Federation of World Peace and Love

World Leaders Gathering in Bonn, Germany Promised to Volunteer Their Time and Efforts and Encouraged Volunteerism

 

2001 World Citizen Assembly co-hosted by FOWPAL and Tai Ji Men in Taiwan had gathered more than 4000 world leaders from 55 countries around the globe. One of the participants, Dr. Lisinka Ulatowska, Association of World Citizens Representative to UN, became FOWPAL good friend since than.  

2001 World Citizen Assembly co-hosted by FOWPAL and Tai Ji Men in Taiwan had gathered more than 4000 world leaders from 55 countries around the globe. One of the participants, Dr. Lisinka Ulatowska, Association of World Citizens Representative to UN, became FOWPAL good friend since than.

 
   
Meeting Dr. Hong again in Bonn Germany 2011, Dr. Lisinka Ulatowska is so excited like seeing a family and holds Dr. Hong’s hands closely. She later spoke with Dr. Hong the whole night and listened with full concentration, joy and happiness.  
Meeting Dr. Hong again in Bonn Germany 2011, Dr. Lisinka Ulatowska is so excited like seeing a family and holds Dr. Hong’s hands closely. She later spoke with Dr. Hong the whole night and listened with full concentration, joy and happiness.  
   
For several decades, FOWPAL has generated numerous good wills and good hears from people around the world through cultural exchanges, and spread the message of love and peace over the five continents of the world. (The photo is taken in Africa, 2002).  
For several decades, FOWPAL has generated numerous good wills and good hears from people around the world through cultural exchanges, and spread the message of love and peace over the five continents of the world. (The photo is taken in Africa, 2002).  
   
In 2005, President Leonel Fernandez of Dominican Republic and Dr. Hong turned a symbolic key of the world as a demonstration to move the world forward with the power of love and peace. Later in 2008, he successfully mediated a crisis of war on the blink between Columbia, Ecuador and Venezuela with wisdom, and changed the fate of Latin America. A thought of love and peace from the world leader can influence more than million people’s safety and lives.  
In 2005, President Leonel Fernandez of Dominican Republic and Dr. Hong turned a symbolic key of the world as a demonstration to move the world forward with the power of love and peace. Later in 2008, he successfully mediated a crisis of war on the blink between Columbia, Ecuador and Venezuela with wisdom, and changed the fate of Latin America. A thought of love and peace from the world leader can influence more than million people’s safety and lives.  
   
FOWPAL Participation in 11th International Conference of Chief Justice of the World, and 2010 Global Symposium on Awakening Planetary Consciousness held in City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, has changed the whole atmosphere of the conference. It not only relaxed every participant, but also helped everyone to understand the true meaning of Happiness.  
FOWPAL Participation in 11th International Conference of Chief Justice of the World, and 2010 Global Symposium on Awakening Planetary Consciousness held in City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, has changed the whole atmosphere of the conference. It not only relaxed every participant, but also helped everyone to understand the true meaning of Happiness.  
   
Mr. Divino Roberto Verissimo, President of OPA Organization for Environmental Preservation Brazil, who had met FOWPAL for the first time in 2010 International Conference of Chief Justices of the World in India, and later become FOWPAL Honorary Member, came all the way from Brazil to Germany to attend the 2011 World Summit of Love and Peace on Sustainable development and Seminar on Sustainable Living for World Citizens organized by FOWPAL in Bonn. He specially mentioned, “I want to imprint the memory of the ceremony of ringing the peace bell in my heart, so I will remember it all my life.”  
Mr. Divino Roberto Verissimo, President of OPA Organization for Environmental Preservation Brazil, who had met FOWPAL for the first time in 2010 International Conference of Chief Justices of the World in India, and later become FOWPAL Honorary Member, came all the way from Brazil to Germany to attend the 2011 World Summit of Love and Peace on Sustainable development and Seminar on Sustainable Living for World Citizens organized by FOWPAL in Bonn. He specially mentioned, “I want to imprint the memory of the ceremony of ringing the peace bell in my heart, so I will remember it all my life.”  

In recent years, due to climate change, the destructive forces of natural disasters have posted serious threat to humanity's living environment. Additionally, food shortage and energy crises have triggered arms races or wars. The year 2012 is just a couple of months away; global solidarity and mutual support are the foundation of human beings' sustainability.

The 64 th Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference was held on September 3-5, 2011 in Bonn , Germany , with the theme “ Sustainable Societies; Responsive Citizens. The topics of promise, encouragement, and volunteerism were addressed to encourage the public to practice safeguarding the earth. The Rio +20, United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) will be held in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil on June 4-6, 2012 ; this year's UN/DPI/NGO conference was an important warm up for the event. The world is soon going to enter into the critical 2012; representatives of the United Nations, UN NGO organizations, and nations from around the glove all exchanged their ideas at the 64 th Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference regarding the prevention of environmental deterioration, climate change, and humanity's sustainability. 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.

On September 2-5, FOWPAL held several Seminars on Sustainable Living of World Citizens and ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love. For several years, members of FOWPAL, AWC, and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy have interacted with heads of states and established good friendships with delegates of NGOs on their peace trips around the world. At this year's meeting in Bonn , Germany , members of FOWPAL, AWC, and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy came across friends that they met over ten years ago, and shared with each other their achievements and experiences in pursuing their goals.

In 2010, at the 11 th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World: Global Symposium: Awakening Planetary Consciousness in Lucknow , India , FOWPAL held the ceremony of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love. To honor the contribution and efforts of Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze , president of FOWPAL, in promoting global solidarity, peace, and love, Dr. Jagdish Gandhi, the organizer of the conference, founder of the largest school of the world, City Montessori School, and winner of UNESCO Prize for Peace Education, especially asked Minister Nakul Dubey of Urban Development and Environment to present the esteemed “Mohamed Gandhi Award” to Dr. Hong in front of the 116 chief justices, delegates from 63 nations, and 3000 teachers and students.

Also present at the meeting was Mr. Divino R. Vetissimo, President of OPA, Environmental Preservation in Brazil , and he remarked that the appearance of FOWPAL changed the whole meeting because it allowed the attendees to relax and appreciate the meaning of happiness. He became an Honorary FOWPAL member during the conference and gave each of the participating FOWPAL members a hug before he left. As soon as he received the FOWPAL's invitation to attend the World Summit of Love and Peace on Sustainable Development earlier this year, he particularly flew from South America to Germany to attend the gathering. During the Seminars on Sustainability of World Citizens, he sat in the meeting room, watching the films, discussing the issues, and witnessing with a smile the ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love. When asked if he was tired, he stated that he enjoyed sitting in the room, being with the FOWPAL members, and watching their facial expressions, motions, and interactions. He also said that he wanted to lock the memory of the ceremonies in his head so that he will always remember it for the rest of his life.

During the three-day conference, the FOWPAL members were busy discussing the issues with the attendees at the seminars, during which Sister Celine Paramundayil, who is Medical Mission's representative to the United Nations and rang the Bell of World Peace and Love in Melbourne, Australia in 2010, came up to the FOWPAL members to express her joy in seeing them again. On the night of the event “2011 World Summit of Love and Peace on Sustainable Development,” Sister Paramundayil brought a group of her friends to attend the meeting despite the fact that it rained hard that night. Sister Paramundayil first met the FOWPAL members at the 63 rd Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference in Melbourne , Australia in 2010, with the theme “Advance Global Health.” The Cultural Goodwill Group of World Peace, composed of members of AWC, FOWPAL, and Tai Ji Men, held the ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love during the conference. This was the second time that the Bell of World Peace and Love appeared in Australia ; it first appeared in Australia during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Mr. Michel Sidibe, Republic of Sierra Leone 's Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Sorosh Roshan, President of International Health Awareness Network, and keynote speakers of the roundtables, rang the Bell of World Peace and Love together on August 29, 2010 . When they rang the bell, the clear sound of the bell, which gathered the positive energy of the five continent of the world, resonated in Australia once more. During the ceremony, a FOWPAL member read the meaning of ring the bell on behalf of Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, leader of Cultural Goodwill Group of World Peace: the Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference in 2010 has raised the awareness of the advancement of global health; practical and constructive efforts start with respect for human rights. Safeguarding the earth's existence is the path to humanity's sustainable development. UN Officials, ambassadors to the UN, representatives of human rights organizations, and other NGOs attending the meeting, including Sister Paramundayil, all agreed with Dr. Hong's ideas, and all participants felt deeply touched by the beautiful and peaceful sound of the bell.

The ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love have put new vitality into an old culture. Since 2000, the bell has traveled around the five continents of the world. Up to today, 22 heads of states, 6 Nobel Peace Prize winners, and numerous heads of government agencies of various nations, UN officials, ambassadors to the UN, and other prominent figures have rung the bell. Each bell ringer's name, nationality, and title was inscribed on the bell, and each ceremony recorded each ringer's commitment to love and peace and served as a reminder to the ringers that they shall fulfill their own wishes. In the past ten plus years, the ringers have positively exercised their influence at critical moments. In 2002, Dr. Hong was invited to visit Senegal , and the Bell of World Peace and Love, weighing approximately 240 kilograms, traveled with Dr. Hong. President Wade of Senegal rang the bell and made the wish: “ Senegal , its people and the President want the peace to all women and men of goodwill to build and consolidate peace in the world.” Later on, President Wade helped defuse a conflict between Chad and Sudan and facilitated a peace agreement between the two nations in 2008. In 2001, President Menezes of Sao Tome and Pricipe rang the Bell of World Peace and Love. His wish was “for children's smile.” In 2002, invited by President Menezes, Dr. Hong Tao-Tze brought the bell to visit Sao Tome and Pricipe. President Menezes was deeply touched by Dr. Hong's visit and admired Dr. Hong's wisdom and actions, and he hoped Dr. Hong's peace trips could continue. In 2003, a coup broke out in Sao Tome and Pricipe while President Menezes was abroad. When he came back to his country, President Menezes dealt with the incident with wisdom and mercy; he set the rebels free and started to improve his administration. He put his wish of peace into practice and stabilized his nation. Additionally, in 2005, at the World Summit of Love and Peace in New York , President Fernandez of Dominican Republic turned a symbolic “key of the world” together with Dr. Hong. When ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, President Fernandez made the wish: “I wish that people from over the world can understand each other, and that love and peace can prevail.” In 2008, he used wisdom to resolve a crisis of war among Colombia , Ecuador , and Venezuela and changed the destiny of Latin America . He put his own words into actions and was lauded by the international community.

In addition to holding the ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, FOWPAL also organized endorsement campaigns and conducted cultural exchanges to consolidate the kind hearts and good thoughts of the people of the world. In 2002, invited by Dr. Rashmi Mayur, a significant individual in IISF (International Institute for Sustainable Future), one of the major groups in World Summit on Sustainable Development, Dr. Hong Tao-Tze visited South Africa and held the 2002 World Summit of Love and Peace for a Sustainable Future in Johannesburg and started an endorsement campaign for “Love of the World, A Declaration of Peace, Declaration of Peace for World Citizens, and Declaration of Human Rights for World Citizens,” which received 2 million endorsements afterwards. Invited by Dr. Mamdouh Riad Tadros, Minister of State Environmental Affairs of Egypt, Dr. Hong attended the “First Egyptian International Conference on Protected Areas and Sustainable Development,” and led the Cultural Goodwill Group of Peace to conduct cultural exchanges in Cairo and Sinai peninsula . Afterwards, invited by Mr. Adil Maati, Vice President at the House of Councilors of Morocco, Dr. Hong led the cultural goodwill group to attend the “Memorial Day of Peaceful Recovery of the Sahara Desert ” in Morocco and spread the message of love and peace to North Africa .

Also present at the 64 th Annual 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 first day of the conference when they were participating in the tree planting ceremony. Additionally, on their way to a welcoming party hosted by City Mayor of Bonn, the FOWPAL members met a couple who saw the members and immediately said to them with a smile, “We know you. Love and peace!” They then joyfully made an “energy solute” to the members. It turned out that the couple saw the FOWPAL members in 2008 when they attended the 61 st Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference in Paris .

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in Paris in 1948, and 2008 marked its 60 th anniversary. Therefore, the 61 st Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference especially addressed the themes “Upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Overcoming Discrimination to Realize Human Rights and Dignity for All, Human Rights and Human Security, Human Rights Education and Learning as a Way of Life, and Addressing Gross Human Rights Violations: Prevention and Accountability. At that time, FOWPAL, AWC, UN/NGO Observation International Pour La Non Violence, Siberian Center for Eurasian Projects, and Tai Ji Men co-hosted a seminar on FOWPAL Honorary International Members; Mr. Rene Wadlow, chief representative of the Association of World Citizens to the UN, Geneva, Mr. Albert Konan Koffi, president of the UN/NGO Observation International Pour La Non Violence, Ms. Nina Goncharova, president of Siberian Center for Eurasian Projects, Mr. Peter Hesse, president of Peter Hesse Foundation, and Ms. Susan J. Zipp, president of Empower The UN, all attended the launching of a global endorsement campaign, organized by Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL, to safeguard the planet. The attendees appealed to the people of the world to strive for a better tomorrow and prevent natural and man-made disasters from happening again. Since 2002, FOWPAL had started an endorsement campaign and collected 2 million endorsements from 158 nations around the globe. In 2004, Dr. Hong presented the endorsement results to Ms. Joan Levy, chair of NGO/DPI Executive Committee, and Sister Joan Kirby, chair of the 57 th Annual NGO/DPI Conference. They then forwarded the results to Mr. Kofi Annan, the then Secretary-General of the UN, to convey the world citizens' wishes for love, peace and human rights. Besides, to promote the idea that “one good thought can improve the world,” the “Global Endorsement of Declarations for Human Rights of World Citizens and Peace” has continued on the websites of FOWPAL, AWC, and Tai Ji Men. Everyone is encouraged to start from changing oneself, thinking good thoughts to change the destiny of the world for the better.

In the past ten plus years, Dr. Hong has traveled around the globe, consolidating the thoughts and actions of world leaders and leaders in all circles, and encouraged them to put their words into practice and to work together as one for world peace. This has mirrored the theme of Dr. Hong's speech “Sharing the Vision of Economic and Social Development: The Imperativeness and Urgency of Global Solidarity” at the 53 rd Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference over ten years ago. Over the past decade, the FOWPAL members have met many good friends. In 2001, FOWPAL, Tai Ji Men, and AWC co-hosted the World Citizens Assembly, where over 400 leaders from 55 countries in various circles gathered. The meeting was listed as one of the ten major peace conferences in 2001 in UNESCO. Dr. Lisinka and Mr. Rene, AWC's representative to the UN, Geneva , attended the World Citizens Assembly and have been good friends of FOWPAL members since. This year when Dr. Lisinka saw Dr. Hong, she was very happy and felt Dr. Hong was one of her family members. She talked with Dr. Hong for a whole night and looked attentive, joyful, and emotional. Mr. Rene had met with FOWPAL members many times, but he still cherished each meeting with them. During the conference in Bonn , Mr. Rene had very long talks with Dr. Hong, and he so cherished the opportunity to listen to Dr. Hong's words of wisdom that he didn't want to leave. Dr. Hong would always make those attending the seminars laugh heartily and bring tons of happy energy with them when they left.

This year, the FOWPAL members had the opportunity to interact with Mr. Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under-Secretary-General for Public Information. They talked about a lot of things such as technology, stress management, environmental protection. During the conference, Mr. Akasaka received a book of Dr. Hong's articles. After the conference was over, Mr. Akasaka sincerely said to the FOWPAL members that he understood that they were a group of kind-hearted people and asked the FOWPL members to meet with him again at next year's conference.

The world will usher in 2012 in three months, and the possibilities of the future await us. The 64 th Annual UN/DPI/NGO Conference in Bonn , Germany was meaningful because the people of the world must work together to slow down the destructive forces against the earth to ensure its sustainable development. The driving force for consolidating all nations of the world is a heart of love and peace. Members of FOWPAL, AWC, and Tai Ji Men have continued to conduct heart-to-heart exchanges and spread love to other NGOs. At this year's conference, Dr. Hong proposed five guidelines for the people of the world in face of the upcoming 2012. 1. Wisdom: We have to encourage decision makers to exercise wisdom to inspire world citizens and generate a willingness to take responsibility to solve our problems. 2. Balance: Enhance the capability of leaders in various fields to manage

all things in a balanced state. Forward-looking goal setting should be in balance with the current status quo. 3. Health: A healthy and resilient body, mind and soul are needed to gain more time and space to survive the severe tests to come. 4. Love: the origin of life as well as the underpinning of hope, love encourages earth-loving actions with a heart of appreciation and gratitude. 5. Peace: Peaceful resolution of conflicts is taken as the guiding principle for interacting with people and seeing things without bias will win the highest respect and recognition.

It is hoped that all can exercise their influence after going back to their own countries and guide the people of the world onto the right path so as to accomplish the mission of sustainable development.