HWPL Hosts International Workshop on Peace Journalism

Manila, 22 February 2023 (TDI): The first Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) International Workshop on Peace Journalism was held online on February 18 with approximately 150 participants from about 30 countries.

It is pertinent to note that the workshop was held in the midst of the ongoing natural and humanitarian crisis in the world community, including the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The workshop’s goal was to strengthen peace journalism and global media networks under the banner of “A Road to Institutional Peace for Sustainable Development.”

28 media outlets from around the world helped HWPL organize the event. Since its founding in 2013, HWPL has worked to advance movements for world peace and the end of the war.

HWPL is an international peace NGO with offices in South Korea as well as membership in the UN ECOSOC and UN DGC.

The workshop featured a celebration of the publication of “Peace Journalism Studies,” on which HWPL and international journalists worked together to share their knowledge and perspectives on peace.

Also read: Contribution of HWPL to World Peace

The “Peace Journalism Studies” covered a wide range of topics, including the role of civil society in bringing about social changes through the promotion of peace as well as analyzing conflict situations and peacebuilding initiatives with a country case.

The Director of India’s News & Views Network (NVN), Dr. Salim Khan stated, “I anticipate that this HWPL online event on journalism will bring fresh ideas with regards to the role of media in peacebuilding & raising awareness, facilitating the advocacy of peace in society.

“We need to make sure that we promote a global media network that will promote democracy, human rights, and good governance,” said Robert Maseka, the founder of the Rob Youth Foundation in Namibia.

He went on to state that “We can communicate and bring the world together by working together to spread accurate information.”

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It is pertinent to note that Three journalists gave presentations that contributed to the publication of “Peace Journalism Studies” after the two guest speakers offered congratulations.

The journalist for Digital Media Venture in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Frieda Sila Kana, spoke about the conflict and violence, saying “Sorcery and Witchcraft Accusations Related Violence is an emerging trend of violence and enemy of peace in PNG.

The actions of inflicting pain causing death is barbaric, intense and inhumane that it cannot be ignored.”

While, the Publicity Ambassador of HWPL and a journalist from Ukraine, Ihor Shevyrov emphasized, “International peace should be built not only by the UN but also by every country.

Democracy, openness and freedom of civil society, the level of protection of the rights and freedoms of every person, as well as peace education and a culture of peace are decisive for building sustainable peace in any country.

All these principles are clearly defined in the 10 articles of the founding DPCW Peace Declaration. United Nations needs new peace convention on DPCW.”

Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War

The HWPL International Law Peace Committee, which is made up of international law experts from 15 different nations, created the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), an international peace treaty.

The DPCW, which consists of 10 articles and 38 clauses, embodies the guidelines and tactics for averting conflicts, finding peaceful solutions to them, and maintaining a peaceful world.

The General Director of the Public relations department of HWPL, Ian Seo said, “Peace as an institution from people having a mind of peace and various organizations collectively supporting peace and taking actions gradually becomes habits, customs, norms, ideas, laws, and ultimately a culture of peace.

The HWPL International Workshop on Peace Journalism: A Road to Institutional Peace for Sustainable Development is appealing to all of you to take the role of media as a messenger of peace to develop it as an identity of individuals and as a global culture.”

HWPL intends to regularly host events where journalists can discuss and exchange ideas to improve peace journalism in response to the need to strengthen the global media’s network for promoting peace.