Photo:From May to August 2024, FOWPAL visited eight countries, conducting bell-ringing ceremonies where nine prominent leaders rang the Bell of World Peace and Love, praying for global peace.
September 27, 2024
Ongoing regional conflicts, extreme climate events, wealth inequality, and human rights violations have led to global instability, causing suffering for many who yearn for a glimmer of hope. From May to mid-September 2024, Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) and Zhang-men-ren (grandmaster) of Tai Ji Men, led the Love of the World Cultural Goodwill Group, traveling across Italy, Vatican City, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Mexico. These journeys, spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas, covered over 30 cities. The group met with leaders from the fields of culture, politics, and religion, conducted Bell of World Peace and Love ceremonies, and invited significant leaders to ring the bell and make peace wishes for the world. Additionally, through cultural performances such as martial arts, singing, and dancing, the group spread messages of love and conscience while promoting the three key declarations: International Day of Conscience, World Prayer Day, and World Day of the Power of Hope, receiving widespread support and acclaim.
To date, the goodwill group has visited 109 countries, transcending cultural, racial, and national boundaries to foster global cooperation. As of August 20, 2024, 556 distinguished leaders from 147 countries have rung the Bell of World Peace and Love, including 71 heads of state and 9 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. In September, Dr. Hong will continue leading the group to New York to participate in events surrounding the United Nations General Assembly, followed by a visit to South America. These efforts aim to strengthen global citizens' consensus on love, peace, and conscience and inspire the world to take concrete actions driven by hope to create a sustainable and peaceful future for the Earth.
Spreading Love and Hope in Europe: A Historic Meeting Between Pope Francis and Dr. Hong
In May, Dr. Hong led the goodwill group to visit Italy and Vatican City, where he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2024 Turin Global Peace Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting world peace.
Photo:Dr. Hong shared the Love of the World, A Declaration of Peace with Pope Francis and presented him with a scroll. The Pope gave a thumbs-up in approval.
On May 15, at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis presided over a general audience, where nearly 100,000 pilgrims witnessed a historic meeting between Pope Francis and Dr. Hong. Dr. Hong presented the Pope with a scroll of the Love of the World, A Declaration of Peace and shared the results of promoting the International Day of Conscience, which Pope Francis acknowledged and praised. Marco Respinti, Director-in-Charge of Bitter Winter magazine, noted that the Pope’s message of charity on that day perfectly aligns with what Tai Ji Men and Dr. Hong teach and what FOWPAL does in the world.
Photo:Dr. Hong Tao-Tze (right) receives the 2024 Turin Global Peace Award.
This journey included visits to five major Italian cities, where the group exchanged experiences of promoting conscience, love, and peace. Michele Conti, Mayor of Pisa, Filippo Bedini, Pisa’s City Secretary for Culture, Domenico Garcea, Vice President of Turin City Council, Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, and Lucio Malan, Italian Senator, all rang the Bell of World Peace and Love and endorsed the Declaration of World Day of the Power of Hope. Fontana remarked, “I think that in this period we need love and peace all over the world. We must stop wars and we go on with family, with love everywhere.” He is grateful for everything FOWPAL has done to improve peace and love in the world.
Photo:Dr. Hong Tao-Tze (right) and Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, co-signed the Declaration of World Day of the Power of Hope, encouraging the public to unite in changing the world.
Photo:FOWPAL visited the Italian Senate, where Senator Lucio Malan rang the Bell of World Peace and Love, praying for global peace.
Photo:FOWPAL engaged in cultural exchanges with various groups on the Terrazza Solferino in Turin, Italy, through cultural performances.
Greece, the Olympic birthplace, Rings the Peace Bell for World Peace
In early July, Dr. Hong led international volunteers on a visit to their 104th country, Greece. The group visited the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism, Thessaly Regional Government, and the governments of Athens, Meteora, Mykonos, and Santorini. Dimitrios Vartzopoulos, Deputy Minister of Health, and Dimitrios Tsetsilas, Deputy Regional Governor of Thessaly, both rang the Bell of World Peace and Love, offering prayers for peace and sustainability in Greece and the world.
Photo:Dimitrios Tsetsilas, Deputy Regional Governor of Thessaly (back row, fifth from the left), after co-signed the Declaration of World Day of the Power of Hope and ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, posed for a photo with FOWPAL.
The also visited the Archdiocese of Athens and all Greece and met with Archbishop Ieronymos II, who expressed his belief in the meaningful work of the FOWPAL, especially as the world faces numerous challenges including war, pandemics, and climate issues. He emphasized the importance of everyone coming together for peace.
Photo:FOWPAL visited Archbishop Ieronymos II, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece (back row, fourth from the left), and took a group photo.
The delegation spread messages of love and peace at various renowned landmarks throughout Greece, resonating with both locals and tourists.
Photo:Against the backdrop of the Santorini sunset over the Aegean Sea, FOWPAL held a bell-ringing ceremony with the Bell of World Peace and Love, sending blessings to the world.
Promoting a Culture of Peace Across Five Central Asian Nations
In August, the delegation visited five culturally diverse Central Asian nations, traveling to 16 cities to promote a culture of peace founded on love and conscience. Eldor Tulyakov, the former Uzbekistan parliamentarian and current Executive Director of the Development Strategy Center, and Nicolaas Jacob Schermers, the Dutch Ambassador to the five Central Asian countries, both rang the Bell of World Peace and Love, offering prayers for world peace.
Photo:FOWPAL visited the Ruh Ordo Cultural Center in Kyrgyzstan.
The group also visited the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation in Kazakhstan, the National Palace of Tajikistan, and Almaty Management University, as well as energy, carpets, national history museums, and religious cultural centers in different countries
Photo:FOWPAL performed the "Silk Umbrella Dance" at the Ark Fortress in Uzbekistan, engaging in cultural exchanges.
.Tulyakov, who met Dr. Hong again after attending the 27th Eurasian Economic Summit in Istanbul in February 2024, expressed his joy at their reunion, stating that peace is very important for the whole world and that’s why FOWPAL's mission to promote global peace and love is very much important. He is happy and appreciates to contribute to ring the bell for the peace and love in the world.
Photo:FOWPAL visited the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Uzbekistan, receiving a warm welcome from locals and tourists.