Federation of World Peace and Love

FOWPAL promotes a culture of peace with love and conscience during Stockholm+50

 

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) and vice president of the Association of World Citizens, led a delegation to participate in Stockholm+50 in the summer of 2022. On May 30-31 and June 1, the delegation met with influential Swedish leaders or their representatives. The delegation shared FOWPAL’s worldwide promotion of a culture of peace with love and conscience, as well as the United Nations’ designation of April 5 as the International Day of Conscience, which serves as a reminder for global citizens to follow their conscience and take actions for global sustainability.

The delegation met with various leaders, including a representative from the secretariat of Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf; a representative of Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson; Ms. Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, second deputy speaker of the Swedish Riksdag (the national legislature and the supreme decision-making body of Sweden); Mr. Harald Fries, director and deputy head of Department of International Development Cooperation of Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines (2010-2016); a representative of Lena Hallengren, Minister of Health and Social Affairs of Sweden; and a representative of Cecilia Brinck, president of Stockholm City Council. (https://www.kungahuset.se/english/archive/speeches/2022-06-02-hm-the-kings-speech-at-the-un-conference--stockholm--50 )

In his speech at the opening ceremony of Stockholm+50, Swedish King Carl Gustaf emphasized, “Fifty years and several environment conferences have passed since that historic meeting in Stockholm in 1972. We have come a long way since then. But let me be clear: we do not have fifty more years to turn the development around,” the King declared, reminding global citizens to act quickly to save the planet.

The delegation shared with the representative from the King of Sweden’s Secretariat that the United Nations General Assembly designated April 5 as the International Day of Conscience, which serves to remind people to act with their conscience, recognize that all people are in the same boat, put aside their egos, cooperate with others, take responsibility, and act courageously to restore a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable planet. (https://government.se/speeches/2022/06/stockholm-50-opening-address/ )

During the opening ceremony of Stockholm+50, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson stated, “We must ensure that no country is left behind. And we must ensure that no person is left behind. The climate transition can only be done if it’s made in a social and inclusive way. This is not just an option. This is our moral obligation.” She concluded by saying, “Let our work be guided by the words spoken at the 1972 Conference by the then Prime Minister, Olof Palme, ‘There is no individual future, neither for human beings, nor for nations. Our future is common. We must share it together. We must shape it together.’”

The FOWPAL delegation informed the Prime Minister's representative that FOWPAL has visited 101 countries around the world over the past 20 years, promoting love and peace through cultural exchanges, and consolidating global citizens’ wishes for peace through bell-ringing ceremonies, and that it has received warm responses and wide acclaim from various governments and civil society organizations.

FOWPAL has emphasized that the global situation affects everyone, and no country can serve its own interests. FOWPAL advocates that people must treat the people of other countries as their fellow citizens and governments should implement conscience-oriented policies and put people first to achieve sustainable development.

Mr. Harald Fries, director and deputy head of Department of International Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines (2010-2016), greeted the delegation warmly and engaged in a pleasant and in-depth conversation with them. Dr. Hong mentioned that he led delegations to attend the Earth Summits in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002; in Rio, Brazil in 2012; and in Stockholm, Sweden in 2022.

FOWPAL has been actively involved in environmental protection. During the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002, FOWPAL hosted ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, where six visionary leaders, including the then President of Ethiopia Girma Wolde-Giorgis, rang the Bell.

During the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio, Brazil, FOWPAL hosted the ceremony of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, and 25 visionary leaders rang the Bell, including the then President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla Miranda; President of East Timor and 1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta; the then Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigme Thinley; Pedro Passos Coelho, the then Prime Minister of Portuguese Republic; and Angel Gurria, the then Secretary General of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), consolidating more positive energy and hope for a sustainable future of love and peace on Earth.

Dr. Hong mentioned that the world is now tumultuous and is at a very critical juncture. According to Mr. Harald Fries, Sweden has been at peace for over 200 years, which some claim is the longest period of peace enjoyed by a nation. Mr. Fries stated that the people of Sweden are very fortunate and that their promotion of peace has contributed to long-term peace.

Dr. Hong explained to Mr. Fries that the Chinese character for conscience is "excellent heart," which allows people to stay mentally positive. The world can change and achieve peace if everyone acts with conscience as their guide. According to members of the delegation, people from 200 nations have joined the movement of An Era of Conscience initiated by Dr. Hong in 2014. Beginning in 2018, FOWPAL collaborated with the Permanent Missions to the United Nations of Bahrain, Kiribati, Equatorial Guinea, and other countries on a draft resolution titled "Promoting the Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience." On July 25, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the draft resolution submitted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, declaring April 5 as the International Day of Conscience. To promote a culture of peace and conscience, FOWPAL visited 38 nations in approximately 18 months. It hopes that all countries and people from all walks of life will support and promote this UN-designated day, apply conscience in their lives, and foster world peace with love.

Ms. Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, the Second Deputy Speaker of the Swedish Riksdag, met with the FOWPAL delegation. Ms. Fornarve expressed her delight in meeting the delegation, reaffirmed the significance of conscience education, and acknowledged that in light of the current world situation, many international refugees are in desperate need of kindness and assistance.

The delegation also met with a representative of Lena Hallengren, Minister of Health and Social Affairs of Sweden, and a representative of Stockholm City Council President Cecilia Brinck to share information about the International Day of Conscience.

FOWPAL has visited 101 countries to promote love, peace, and conscience worldwide and inviting people to endorse various declarations on conscience, peace, and human rights to raise public awareness about sustainable development. More than 3.7 million individuals from 180 nations have signed the Declarations for Human Rights of World Citizens and Peace, and over 330,000 people in 196 nations had endorsed the Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience and Declaration of International Day of Conscience.

To date, 417 influential leaders from 128 nations, including heads of state and government, ambassadors, and other visionaries, have rung the bell, continuing to exert their positive influences and make meaningful contributions to world peace and sustainable development.