International Love and Peace Day
Spread the love of the world
Acting on the wish for peace
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze
Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men
Vice President of the Association of World Citizens,
NGO in Consultative Status with ECOSOC and Associated with the UN DPI
President of the Federation of World Peace and Love
September 15, 2023
Distinguished Guests, Dear Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good day!
2005 in New York, witnessed by H.E. Leonel Fernandez, the then president of the Dominican Republic, UN ambassadors, and NGO leaders, I proclaimed the Declaration of International Love and Peace Day and designated September 15 the International Love and Peace Day during the 60th session of UN General Assembly. H.E. Leonel Fernandez became the first head of state to endorse the Declaration.
Peace is the shared desire of people’s hearts. Our love is for all in the world and we believe that true peace is built upon balance. “Without love, there can be no peace. Peace requires love, and love requires balance.” Since its establishment in 2000 in USA, FOWPAL has been actively promoting the culture of peace with love and conscience through multicultural exchanges, World Leader Summits of Love and Peace, and solemn and sacred ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love. To date, 515 prominent figures of various circles from 136 countries, including heads of states and visionary leaders from all fields, have rung the Bell of World Peace and Love, made their wishes for peace, and agreed to work for the world’s sustainable future. Particularly, three Bell ringers, H.E. Fradique de Menezes, President of Sao Tome and Principe, H.E. Leonel Fernandez, President of Dominican Republic, and H.E. Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal, have fulfilled their promise and defused the conflict crisis peacefully, saving countless lives.
In addition to FOWPAL, I established the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in 1966, and became the contemporary Zhang-men-ren (grandmaster). Tai Ji Men is an ancient menpai (similar to school) of qigong, martial arts and self-cultivation, rooted in Tao wisdom. Through different qigong practice techniques and self-cultivation, dizi learn to cultivate moral character and purify hearts, while strengthening physical, mental and spiritual health. Tens of thousands of dizi and their families around the world have benefited from practicing qigong.
Since its founding more than 20 years ago, FOWPAL’s Goodwill Culture Group’s peace journey has reached 101 countries across five continents. Every footprint is an act of conscience awakening, hoping that we can continue the sustainable development with our willingness to fight for the better survival of future generations.
While human beings long for peace, too often conflicts arise. Why? The answer is conscience. When one's conscience is clouded by the five poisons of greed, hate, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, one would lose the inner pure calm and get confused by appearances, and would be incapable of making objective and wise judgements. Conscience is the innate compass which guides us to distinguish between right and wrong, true and false, good and bad, and leads us to find the right path toward love and peace. With conscience, we will know how to balance our hearts and be able to love the world.
On the journey of learning love and balance, I hope that everyone will follow the call of conscience, actively do good deeds, solve problems with the wisdom of balancing yin and yang, and link together more virtuous influences. Each of us is the key to love and peace. When we are willing to unite with each other, regardless of who we are, the shield that protects the sustainable future of humanity and the planet will rise and shine like the rising sun, full of light and hope.
September 15 is also the United Nation’s International Day of Democracy. A culture of peace with love and conscience is one of the unalienated components for true democracy. In the Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) 16: peace, justice and strong institutions, many of the objectives are geared towards protecting democratic institutions, including: 16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. True democracy is not obtainable unless the fundamental rights of everyone are firmly protected.
Conscience is the gift we are all born with. Sometimes we forgot this bright treasure due to the illusion of colourful material world. In order to awaken everyone’s conscience, I proclaim two Days:
September 23 is designated as "World Day of the Power of Hope" to encourage global citizens to act with conscience and harness the power of hope for themselves, for others, and for global security and sustainability, hoping that all of us is willing to do our part for the safety of everyone, the peace of the world, and the co-existence and prosperity of all beings, and to build a better tomorrow with conscience actions.
October 16 is designated as "World Prayer Day" to encourage people to restore their inherently pure hearts and to collectively pray with conscience for themselves, others, and the world, hoping cessation of wars, end of epidemics and diseases, safety for everyone, peace in the world, and coexistence and co-prosperity of all. Together we will coalesce the positive energy of the universe leading the Earth toward sustainable development.
Today we are celebrating this important International Love and Peace Day. Please join us for the endorsement of the Declarations. Let’s start from oneself in daily life to do more good for others and for the world. Let’s unite together to advance love and peace in the world.
May the world be blessed with love, safety and peace!