The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) celebrated the new year hosting the 2016 IWPG Network Peace Forum and urging for the enactment of an international convention on the cessation of war and the achievement of world peace.
Tilted The Role of Women in the Implementation of the International Law on the Cessation of War and Achievement of World Peace, the Forum was hosted on JAN 19 at the training institute of peace located in Gyeonggi Province, Korea and convened approximately 500 women leaders from Korea and other countries.
The forum was the organization’s first forum of 2016. The theme of the forum highlighted the hearts of mothers that protect the youth, urging the international community for a swift response to enact an international convention for peace, which is spearheaded by HWPL (Heavenly Light World Peace Restoration of Light).
Against the backdrop of Nuclear testing of the DPRK and terrorism tearing through the world, support for such an international convention grew more active and broad. Participants of the Forum pledged that women of the world will monitor and urge the decision makers so that each government would take part in the international convention and put them into action once the draft of the international convention is completed.
Nam Hee Kim, the chairwoman of the IWPG remarked in her opening speech, “Mankind has made progress over progress, but almost no country is immune to war, and when it comes to peace, we are quite elementary… we can no longer let our children and families be taken away at once by wars.” She also argued, “The motherly hearts of women are the birthplace – the womb – of peace-building. …The hearts of mothers have the power to stop aggression or conflicts and to keep peace.”
Following the IWPG chairwoman’s speech was the congratulatory remarks of the chairman of HWPL Man Hee Lee, who is leading the making of an international convention for the cessation of wars and achievement of world peace. In his remarks, Lee said, “Seeing [the participants] at the Forum, it feels like all women are one family of IWPG.” He told the audience, “One day, when our children ask what did our fathers and mothers do, if we can answer we worked for the cessation of wars and for peace of the world by joining IWPG, that would be most valuable.” “I ask all of you here today to embrace all 3.6 billion women of the global village and to bring the era of peace,” he added.
Speakers of the IWPG Network Peace Forum were HH Princess Maria Amor Torres, the President of We Care for Humanity; Li Yunhua, the CEO of Qin Heyuan Investment Ltd. Co. of LiaoNing Province, China; Almas Jiwani, the President of UN Women Committee Canada (UNWCC).
The head of We Care for Humanity Princess Maria Amor Torres said in her speech, “We are here today because we believe in Chairwoman Kim’s advocacy to empower women and attain gender equality towards world peace. …The answer to the question about the role of women in enacting the international law for the cessation of wars and achievement of world peace is to introduce IWPG to all women and join the women of the world in one.
Li Yunhua, the CEO of Qin Heyuan Investment of LiaoNing Province remarked, “The heart of a mother and world peace are inseparable.” “I will make the news of peace works of IWPG reach all corners of China,” she pledged to the audience.
Almas Jiwani, the President of the Canadian National Committee of UN Women, told the audience she crossed seven seas to be at the Forum, and rushed as soon as she landed. In her remarks Jiwani reported on the numerous occasions where she actively promotes the peace message of Mr. Lee of HWPL and Ms. Kim of IWPG to the international community, and that the message is received with enthusiasm and well appreciated wherever she speaks.
Following the speeches was a ceremony to present plaques of appreciation to three members of the IWPG who led active peace works in Korea, and the appointment ceremony for IWPG Peace Ambassadors. Seven IWPG Peace Ambassadors from China and two from Mongolia were appointed at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, the IWPG, the host and organizer of the Forum is gaining growing reputation for its capabilities in bringing action and results by building a world-wide peace network. The organization is a working with HWPL for world peace.