Federation of World Peace and Love

Responsible World Citizens Rang the Bell of Peace in 2011

 

Bonn, Germany Led the Actions for Sustainability 

The faces of Executive Director, Youth Volunteers for the Environment – Ghana , and consul general of Angola to Frankford , Germany , shined with light and joy during the wisdom dialog with Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze
UN NGO representatives from Foundation for subjective experience and research (S.E.R. Foundation Germany ) happily greeting with FOWPAL member, friendly smile and love bring our hearts together
Global Important leaders such as Mr. Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, and Dr. Hong Tao-Tze specially attend the tree planting ceremony held in 64th UN NGO/DPI Annual Conference in Bonn, Germany for sustainable environment; let the balloons of hope fly to the sky
Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq , Berlin , H.E. Dr. Hussain M.F. Alkhateeb rang the Bell of Peace for Iraq , United Nations, and people of the world.
H.E. Dr. Hussain M.F. Alkhateeb, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq , Berlin , specially lead 11 Family members to attend the 2011 Summit of Love and Peace for Sustainable Development held by FOWPAL in Bonn , Germany , on September 4th.
Mr. Divino Roberto Verissimo, President of OPA, Organization for Environmental Preservation, Brazil, and FOWPAL Honorary Member fly all the way from South America to Germany to attend the 2011 World Summit of Love and Peace for Sustainable development, and rang the Bell of Peace, making the commitment of children socialization for peace, love and respect to all as well as standing with FOWPAL in this directoion. Men maior respeito a esse serviço
Participants from different parts of the world were enthusiastic to share their ideasand to unite together to change the world for the better

The 64 th Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference was held on September 3-5, 2011 in Bonn , Germany , and it also celebrated the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers. The theme of the three-day event was “ Sustainable Societies; Responsive Citizens”, and experts and representatives of various nations and organizations striving for sustainable development gathered in the meeting. Since the world is soon going to enter into the critical 2012, it is significant that Rio +20, United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) will be held in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil on June 4-6, 2012. The United Nations, UN nongovernmental organizations, and nations around the globe all work hard on the prevention of environmental deterioration as well as the management of environmental changes so as to keep developments and protection of the earth in balance. The Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), UN/NGO Association of World Citizens (AWC), and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy (TJM) attend the Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference every year and offer practical and valuable ideas and experiences to attendees around the world.

The 64th Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference was considered as the warm-up meeting for the 2012 Rio Earth Summit. In recent years, climate change has made the issue of the crisis of human existence widely known. In early October, scientists and researchers in U.S. , Canada , Demark, and Finland pointed out that the ozone layer above the north pole had a hole during the period of last winter to this spring. The hole was as big as five times the size of Germany or the size of California . This was alarming news. Global warming has caused the problems of food shortage and energy crisis to become even more severe. The concepts of sustainable development and responsive citizens were emphasized in the 64th Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference, and the people of the world are encouraged to shoulder the responsibilities of world citizens and work together to safeguard the earth.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, Honorary Vice-President and member of Advisory Board of Association of World Citizens, President of FOWPAL, and Zhang-man-ren of Tai Ji Men, and members of these organizations attend the annual UN/DPI/NGO conference and hold summits every year to take practical and effective actions and work together with the people of the world to prevent the earth from going onto the path of destruction. Over ten years ago, in the 53 rd Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference, Dr. Hong delivered a speech entitled “Sharing the Vision of Economic and Social Development: The Imperativeness and Urgency of Global Solidarity.” In the past ten plus years, Dr. Hong has traveled around the globe, consolidating the thoughts and actions of world leaders and elites in all circles, converging the kind thoughts of the leaders of nongovernmental organizations, and inspiring the positive energy inside people so that they can put their thoughts into concrete actions, exercise their influence in their positions, and weave a web of sustainable future.

This year at the annual UN/DPI/NGO conference , Dr. Hong delivered a speech entitled, “2011 Responsible World Citizens' Actions for Sustainable Action in 2011 - Following the Natural way of Balance” He pointed out that the key to the destiny of the world lies in the slightest differences in the hearts of the people. He also proposed five approaches to assist the implementation of the four main issues at the round table discussion in the 64 th UN/DPI/NGO Conference. They are wisdom, balance, health, peace, and love. Many participants remarked that they were very impressed with Dr. Hong's speech. After having a talk with Dr. Hong, Mr. Kurt L .  Nübling, president of PRIMAVERA LIFE, a world famous company specializing in organic essential oils, stated that he tried to utilize the philosophy of yin and yang in his business to create harmony in work and other aspects of his life. He also mentioned that now many business owners use hard and aggressive approaches in running their businesses, but he doesn't agree with their way of doing business. He thinks that the philosophy of yin and yang that Dr. Hong has been promoting will be even more important and become the basic principle of our future existence.

In response to the theme of this year's conference—“Commit, Encourage, and Volunteer,” the FOWPAL held on September 2-5 the World Summit of Love and Peace, seminars on Sustainable Living for World Citizens and the ceremony of ringing the “Bell of World Peace and Love” in order to share the FOWPAL's ideals with attendees from around the world. Over the past few years, members of FOWPAL, AWC, and Tai Ji Men have conducted peace trips around the five continents of the world and established good relationships with other representatives of NGOs. In 2010, they met Mr. Divino R. Vetissimo, chair of a Brazilian environmental protection organization, at the 11 th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World: Global Symposium: Awakening Planetary Consciousness. At the time, Mr. Vetissimo became an honorary member of FOWPAL. Also present at the 64th UN/DPI/NGO Conference was a lady, a ringer of the “Bell of World Peace and Love,” who became an honorary member of FOWPAL in 2002. She went up to a member of the FOWPAL, hugged her and said, “I know right away that you are a FOWAPL member.” She asked the member to give her warmest regards to Dr. Hong and actively interacted with other FOWPAL members on the day when they were participating in the tree planting activity. Additionally, many representatives of NGOs from Austria , France , and the U.S. brought their friends to attend the ceremony of ringing the “Bell of World Peace and Love,” the seminar on Sustainability of World Citizens, and Summit of Love and Peace for Sustainable Development. On September 2-5, there were 31 UN officials, ambassadors, and leaders of NGOs from 11 countries who rang the “Bell of World Peace and Love.” Up to now, there are 238 prominent figures from 80 nations that have rung the “Bell of World Peace and Love.” During the conference, 26 leaders from 7 countries became honorary FOWPAL members. Now there are 406 honorary FOWPAL members from 95 nations.

The ceremony of ringing the “Bell of World Peace and Love” encouraged delegates of NGOs from around the globe and affirmed the significance of their specialties and efforts in sustainability of the world. After attending the ceremony, they became more aware of their own important missions.

Mr. Alexey POSTINKOV, a famous historian at a Russian school of science, remarked that at the moment of ringing the bell, he felt that deep inside there was a connection with the higher spirituality of the world. He said that the sound of the bell was so beautiful that it spread to the depths of his soul. He felt that he had been purified by the world and that it was a very special experience.

After ringing the bell, Mr. Nick Natuttall, spokesperson of the UN environmental plans, stated that he felt that the ceremony was very emotional and joyful. He said that people often underestimated the power of happiness for the world and that we need to seek our own happiness and the happiness of our friends, family, and country. He also added that this is a way to strengthen the harmony and stability of the world and that ringing the bell made him very happy.

Sister Jane Ramson from New Orleans , Louisianan, the U.S. said that everyone should spread the idea that we have the responsibility to safeguard the earth. She stated that people should safeguard mountains, rivers, air, and other living creatures in the world. When ringing the bell, she made a wish that everyone would respect all living things on the earth.

Mr. Manuel Adao Domingos, consul general of Angola to Frankford , Germany , remarked that he was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Hong and ring the Bell of World Peace and Love. That made him understand what FOWPAL had been doing. He thought that the ceremony of ringing the bell created the resonance of world peace. That is important because the planet has encountered the challenge of extreme climate change, which will affect the sustainability of our living environment. He remarked that as Dr. Hong had been leading FOWPAL to promote balance in life, he encouraged people to seek a life of inner balance because that is the basis for the existence of humanity and the earth.

After ringing the bell, Mr. Hussein, ambassador of Iraq to Germany, who has been actively involved in NGOs for decades, stated with emotion that people should not be too selfish because people in previous generations had preserved and saved the earth and asked us to continue to safeguard it; therefore, to future generations we have the holy responsibility to protect our environment, make amends for the damage we have done to the earth, and prevent any further destruction. Mr. Hussein brought his 11 family members to attend the 2011 Summit of Love and Peace for Sustainable Development on September 4. He highly praised the contribution of the meeting. At the summit, participants were so enthusiastic in sharing their ideas that they kept asking, “Can I share more?” The meeting didn't conclude until 11:00 P.M. , and the attendees were still eager to share their thoughts with one another. The atmosphere at the meeting was warm and lively.

Many people attended the summit on September 4 and then especially went to the sem inars on Sustainable Living for World Citizens held by Dr. Hong on September 5. They hoped to continue to interact with Dr. Hong because Dr. Hong's words were very inspirational to them and gave them energy to overcome the difficulties they might encounter when driving for sustainable development of the earth. Dr. Hong made them feel that they were not alone. Many people are working in all corners of the earth; as long as we unite ourselves, we can change the world for the better. Delegates of NGOs from Togo, Sudan, Mexico, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Nigeria were eager to have Dr. Hong and FOWPAL members to bring the “Bell of World Peace and Love” to their countries so that the seeds of peace would take roots and sprout in their homelands.

People in the 21 st century posses the majority of the earth's resources and technology; we have the capability to make sustainable development a reality and make human beings free from want. Through sharing and experience of the 2011 World Summit of Love and Peace for Sustainable Development and a dozen seminars on Sustainable Living for World Citizens held by FOWPAL, AWC, and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy, we know that world citizens need to have five essential treasures: wisdom, balance, health, love, and peace. They must care and love the earth and the health of all humanity. The five treasures can affect the human heart. The atmosphere of love and respect can allow the people of the world to have a protective shield of positive energy. Because we cannot escape from the earth, we must love and care for her so that we can accomplish our mission of sustainable development.