Photo: California State Senator Josh Newman, left, rang the Bell of World Peace and Love and presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men and president of FOWPAL, a State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition.

 

September 11, 2022

 

September 10, 2022 marks the Moon Festival, a traditional holiday in many Asian cultures and a time for reunion. In celebration of this festival and in commemoration of the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in Los Angeles held ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love on September 9 and 10. California State Senator Josh Newman and Myanmar Consul General Dr. Zaw Linn Maung rang the Bell and made their wishes for peace. Congresswoman Young Kim sent her District Representative Abigail Fachtmann to attend the event on her behalf.

 

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 anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. 

 

He presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men and president of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), a State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition, which reads, “In grateful appreciation of your outstanding service as President of the Federation of World Peace and Love. Since establishing the Federation of World Peace and Love in 2000, you have demonstrated a stalwart commitment to instilling the values of peace, love, volunteerism, and conscientiousness among the citizens of Southern California and beyond. In convening leaders from around the world to ring the Bell of Peace, you have made invaluable contributions to our shared pursuit of a more peaceful, prosperous, and harmonious world. On behalf of the California State Senate, we convey our sincere gratitude for your exemplary leadership, and extend our support and best wishes for your continuing efforts toward advancing the cause of peace around the globe.”

 

​Photo: On behalf of Congresswoman Young Kim, her District Representative Abigail Fachtmann, left, presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men and president of FOWPAL, a Certificate of Congressional Recognition.

 

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.”

 

On behalf of Congresswoman Young Kim, Abigail Fachtmann, presented to Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men and president of FOWPAL, 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.” 

 

On September 9, 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.”

 

​Photo: 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.

 

Twenty-one years ago, the same Bell was rung at the Manhattan Neighborhood Network TV station (MNN) in New York following the 9/11 attacks, and the ceremony was televised for four hours across the country! At the time, 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, 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.

 

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 the 9/11. Dr. Hong, Mrs. Hong, and the Tai Ji Men members, as martial artists, were adamant that they would fly to Hawaii as promised, despite all odds. Due to numerous flight cancellations, the group waited at the airport every day until 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 to pray for Hawaii, the U.S. and the world, in Hawaii Theatre Center on September 16.

 

430 Tai Ji Men members were supposed to participate in the parade, but only 36 were able to make it to Hawaii to perform at the theater. Their sincere, peaceful, and righteous performances brought nearly 1,000 people to tears. Jennifer Hung, a Tai Ji Men member who returned to Hawaii 20 years later, recalled, "When everyone closed their eyes, they silently and sincerely prayed that there would be no more terrorist attacks, that the living would be comforted, and that the souls of the departed would rest in peace. At the end of the event, many people were very touched and praised us for being fearless and selfless.”

 

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 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.