followed by a peace walk in Times Square.
HWPL is an international peace non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the Department of Global Communications.
Under the theme, “New Decade, Making Institutional Peace Take Root,” its May 28th event in New York City commemorated the proclamation of the Declaration of World Peace before the World Peace Gate in Seoul, South Korea, on May 25, 2013.
Attendees initially gathered at the historic Knickerbocker Hotel to listen to commemorative speeches from speakers such as HWPL Chairman Lee Man-hee, live performances, and remarks from the high-profile community and religious leaders.
The peace walk that concluded the festivities began near West 42nd Street and Broadway and ended in Father Duffy Square.
“For me coming to this type of gathering is an education for myself, that with all differences that we have, ethnic difference, cultural differences, religious differences, we are all the same,” said Imam Shamsi Ali, head of the Jamaica Muslim Center, who served as one of the event speakers.
“We have the same heart and in our hearts, we want peace. And so I think as we are organizing such events, we are educating ourselves.”
Over the past decade, HWPL volunteers have diligently worked in communities around the world promoting peace and cessation of war through three key initiatives, including peace education and interfaith harmony.
Efforts have also been made to adopt a peace document through the United Nations General Assembly that would resolve and prevent conflicts and work toward spreading a culture of peace.
In recognition of its 10th anniversary, HWPL and partner organizations worldwide issued a joint statement to increase awareness of the need for peace and call for more participation in HWPL’s Legislate Peace (LP) Project.
The movement focuses on gathering support for a new legal framework for peace developed with the help of more than a dozen international law experts.
