United Nations International Day of Peace
Activating Conscience To Create Peace Together
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 21, 2023
Distinguished guests, dear friends from around the world, ladies and gentlemen, good day!
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly designated September 21 as the “International Day of Peace” with the aim of raising awareness of the need for peace among all nations and peoples. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly further voted to designate the “International Day of Peace” as a day of non-violence and ceasefire, hoping to awaken the world’s attention to peace through 24 hours of non-violence and ceasefire.
Despite being aware of the importance of peace for all of humanity, our world has never truly been at peace. There is an urgent need for peace both for our planet and its inhabitants. Wars, conflicts, destruction, poverty, hunger, climate change, extreme political and economic turmoil in nations are ubiquitous. What we need is not just awareness, but more importantly, action and unity to solve these issues.
This year’s theme for the “International Day of Peace” is “Action for Peace,” calling on global citizens and organizations to demonstrate their commitment to peace through concrete actions. It also urges everyone, especially the 1.2 billion youths worldwide, to break down barriers, put aside prejudices, and work together to eliminate inequality, drive climate change action, protect the planet and uphold human rights. The goal is to achieve sustainable development objectives and build a society that is devoid of fear and violence, filled with harmony, justice, and inclusivity.
The world needs peace, peace requires love, and love requires balance. True peace is reaching a harmonious state where heaven, earth, and humans are one: that is, peaceful coexistence between humans, other species, and Mother Earth. Peace, love, and balance are based on the conscience of every individual.
Conscience is a gift bestowed upon every individual by the divine. As long as we let our hearts be calm, introspect deeply, and genuinely wish to change ourselves and help others, our conscience will manifest, guiding us on the right path. It helps us confront ourselves honestly, reflecting and eliminating the five poisons of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and skepticism. By doing more good deeds to make up for past wrongs, we can reclaim our inherent goodness and create more peace in the world for humanity and the Earth.
Starting with individuals awakening their conscience and demonstrating its value, the effect can ripple out like the butterfly effect, influencing groups, societies, nations, and the entire world. When leaders and citizens of all countries act based on their conscience and collectively practice peace, inequalities can be eradicated, the impacts of climate change might be mitigated, human rights protected, and wars can come to an end.
FOWPAL, along with Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and the United Nations NGO Association of World Citizens, jointly launched the movement of “An Era of Conscience.” From 1999 to 2023, 12 declarations were proclaimed, including recent ones such as “The Declaration of International Day of Conscience,” “The Declaration of World Prayer Day,” and “The Declaration of World Day of the Power of Hope,” inviting people from all over the world to endorse. Each declaration concerns the stability, harmony, and sustainability of humanity and the world. Every endorsement is a commitment by global citizens to themselves and a consolidation of benevolent intentions. Awakening the kind hearts of everyone and promoting a culture of love and peace has not only gained extensive recognition from heads of state and United Nations representatives but has also received responses and support from citizens of over 200 countries.
On this “International Day of Peace,” we sincerely hope that everyone’s conscience will awaken, embracing universal love, practicing actions of peace, upholding the justice and protection of human rights and the natural environment, and creating a more peaceful, just, and inclusive society. When global citizens no longer suffer from fear and violence, and when the Earth’s creatures regain health and balance, a future of world peace will be within reach.
Prayer:
Activate our conscience, and let wars cease;
do good deeds and create blessings, together we build peace!
Wishing everyone peace and prosperity!
Wishing the world eternal peace, sustainability and happiness!