[The Path of Peace - Ep. 12] European Commitments to Peace: Leaders Across Nations Sign Historic Pledges

What moves European heads of state, UNESCO delegates, and faith leaders to unite in a single international peace coalition?

Just two weeks after completing the 11th tour, HWPL Chairman Man-hee Lee and the peace delegation departed South Korea on a 19-day journey for the 12th World Peace Tour in late June 2014. Traveling through Croatia, France, Germany, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Spain, Chairman Lee presented actionable solutions to end war, codify international legal frameworks, and build momentum for the upcoming World Alliance of Religions' Peace (WARP) Summit.

Key Diplomacy and Interfaith Alliances in Croatia

The 12th World Peace Tour opened on July 1, 2014, in Croatia, where Chairman Lee delivered the keynote address as South Korea's representative at the Southeast Europe Symposium co-hosted by the European Commission and UNESCO.

During the visit, Chairman Lee conducted bilateral dialogues with current and former state leaders:

• Ivo Josipović (Then-President of Croatia) engaged in a special dialogue where Chairman Lee emphasized that state leaders carry the primary responsibility of protecting citizens by endorsing international legal instruments prohibiting war.

• Stjepan Mesić (Former President of Croatia), having witnessed World War II and the Yugoslav Wars, resonated deeply with Chairman Lee's perspective as a Korean War veteran, pledging his active support for HWPL’s initiatives.

The movement also gained traction across Croatia's interfaith community. Aziz Hasanović (Grand Mufti of Croatia) visited Chairman Lee's delegation to sign a peace agreement, affirming the Islamic community's dedication to global harmony.

Keynote at UNESCO Headquarters and Rare Jewish Sanctuary Opening

On July 2, 2014, the delegation arrived in Paris, France. Chairman Lee delivered a keynote address at the UNESCO Headquarters during the Peace Conference hosted by the International Parliamentarians Coalition for Global Ethics (IPCGE), alongside former Romanian President Emil Constantinescu and former UN Under-Secretary-General Giandomenico Picco. Attending parliamentarians and scholars signed pledges to act as global messengers of peace.

In a rare cultural exchange, Chief Rabbi Moshe Sebbag opened the historic Great Synagogue of Paris to the delegation. He unlocked the sanctuary's ancient Torah vault—housing 1,000-year-old leather scrolls—and commended Chairman Lee's dedication to interfaith understanding.

Legal Codification in Germany & State Honors in Montenegro

Visiting Germany near the historic site of the Potsdam Conference, Chairman Lee highlighted South Korea's ongoing division and advocated for the codification of an international law to permanently end armed conflict. Religious leaders from the German Orthodox Church and Taiwanese Buddhist representatives in Berlin signed peace agreements.

On July 9, in Montenegro, Chairman Lee delivered a keynote speech at a symposium co-hosted with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD). The Director of ICD and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Montenegro presented Chairman Lee with an official Certificate of Commendation for his contributions to global peace consciousness.

Interfaith Healing and Media Resonance in Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina—a nation recovering from internal conflict—Chairman Lee met with senior leaders across faith traditions:

• Jakob Finci (President of the Jewish Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

• Cardinal Vinko Puljić (Archbishop of Vrhbosna)

• Representatives of the Inter-religious Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina (IRC)

These leaders signed agreements committing to resolve inter-religious misunderstandings. Former Prime Minister Nedžad Branković also pledged his support, and Chairman Lee delivered a lecture to youth at the International University of Sarajevo.

Major European media outlets—including France's Casarema TV, Germany's ERF Christian Radio, Balkan TV, and Bosnia's national broadcaster BHRT—covered the tour extensively, highlighting the growing international consensus behind HWPL's peace initiatives.

Source: https://tinyurl.com/3ce26ezc