Photo1: California State Senator Josh Newman rang the Bell of World Peace and Love and made a wish for peace on September 10, 2022.
September 12, 2022
In commemoration of the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy (Tai Ji Men) organized ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love in the United States in September to pray for the world. On September 9 and 10, they hosted ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love in Los Angeles. California State Senator Josh Newman and Dr. Zaw Linn Maung, Consul General of Myanmar, rang the Bell and made their wishes for peace. Congresswoman Young Kim sent her District Representative Abigail Fachtmann to attend the event and present a Certificate of Congressional Recognition to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL, on her behalf.
On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked and crashed planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, plunging the United States into mourning and panic. Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, who was leading members of FOWPAL and Tai Ji Men to attend the 54th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference in New York at the time, led them to hold bell ringing ceremonies on three consecutive days, inviting leaders from all walks of life to ring the Bell to pray for peace in America and the world.
On September 9, 2022, Dr. Zaw Linn Maung, Consul General of Myanmar, rang the Bell and stated, “Peace starts with inner peace. The state of inner peace is only attainable through our self-control of greed (bias love), anger and ignorance, the causes behind all the sufferings. May the ringing of this bell remind everyone of practicing self-restraint over greed, anger and ignorance. May peace prevail all over the world.”
Photo2: Dr. Zaw Linn Maung, Consul General of Myanmar, center, rang the Bell of World Peace and Love and made a wish for peace on September 9, 2022.
On September 10, Senator Newman rang the Bell and stated, “It is my hope that all of the people of the world will someday soon be able to enjoy the security, assurance, and prosperity that comes with true peace.” He also said that ringing the Bell was a humbling experience and that it was very meaningful to do so on the eve of the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Photo3: California State Senator Josh Newman, left, rang the Bell of World Peace and Love and presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL and leader of Tai Ji Men, a California Senate Certificate of Recognition.
Senator Newman presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL and leader of Tai Ji Men, a California Senate Certificate of Recognition, praising FOWPAL for bringing together leaders from around the world to ring the Bell of World Peace and Love and for its invaluable contributions to the shared goal of a more peaceful, prosperous, and harmonious world. Senator Newman also presented to Dr. Hong another California Senate Certificate of Recognition, which states, “In commemoration of the occasion of the Federation of World Peace and Love’s Ringing of the Bell of Peace ceremony memorializing the 2977 souls lost on September 11th, 2001. The Federation of World Peace and Love is to be commended for creating this opportunity for remembrance and reflection, as well as for the invaluable contributions the Federation has made over the past two decades to promote the values of peace, love, volunteerism, and conscientiousness in the pursuit of a more peaceful, harmonious world. On behalf of the California State Senate, we convey our sincere gratitude for your efforts to facilitate the observance of this solemn occasion, and extend our support and best wishes for your continuing efforts toward advancing the cause of peace around the globe.”
Photo4: Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL and leader of Tai Ji Men, right, presents the “Key to the Heart” to California State Senator Josh Newman. The key symbolizes that key leaders’ kind thoughts can move the world in the right direction.
On behalf of Congresswoman Young Kim, her District Representative Abigail Fachtmann presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze a Certificate of Congressional Recognition, which states, “In recognition of the Ceremonious Ringing of the Bell of World Peace and Love in remembrance of the 9/11 attack. Thank you for your dedication to spreading positivity in our community.”
Photo5: On behalf of Congresswoman Young Kim, her District Representative Abigail Fachtmann, left, presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL and leader of Tai Ji Men, a Certificate of Congressional Recognition.
A video produced by Tai Ji Men in commemoration of the 21st anniversary of 9/11 was presented, which brought the audience back to September 2001, when Dr. and Mrs. Hong, as well as Tai Ji Men members, were invited to the 54th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference, and they witnessed the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the midst of the chaos and panic, Dr. Hong led Tai Ji Men members to organize ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love in New York, Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) TV station, and Hawaii, inviting leaders from all walks of life to ring the Bell to pray for the United States and the world.
Photo6: Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men, center, was interviewed by MNN and hosted a ceremony of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love and a cultural feast in September 2001.
At that time, New York was in chaos, and the world was under the threat of more terrorist attacks. The iconic World War II port of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was projected to be the next target, and many people sought to evacuate the country. Tai Ji Men had been invited to participate in the Aloha Parade before 9/11. Dr. Hong, Mrs. Hong, and Tai Ji Men members, as martial artists, were adamant that they would fly to Hawaii as promised, despite all odds. They were eventually able to go to Hawaii on the 15th and 16th on separate flights. Despite the cancellation of the Parade, the delegation still held “A Night of Ancient Culture,” a cultural feast and an ancient bell ringing ceremony in Hawaii to pray for the state, the U.S. and the world on September 16.
The then Mayor of Honolulu Jeremy Harris expressed his appreciation to Tai Ji Men’s contributions to world peace and praised Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze for being “an outstanding leader.” Mayor Harris also issued an Award of Merit to Dr. Hong, recognizing him as an honorary citizen of Honolulu, and he proclaimed September 16, 2001 as Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and Dr. Hong Tao Tze Day in the City and County of Honolulu.
To heal the devastation and losses from the 9/11 attacks, many ceremonies were conducted around the globe after the tragedy. On the morning of September 11, 2002, a special prayer gathering was held at a church in New York to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11. The then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and delegates from various nations and organizations attended the event, including those from FOWPAL and Tai Ji Men. During that afternoon and evening, FOWPAL and Tai Ji Men conducted ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, and the clear sound of the Bell resonated through the UN Plaza Hotel near the headquarters of the United Nations. The ambassadors of various nations to the UN and Archbishop Bruce J. Simpson of Benedictine Order of St. John the Beloved rang the Bell and made wishes for peace.
Photo7: Dr. and Mrs. Hong, Tao-Tze attended a prayer gathering held in a church in New York on September 11, 2002 to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11.
Peace is everyone’s deepest aspiration. Dr. Hong has led Tai Ji Men members to self-fund their trips to 101 countries to promote a culture of peace with love and conscience. To date, 430 important leaders from 128 countries, including 49 heads of state and government and seven Nobel Peace Prize laureates, have rung the Bell of World Peace and Love and made wishes for peace. As each kind thought emitted has injected a force of positivity into the Earth, ringing the Bell to pray for the world has profound and far-reaching impacts.