417 World Leaders Ring the Bell _ Tai Ji Men promotes a culture of conscience worldwide
The 25th Eurasian Economic Summit brought together hundreds of distinguished guests from over 40 countries. Dr. Hong Tao-Tzie(center, second row), Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, was invited to the event.
Is the planet we depend on on fire? At the STOCKHOLM+50 international conference convened by the United Nations in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 2, 2022, UN Secretary-General Guterres warned that "global well-being is in danger, in large part because we have not kept our promises to the environment. The greenhouse effect is causing a climate crisis, and if we don't act now, the planet will no longer be habitable. Immediately after that, the 25th Eurasian Economic Summit, held in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 7, gathered presidents and heads of ministries to discuss the global impact of COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian war. A total of 18 world leaders, including former presidents of five countries, rang the bell during these two important international conferences. Former Tunisian President H.E. Moncef Marzouki, after ringing the bell, said that the world is in great need of advocacy activities such as those promoted by Tai Ji Men, and that peace is of utmost importance to everyone.
Dr. Akkan Suver (left) and Dr. Hong Tao-Tze(center) interact with former Turkish President H.E. Abdullah Gul.
Peace bell rings through heaven and earth, resolving conflicts with love and conscience
The 25th Eurasian Economic Summit is under the theme of "Build Back Better". It was attended by hundreds of distinguished guests from over 40 countries, including heads of state and government, ambassadors, ministers, mayors, and leaders from all walks of life.
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze (left) presents former Kosovo President Dr. H.E. Fatmir Sejdiu (right) with the Compass Clock of Conscience, which symbolizes the encouragement to follow one’s conscience at all times.
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the grandmaster of Tai Ji Men, delivered a speech, emphasizing, “We firmly believe that a culture of peace and a culture of conscience are the foundation that sustains all cultures of the world, and they are also the core of sustainable economic development. A good culture nurtures a good education while a quality education leads to a healthy economy. Through the promotion of a culture of conscience and conscience-driven education, and by integrating the strengths of other cultures and education systems, we will be able to foster national economic growth and usher in stability and prosperity.” He pointed out, “To resolve conflicts with love and conscience is the embodiment of great wisdom.”
On June 9, the closing ceremony of the General Assembly held a special ringing ceremony of the "World Love and Peace Bell", including former Romanian President H.E. Emil Constantinescu, former Montenegro President H.E. Filip Vujanović, former Tunisian President H.E. Moncef Marzouki, former Moldovan President H.E. Petru Lucinschi, former Kosovo President H.E. Fatmir Sejdiu, Dr. Akkan Suver, Chairman of the Marmara Foundation, founder of the Eurasian Economic Summit, and H.E. Djabir Doko, Deputy Minister of Political Institutions and Inter-Community Relations of North Macedonia, rang the bells. Former Croatian President H.E. Stjepan Mesic, who rang the bell at the 17th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World in India in 2016, also attended the summit.
Former Tunisian President, H.E. Moncef Marzouki, said in an interview after the bell ringing ceremony : "We need peace. The war between Ukraine and Russia is dangerous not only for the region, but for the whole world, as it could lead to a third world war. We cannot talk about human rights unless we have peace."
Sezgin Bilgic, vice-president of the Marmara Foundation, who organized the conference, was deeply moved by the bell-ringing ceremony, "This philosophy has really been immersed in the human body. Like what? There is a meaning in it. It's not just a gong. It's not just a bell. It's not just a sound. That sound, with this meaningful sound wave, not only comes to your ears, but through your heart. It's heart-warming."
The words, "World Love and Peace Declaration" is engraved on the top of the Bell, praying that the world will return to a peaceful world without sorrow, fear, wars and pain. So far, 417 leaders from 128 countries have rung the bell, including 49 heads of state, 7 Nobel Peace Prize winners, ambassadors to the United Nations, and leaders from all fields.
The International Day of Conscience belongs to you and me. The driving force behind the scenes is from Taiwan.
The World Love Goodwill Culture Visiting Group visited Sweden and Turkey on this European peace culture tour. Dr. Hong Tao-Tze presented the bell ringer with a Compass Clock of Conscience and a book of collection of conscience essays. The Compass Clock of Conscience represents time, direction and goal, guiding people toward the right path in life, reminding them to seize every moment to apply conscience and do good deeds; Conscience essays collection contains Dr. Hong's papers on conscience published around the world, providing a source of wisdom for leaders from all over the world to promote conscience culture. In addition, a booklet, "The History of International Day of Conscience", records the timeline of those events leading to the declaration of April 5th as the International Day of Conscience by the United Nations.
On April 5, 2018, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze organized a conference at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in collaboration with the embassies of several countries.
On July 25, 2019, through the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Kingdom of Bahrain proposed a draft resolution on "Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience", and designated April 5 each year as the International Day of Conscience. The driving force behind this proposal came from the private sector. Dr. Hong Tao-Zi started to promote the "Era of Conscience Movement" in 2014, it was jointly initiated by the Federation of World Peace and Love, the United Nations/NGO Association of World Citizens and the Tai Ji Men Qigong academy., and continued to advocate globally for a culture of peace with love and conscience. Since April 5, 2018, in cooperation with the embassies of many countries in the United Nations, a number of meetings have been held at the United Nations headquarter in New York to formulate a resolution on "Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience" and launch the "International Day of Conscience Declaration". We hope to cultivate the spirit of conscience in the international community and promote peace, human rights, dignity and sustainable development.
Dr. Akkan Suver, founder of the Eurasian Economic Summit, rang the bell and made a wish, "Work for peace! Work for peace! Work for peace!" He said that dialogue was to promote stability and conscience, and if we had dialogue, we could find a solution for any problem. He thanked Tai Ji Men for holding the bell ringing ceremony.
The distinguished guest of honor, Dr. Werner Fasslabend, the former Austrian Minister of Defense, who rang the bell in 2018, emphasized in an interview that conscience was the regulator of the individual and the principle that guides people on the right path. If everyone does this, it will lead to a world of love and peace.
Tai Ji Men dizi were invited to give cultural performances at the 25th Eurasian Economic Summit.
The cultural performances purify people’s hearts. Conscience awakening is like riding on the fancy carriage.
The opening ceremony of the 25th Eurasian Economic Summit featured multicultural performances. Many guests were touched by the noble and elegant "Peacock Dance" by Tai Ji Men dizi, who brought blessings symbolizing love, peace and warmth, and praying for the end of war and epidemics. Sezgin Bilgic, vice president of the Marmara Foundation, praised the cultural performances of Tai Ji Men for showing him the light, "I learned from all these performances that we must use all our lives to become good people. He was particularly inspired by the peacock dance, where he felt the dancers were transformed into a bird. "They are in tune with nature. They try to teach you how nature affects you and to reflect on how we are moving away from nature over the years.
Professor Dr. Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist of religion who participated in the International Day of Conscience celebrations many years ago, said, "I’ve studied the ideas of Dr. Hong and I find them very interesting and very relevant. “He began with the story of the Buddha's rescue of three young friends who lived in a house that caught fire because they were spoiled and did not realize it was on fire. "The Buddha sent three beautiful carriages to attract the three young men to go out of the house which is burning and boarded the carriages. Prof. Introvigne stated that "Our world is burning. There is a lot of smoke, a lot of fire. We are seriously to die. We don't realize it. If somebody won’t tell us, we will not understand. He likened the Tai Ji Men performance to a magnificent carriage, "Let's board the carriage Dr. Hong is offering to us! Let's board the carriage and get saved! I believe the lesson of this event. That’s the lesson of the Day of Conscience.
Tai Ji Men is the international goodwill ambassador for peace. The world needs them.
The Bell of World Peace and Love has long been the bearer of many wishes for peace and has been the source of many internationally acclaimed peace stories, including those of Presidents Wald of Senegal, Fernandez of the Dominican Republic and Menes of Sao Tome and Principe, who rang the bell and made wishes for peace, and then mediated disputes in neighboring countries or peacefully resolved domestic coups, saving their people from war and fulfilling their commitments to a stable world and sustainable development.
After ringing the bell, Dr. Aldo Manos, former Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, wrote to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze,” I wish to thank you most sincerely for the honor of having been invited to Ring the Bell of World Peace and Love at the site of Stockhol+50. I was most impressed by the smart appearance and keenness of your associates. With such youth we can leave the world in good hands.” He attended the U.N. Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. Aldo said that his service with the U.N. in Bangkok for many years “ has made me deeply aware of how much the ancient wisdom and world view of the East has to offer to the conscience of modern society. I wish you continued success in your important mission, and remain yours, In Peace and Love “
The culture of Tai Ji Men is deeply rooted in Tao wisdom, inheriting one of the highest philosophies of mankind, which has been passed down and practiced in a cloistered tradition since ancient times. The contemporary Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze established Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in 1996 in response to a calling to bring both physical and spiritual health to modern society. Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy is an international non-profit cultural organization with the aim of promoting the Tai Ji culture, and advancing the physical, mental, and spiritual health of world citizen. For over half a century, Dr. Hong and dizi have visited the five continents for cultural exchanges at their own expense, and earned the reputation of being "International Ambassadors for Peace and Goodwill. "
Taiwanese government should protect Tai Ji Men culture passed down from Shifu to dizi
Culture is the fundamental of a nation and a symbol of its soft power. In recent years, countries around the world have made the preservation and promotion of culture a priority policy, and cultural rights have been internationally recognized as fundamental human rights. The Taiwanese government has budgeted $28,493.25 million for the Ministry of Culture (including foresight project) and $26,727.78 million for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2020, totaling about $55.2 billion.
Over the years, Dr. Hong and his dizi have visited over 300 cities in more than 100 countries, and participated in more than 3,000 domestic and international cultural performances and cultural exchanges without fund-raising or any donations. With their cultural strengths, they have been creating "Taiwan cultural miracles."
In 2000, at the invitation of Senator Himes, Chairman of the U.S. Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee, Tai Ji Men performed at the Capitol Hill Plaza, the site of the U.S. Presidential Inaugural Ceremony. During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Final, Tai Ji Men became the only Qigong martial arts cultural group to perform in the Olympic competition area, the first international group to march on the Olympic Boulevard, and the first Qigong martial arts group to enter the world-class Sydney Opera House. It was also the first Qigong martial arts group in Taiwan to enter the world class Sydney Opera House. They have visited the five continents, including visiting 12 countries in East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, South Africa, and North Africa in 2002, and visiting the Pacific Island countries in 2019 which are suffering from climate change.
In this time of natural and man-made disasters, Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, the Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, has been advocating the culture of peace with love and conscience that has not only influenced world leaders, but has also created a butterfly effect of goodness around the world to promote the important declaration of love, peace, conscience and human rights. To date, more than 330,000 people from 196 countries have endorsed the "Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience and Declaration of International Day of Conscience" and more than 3.73 million people from 180 countries have signed the " Global Endorsement of Declaration for Human Rights of World Citizens and Peace.” We call on everyone to browse and endorse online in hope to achieve a peace world as soon as possible, where "With conscience, the world will be at peace; with happiness, every family will be joyful."
Link to “Global Endorsement of Declaration for Human Rights of World Citizens and Peace”
Link to "Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience and Declaration of International Day of Conscience"
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