Golden Peacock Shines at the 29th Eurasian Economic Summit Gala; Former Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Tajikistan Ring the Bell of World Peace and Love with Shared Aspirations
The 29th Eurasian Economic Summit, organized by the Marmara Group Foundation, held its grand opening gala on May 11 at the WOW Istanbul Hotels & Convention Center. The event brought together heads of state, senior government officials, scholars, religious leaders, and business representatives from nearly 50 countries. For the fifth time, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), was invited to attend and led a delegation of 74 international volunteers to the summit, where they conducted the solemn Ceremony of Ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love. Among the distinguished guests, Rashid Alimov, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, was invited to ring the Bell. In expressing his heartfelt aspirations, Mr. Alimov emphasized that we must first think about peace and love and strive to be together. He stressed that when we are together, thinking and acting for these ideals, the world will become better and more stable, ensuring that love and peace will remain together with us.
Sameh Hassan Shoukry, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, also rang the Bell of World Peace and Love and expressed his aspirations for health, happiness, peace, and love.
The wives of the two ministers also attended the event to witness the bell-ringing ceremony, and Dr. Hong presented each lady with a silk scarf featuring a peacock art pattern as a gesture of blessing.
Former President of Slovenia, Danilo Türk, who rang the Bell in 2024, was honored with the FOWPAL Peace Bell Award from Dr. Hong during the summit in recognition of his longstanding contributions to promoting peace. Reflecting on his experience, President Türk shared that hearing the Bell allowed him to feel its emotional dimension very strongly. He emphasized that peace requires emotional commitment and noted that it remains a fundamental condition for the well-being of future generations, including our children and grandchildren.
Promoting Global Responsibility and Peaceful Development through Love and Peace
Carrying forward the spirit of previous sessions, this year’s summit centered on the core theme of "Global Responsibility." The agenda addressed a broad range of critical global issues, including global responsibility and peaceful development, economic and energy challenges in the post-war world, environmental sustainability and resource crises, women’s democracy and human rights, as well as high-level dialogues among former world leaders. Participating leaders collectively emphasized that, in an era marked by uncertainty, dialogue and cooperation remain essential to resolving conflict and promoting global stability.
Jiri Paroubek, the former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, who rang the Bell in 2025, expressed his strong support for Dr. Hong’s vision of love and peace. Referring to the two major wars currently taking place in the world, he underscored the urgent need to change the current situation and stressed that these global challenges must be resolved through diplomatic channels.
To convey his best wishes, Dr. Hong presented the former Prime Minister with Joy in Celebration, an exquisite artwork from the collection of the Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze Foundation. This presentation reflected a shared commitment to continued collaboration in the pursuit of making the world a more beautiful place.
Golden Peacock Gala Radiates with Energy of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
The highlight of the evening was the debut of the “Golden Peacock Dance,” a performance deeply inspired by millennia-old Eastern culture, alongside a powerful martial arts presentation. FOWPAL volunteers explained that the ornate wings of the golden peacocks embody a fusion of court aesthetics and the harmonious balance of strength and grace found in Eastern martial arts. Adorned with peacock-eye motifs symbolizing compassion, courage, and wisdom, the golden peacocks pierce through darkness and radiate boundless light, transmitting the energy of truth, goodness, and beauty to bring blessings to the world. Following this, the Dragon Fist and Dragon Flag performances symbolized the safeguarding of peace through strength and the pursuit of goals through determination and vitality, embodying both blessings and dynamic energy. The evening concluded with a collective performance of “A Prayer for Peace” by all volunteers. The chorus united conscience and shared aspirations in a prayer for global harmony and the common prosperity of all life.
FOWPAL also introduced three major initiatives: the “Declaration of the World Day of the Power of Hope,” the “Declaration of International Day of Conscience,” and the “Declaration of Transparency and Integrity,” inviting honored guests to join the endorsement. During the gala, Danilo Türk, the former President of Slovenia, highly commended Dr. Hong’s vision of promoting love and peace and signed the “Declaration of Transparency and Integrity” on-site. These initiatives seek to unite the power of hope through conscience-driven actions by global citizens, advancing sustainable development and peaceful prosperity worldwide.