Celebrating the First International Day of Conscience
Conscience Leads Humanity to Achieve World Peace
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze
President of Federation of World Peace and Love
2019.04.05
It is great to be back in Vienna, and I would like to welcome everyone here. Tonight, we reunite with old friends as well as new friends that we have just met for the first time. With our common appreciation for love and peace, there is no distance between our hearts. Tonight's Gala is extremely meaningful. So I would like to thank everyone's participation in tonight's Global Launch of the International Day of Conscience and Gala Dinner. It is extremely important and valuable to have so many peace-loving leaders who share the same vision gathering together to support and encourage one another and strive together for a better future.
Conscience may seem abstract and invisible, but it is the heart's perception of the world. It is the inherent kind heart, which enables us to see through kindness and evil and distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, and truth from false. Conscience is a God-given blessing that compels humans to break through their own limits and perceive other people's pain and suffering with a breadth of vision. It enables us to care and share mercy and love beyond ourselves and strive unselfishly for other people's welfare.
Today, with increased geopolitical uncertainty, the relations among nations are tense, and all nations face various challenges. Only when we are guided by conscience and act in accordance with conscience, will we move forward with mercy, bravery and true wisdom on the much anticipated path of peace.
Since its inception, FOWPAL has dedicated itself to the promotion of love and peace. On February 5th of this year, consolidating the common vision of the representatives from 31 Permanent Missions to the UN, FOWPAL launched the global endorsement campaign for the “Declaration of International Day of Conscience” in the UN Headquarters. Two months later, we are officially announcing April 5th as the “International Day of Conscience” in the United Nations in Vienna. Our collective desire is to inspire leaders from all walks of life from every nation to unite people's kind hearts and thoughts to facilitate the culture of peace with love and conscience so that the ideal of ‘one world’ will be achieved.
People need to be inspired to carry out acts of conscience and find better ways to achieve them. We believe the power of kindness when consolidated will grow exponentially. The direction of our future relies on our following the guidance from the compass of conscience. Only through the mutual endeavors of world citizens to safeguard the future with love and conscience, will we be able to truly protect peace and let our future generations grow up in a safe environment.
Everyone here today is a key leader with strong influence. When we follow our conscience, reach consensuses and take actions to spread love to the world, we will be able to solve conflicts wisely. We will also conjoin our strengths and unleash our creativity to create multi-win situations. Let us utilize our talents and skills to create a beautiful future with endless possibilities for world citizens.
* Presented during the celebration of the first International Day of Conscience
on April 5, 2019, in Vienna, Austria.