Global Conscience Leaders Gather in California for the 2023 World Leader Summit of Love and Peace | WPN World People News

Many international peace advocates attended the 2023 World Leader Summit of Love and Peace with the hope of finding peaceful solutions for the current tumultuous world situation.

Amidst the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, renewed conflict in the Gaza Strip has resulted in thousands of casualties. To address the global situation, at 6 PM on October 9th, Association of World Citizens, a United Nations NGO, FOWPAL (Federation of World Peace and Love), and Tai Ji Men held a special "World Leader Summit of Love and Peace" at the Hilton San Jose. The summit was themed "Peacebuilding Puzzles: Charting a Path to a New Future."

The event kicked off with the melodious music of the Orchestra.

Several international peace advocates attended, including former Prime Minister of Lesotho, Pakalitha Mosisili (1998-2012 and 2015-2017); former President of the Tunisian Human Rights League and 2015 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Abdessattar Ben Moussa; International Relations Head of the Montessori School in the city of Lucknow, India, Shishir Srivastava; and Chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief, Alessandro Amicarelli. The event commenced with the melodic tunes of the FOWPAL Orchestra, and various leaders presented their insights, hoping to gather global consensus and promote peace.

Dr. Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, former Prime Minister of Lesotho, emphasized that peacebuilding is not just about ending conflicts. It's about creating the conditions for lasting peace, love and prosperity.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love, delivered a speech on peace, stating, "The world is one family, all beings are brothers and sisters; cherish the treasure of conscience, and no one will resort to warfare." In these tumultuous times, he emphasized that "the conscientious actions of every global citizen will create a butterfly effect, forming a strong security net with immeasurable positive impact on the community and the Earth." He offered encouragement to all, stating, "Each of us possesses a valuable conscience, and holds the key to unlocking a sustainable future. Individual acts of kindness are like pieces of a puzzle; every one is indispensable."

Imam Arif Huskic(right), Founder and President of the Common Word Alliance, an interfaith organization, presented certificates and medals to congratulate Dr. Hong and the inaugurations of the two new Tai Ji Men academies in California.

Dr. Pakalitha Mosisili, former Prime Minister of Lesotho, emphasized that building peace is not just about ending conflicts; it's about creating the conditions for lasting peace, love, and prosperity. He highlighted the importance of ensuring children grow up in homes filled with love and peace, and with peace education integrated into school curricula to nurture cultural and social adaptation. Building peace also involved addressing root causes of conflict like poverty, inequality, and injustice, as well as working to heal past traumas, establish trust, and reconciliation. Economic development is another key element of peace building. When people have access to education, jobs and economic opportunities, they are less likely to resort to violence. Moreover, strong legal systems should be put in place to hold perpetrators of violence accountable. Lastly, dialogue and cooperation are vital tools in preventing conflict escalation. He ended his speech with, “Peacebuilding has to be a collective effort and must begin in the heart of each one of us, and then snowball to the family, to the community and to the world-at-large. Together we can build a more peaceful and prosperous world.”

Mr. Shishir Srivastava(left), International Relations Head of the Montessori School in Lucknow, India, expressed alignment with Dr. Hong's perspective that peace starts within oneself and ripples outward like a butterfly effect. He extended his gratitude to Dr. Hong for the inspiration and presented him with a copy of his book.

Imam Arif Huskic, the founder and chairman of Common Word Alliance, the interfaith organization, drew parallels between Islamic teachings emphasizing truth and the practice of love and peace in daily life, and the ideological philosophies promoted by Dr. Hong. He expressed his hope for interreligious dialogue and cooperation to promote global moral values, love, peace, and economic development. He believed that peacebuilding transcended the boundaries of race, religion, and class, and provided a non-violent means to address issues of injustice. Without it, there would continue to be events such as genocide, massacres, and the destruction of people and government wealth worldwide.

Massimo Introvigne, the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), stated that an increasing number of academic studies concluded that "love" was indeed the most practical way to achieve peace. He cited the example of British scholar Adam Curle, who became the first professor of peace studies in Europe in 1973. Like Dr. Hong, Curle believed that love was the only path to peace. In his 2006 book "The Fragile Voice of Love," Curle argued that humans are connected to two forces, the "Mind of the Universe" and the "Black Cloud." When human hearts are in the "Black Cloud," conflict and war occur. However, if they can adjust to the "Mind of the Universe," peace will prevail. Therefore, love is the gateway to accessing the Mind of the Universe and the path to peace.

Mr. Shishir Srivastava, International Relations Head of the Montessori School at Lucknow, India, agreed with Dr. Hong, and suggested that there were six major difficulties in peace building, the first of which was to resolve conflicts and innovate. The second was reconciliation, resolving historical grievances and promoting truth and justice. The third was to promote development by investing in infrastructure to ensure that marginalized populations can also benefit. The fourth was to protect human rights and create a culture of human rights. The fifth was to strengthen governance by promoting the rule of law and ensuring political representation for all. Sixth was to enhance international cooperation. The World Leader Summit of Love and Peace stood as an exemplary model for innovative problem-solving and international cooperation.

Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili presented precious postage stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of Lesotho's independence, sharing and exchanging the beauty of Lesotho's land and culture.

Mr. Shishir Srivastava presented his latest book, 'The New India in the 21st Century,' during the summit. He mentioned that after listening to Dr. Hong's speech that day, he was inspired to write another book about the new world of the 21st century, discussing 21 visions for a peaceful world by 2050. He expressed his deep gratitude to Dr. Hong for the inspiration.

At the end of the conference, Dr. Hong presented a commemorative coin set from his 80th birthday to the conscience leaders, expressing profound respect for their lifelong dedication to promoting love and peace, and their unwavering commitment to human rights and the conscience of people.