26 Nov 2018 

The year 2018 marks the centenary of World War I. More than 70 heads of states congregated in Paris on November 11th to commemorate the end of the tragic lesson of human history. In contrast to wars, campaigns that promote respect for human rights and rule of law bring blessings to humanity. The International Conference of Chief Justices of the World is one of such campaigns. On November 14th, 2018 in Lucknow, India, the 19th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World was held. Participants from 71 nations include heads of states, elite leaders, 309 chief justices and grand judges. The Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India, Mr. Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, presented the Life Time Achievement Award to Dr. Hong, president of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), in recognition of his contribution to world peace. The award conveys the same high esteem Indian people have for Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence approach has influenced many nationalists and international movements for peace reforms. In the recent years, the culture of conscience that Dr. Hong has been promoting has also become a global campaign. 

 

The culture night presented during the opening ceremony on November 17th was magnificent. The Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India, Mr. Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, presented the Life Time Achievement Award to Dr. Hong. Along with the certificate, he also presented a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, a symbol of nobility for Indian people, to Dr. Hong. The award was presented in recognition of Dr. Hong’s contribution to world peace. For many years, Dr. Hong has attended many international assemblies and conferences held by the United Nations and exchanged ideas and suggestions with heads of states and world leaders through letters. He has met with the former Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, and Pope Benedict XVI and exchanged ideas for love and peace. He has launched several crucial declarations for people around the world to endorse. These declarations have spread to many different parts of the world with far-reaching impacts. In 2004, Dr. Hong presented to Mr. Kofi Annan a disk with 2 million signatures from 158 nations for the “Love of the World, A Declaration for Peace.” In 2014 Dr. Hong launched the movement of An Era of Conscience. As of today, people from 197 nations have participated in the movement and the movement has been brought to the UN, international conferences and the International Conference of Chief Justices of the World, serving as a reference for policy-making. Dr. Hong also organized a series of World Leader Summit of Love and Peace at the UN Headquarter, Vienna and India this year to consolidate wishes and energies for peace. 

 

The presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award is a historical moment, as it is the first time CMS has presented this award to anyone. Participants greeted and congratulated Dr. Hong. Dr. Hong has been dedicated to the promotion of love and peace for 52 years and has become acquainted with many world leaders. He has won many international recognitions such as the Humanitarian Award presented in 2016 and Flame of Peace Award by Flame of Peace in Austria in 2018. Inspired by Dr. Hong, many youths have taken part as international volunteers, conducting cultural exchanges around the world on their own accounts. Dr. Hong has led the Love of the World Cultural Goodwill Group to visit 90 nations in the world. The year is the 9th time that the Goodwill Group has participated in the international conference of chief justices of the world. Every time the group attends the conference, they share the latest messages of love and peace. “Turn a good thought to change the world” was shared at the conference in 2007. The Ceremony of Ringing the Bell of Peace was held for the first in India in 2008. Bell-ringing ceremony was again organized in 2010 together with the campaign of “Good essays on good hearts”. The Declaration of Taxpayer’s Human Rights, Declaration of An Era of Conscience, and the Declaration of World Citizens were brought to the conferences in the following years. This year’s message was Global Partnership—Change the world with us, which encourages everyone that we are all capable of changing the world, establishing global partnerships for peace and security.

 

Photos:

P1 Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India, Mr. Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, presented the Life Time Achievement Award to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), in recognition of his contribution to world peace.

P2 The  World Unity March by Jagdish Gandhi, founder of City Montessori School, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, and heads of states and chief justices holding flags of An Era of Conscience and Global Partnership—「Change the world with us」.

P3 Dr. Hong has led the Love of the World Cultural Goodwill Group to visit different nations, conduct cultural exchanges for love and peace. Grand Justices and Chief Justices from around the world and students of CMS participate in the Era of Conscience Movement.