FOWPAL visited Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and all Greece
Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men and President of Federation of World Peace and Love,Love of the World Cultural Goodwill Group to Athens on July 9th for cultural exchange, promoting the ideals of conscience, love, and peace.
That day, he separately met with Deputy Minister of Health Dimitrios Vartzopoulos and Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and all Greece.
The delegation visited Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and all Greece. Volunteers from the delegation, dressed as pure-winged angels, seemed like messengers from heaven, conveying the importance of conscience. They performed a choir rendition of the《A Prayer for Peace》 wishing that everyone cherishes themselves and others with selfless love. The Archbishop shook hands with each member of the delegation and presented small gifts. He expressed his belief in the meaningful work of the FOWPAL, especially as the world faces numerous challenges including war, pandemics, and climate issues. He emphasized the importance of everyone coming together for peace. Archbishop Ieronymos II gifted Dr. Hong two books about the icons of the monasteries in central Athens and introduced the icons on the church walls. Dr. Hong personally placed a conscience scarf symbolizing friendship and blessings around Archbishop Ieronymos II's neck.
Athens is the cradle of Western philosophy, nurturing three great Greek sages: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of the FOWPAL, is the inheritor of Tai Ji culture, rooted in Daoist philosophy for over six thousand years. This rare occasion brings together exchanges of ancient wisdom and philosophy from both East and West, united in their efforts to contribute to world peace.
The delegation also visited the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the only large stadium in the world built entirely of marble. Originally constructed for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, volunteers braved a scorching 42-degree Celsius temperature to sing several songs in front of the stadium. Their clear and resonant voices conveyed wishes of love and peace to the skies, offering prayers for the world in a unique and heartfelt manner.
German basketball player Lionel Ndong interacted with the delegation and expressed his thoughts on the current state of the world, filled with hatred. He emphasized the importance of cherishing the good things we have and spreading love and peace. Ndong mentioned that love and peace are the most important values in the world and must be supported and protected.