July 24, 2019
Ranked first in the Happy Planet Index survey in both 2006 and 2010, the Republic of Vanuatu prides itself on being the happiest country in the world. On July 22nd, 2019, President of FOWPAL (Federation of World Peace and Love), Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, led the delegation of 14 people to fly to Vanuatu, the 99th country that FOWPAL has visited for cultural exchange and peace. The delegation carried the Bell of World Peace and Love with it on the trip to spread powerful energy of love and peace. The National Museum of Vanuatu commemorated this significant journey of peace with a sand drawing of love and peace and an inscription that reads: “FOWPAL Vanuatu 99.”
On July 22, Dr. Hong led the FOWPAL delegation to visit Vanuatu’s Ministry of Education and Training and was received by Minister Jean-Pierre Nirua. Dr. Hong highlighted the importance of the Declaration of International Day of Conscience and also stressed that “An excellent culture is the foundation of a quality education, which is essential for sustainable economic development. Countries are encouraged to promote a culture of conscience and incorporate the best aspects of other cultures and education systems to improve national economies.” Minister Nirua concurred on the importance of culture and education in economic growth. FOWPAL youth conveyed their best wishes to Vanuatu through their singing. The meeting was full of happy and peaceful energy, and Minister Nirua was invited to ring the Bell of World Peace and Love and make a wish for peace. The peaceful sound of the Bell reverberated throughout Vanuatu. To date, 356 visionary leaders in 110 nations have rung the Bell and made wishes for peace. Before ringing the Bell, Minister Nirua stated, “I express the wish that all peoples of the world live in Peace and Love and that all children of Vanuatu grow up embracing all the good values of peace and harmony.” After ringing the Bell, Minister Nirua talked about the bell-ringing experience: “This represents very powerful values that we should all embrace to drive our country forward and also in order to encourage the message and take the message across the people of Vanuatu and beyond to live in peace and harmony.”
FOWPAL is an international peace organization. It has been promoting the idea of love and peace, fostering exchange of ideas among nations, and consolidating consensuses from leaders in various circles through different means, such as organizing summits of love and peace, hosting ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love, and conducting cultural exchanges.
Vanuatu is committed to preserving its traditional culture, natural landscapes, and indigenous species. Its world-famous sand drawing, which is multifunctional, traditional and with aesthetic value, was inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Vanuatu consists of 83 islands and there are over 100 languages spoken in the nation. Sand drawing has served as a means of communication among its citizens and is regarded as a wordless encyclopedia that records the history of the nation.
The FOWPAL delegation visited the National Museum of Vanuatu and was received by Assistant Curator Stanley Ngui. Stanley demonstrated sand drawing to the delegation and said that the two leaves of the local namele tree on the Flag of Vanuatu represent peace and respect. When he learned that Vanuatu is the 99th country that FOWPAL has visited, he made another sand drawing that symbolizes love and peace as he felt the energy and received the message of love and peace that FOWPAL spread.
The FOWPAL delegation stayed in Vanuatu for two days. It also visited a cultural village of Vanuatu. The moment the FOWPAL delegates arrived, they were greeted with the village’s tribal rituals. The FOWPAL delegates felt pleasantly surprised, experienced the simplicity of the village, and instantly mingled with the villagers. The FOWPAL delegates then presented a song called “We Are One World” to convey their appreciation for the tribe’s warm welcome. Through face-to-face interaction, people of different backgrounds get to appreciate one another’s cultures and communicate heart to heart, transcending racial and language barriers. FOWPAL hopes that love, peace, and respect will become the common language of the world.
Photo:Mr. Stanley Ngui, Assistant Curator of National Museum of Vanuatu, right, and Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), stand behind a sand drawing made by the assistant curator on July 22, 2019 in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. The drawing symbolizes love and peace and is to commemorate Vanuatu’s being the 99th nation that FOWPAL has visited.