The following announcement was compiled by Amy Nguyen:
South Korean Peace Activist Man H. Lee has finished his month-long 9th World Tour in Los Angeles and departed for home in April, having canvassed international support for the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (“HWPL”) Peace Treaty, a pledge which calls on heads of states to unite and work together for peace.
Mr. Lee is the Chairman of HWPL, an international non-profit organization that advances peace initiatives through culture, arts, religion, and policy. During his 9th World Tour, Mr. Lee traveled to Europe, Latin America, and North America to meet with Uruguay President José Mujica, Peruvian Vice President and Incan leader Marisol Espinoza Cruz, and Former President of Guatemala Álvaro Colom. During a conference of religious leaders at the historic Nacional de la Cultural Palacio in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Mr. Lee stressed the importance of ending war.
“All the people of the world must become one to receive the light of hope of world peace without any discrimination or bias,” Mr. Lee said.
Afterwards, Mr. Lee was honored with the title of “Messenger of Peace” and asked to place the white rose, a symbol of peace, in the monument of the Palacio courtyard, as the Honorable Carlos Batzin, Minister of Culture and Attorney General of Guatemala Claudia Paz y Paz presided.
Traditionally, the fresh white rose exchanges the previous day’s white rose to celebrate an ever-fresh peace for the country, a custom that has been performed by the Dalai Lama, U.S. Former President George W. Bush and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Mr. Lee’s commemoration was the first time the ceremony was performed since the U.N. Secretary General’s visit in 2011. Afterwards, Mr. Lee was awarded with a certificate of appreciation from the Guatemalan government.
Addressing Guatemalan news outlet Telenoticias 23, Attorney General Paz y Paz said: “We will actively participate with Mr. Lee’s world peace movement, as he is traveling the whole world to give messages of peace despite his current age of 84.”
Many representative leaders have already signed the HWPL Peace Treaty during Mr. Lee’s eight previous tours to 58 different countries. Last year in Europe, Romani King Dorin Cioaba signed on behalf of 14 million Romanis during Chairman Lee’s visit to Eastern Europe.
“When Defensor de la Paz Señor Lee came and spoke to the people in Chuarrancho, things improved,” said Mayan leader Santos Alvarado, who oversees 8,000 Mayans living in the Pueblo of Churrancho, Guatemala.
“The Confradia (Catholic organization) never once met in the same room with [the Mayan community] to discuss issues. For the first time ever, we are now meeting face to face with them. We are very thankful for him,” Alvarado added.
Many of the leaders that Mr. Lee has met with have expressed their commitment to attend and promote HWPL’s upcoming event, the World Alliance of Religions for Peace Summit in Seoul, South Korea. The summit, taking place this fall, is an international conference to gather religious leaders for peace.
