TIM, Amy Nguyen, News Feature
Dec. 6, 2014 – Los Angeles, Calif. – In light of the recent Ferguson and New York protests, international non-profit organization Heavenly Culture, World Peace, and Restoration of Light (HWPL) hosted a Peace Summit of the Americas featuring religious and governmental leaders to discuss the solution for peace and social justice.
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, and Restoration of Light (HWPL) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization registered under the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs that transcends differences in culture, belief and region to engage leaders and youth in sustainable and comprehensive solutions for peace. The Chairman of HWPL and Peace Advocate, Mr. Man Lee and Chairwoman of International Women’s Peace Group,Mrs. Kim Nam Hee traveled from South Korea to take part in the conference.
“More than just words, let’s correct these conflicts, let’s make changes, and not just say, ‘We want peace, we want peace’ but do nothing about it,” said Chairman Lee. “If we all together as one family and as peace advocates become a world where the heavens can acknowledge us, then there will be peace.”
Most recently, HWPL hosted the World Alliance of Religions for Peace Summit (WARP) in Seoul, South Korea on September 17-19, 2014. Alongside the thousands of attendees at the summit were heads of state from Romania, Ireland, South Africa, and Mauritius among others. The two topics of discussion during the 3-day summit were the establishment of international offices to promote the Alliance of Religions and the drafting of an international law for the cessation of war.
In Carson, the urgency of these initiatives was heightened in the backdrop of the recent racial tensions that have stirred major US metropolitan cities in protests. The conference sought to address these issues at its root, addressing first religion as a tool to unite and stand together for peace.
“We are really delighted in Carson to be part of this world movement of bringing religions together, because that is the fundamental move toward justice,” said Mayor Jim Dear.
Chairman Lee’s visit to the United States this month is his 16th world tour, now having officially visited 74 countries in two years to hold interfaith dialogues and rally partnerships for HWPL’s campaigns. In New York, Chairman Lee made an appeal at the United Nations building and in Los Angeles, he met with Presiding Judge David S. Wesley of the Los Angeles Superior Court who agreed to become an advisor for HWPL to help with the international law.
The event’s keynote speakers included Cristina Eugenia Reyes Hidalgo, Senator of the National Assembly of Ecuador, Fernando Meza, Congressman of Chile, Congressman Alan Lowenthal of the 47th district of California, Carson Mayor Jim Dear, and Carson Mayor Pro-Tempore Elito Santorina.
Chairman Lee and Chairwoman Kim Nam Hee were awarded with the proclamation of an official HWPL Day from the City of Carson on every May 25th to commemorate the day when the HWPL Declaration of Peace was first declared.
