Media forum for peace by HWPL

What can you get new news?
We can think TV, newspaper, radio, mobile phone easily. we can get any news if we want. It means we are in media world and we are influenced by media including broadcast, Tv, newspaper, mobile phone. That is, we could change our mind and thought according to contents of media.

Recently, you heard terrorist attacked Paris and other countries. many people died and some family were broken. So, we felt to need peace in the world.

At that time, A peace advocate, Mr. Man Hee Lee of HWPL hosted the media forum for world peace. Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of light (HWPL) is one of the biggest international non-governmental organizations in the world called on all media to discuss their responsibility in promoting peace.

On 27th of November, HWPL held the second forum in Durban, South Africa with the first initiating the conversation between youth groups, religious leaders and press and media. This time the topic at hand was the responsibility of media in promoting peace.

Guest speakers are 1KZN TV producer Ms. Zama Shandu, Journalist and photographer of Tabloid Newspapers Ms. Se-Anne Koopman, Berea Mail journalist Ms. Lorna Charles, and HWPL representative Mr. Gareth can Niekerk.

"Instead of reporting on stories that would intensify

the situation of xenophobia in the communities,

we looked to how we can get the people

to respond positively against xenophobia."

Another speaker Se-Anne Koopman stated that media influences what people talk about, so "We need to realize the capacity of our words and the power they yield."

As the participants engaged, it was clear that media has to take some form of responsibility to the outlook of the society and to do this, they have to find balance in their reporting and become the voice of the voiceless.

After the three guest speakers' speech, the HWPL Durban representative Niekerk shared tha positive peace work is very infrequently promoted in media and far too often war, conflict and negative things aare pushed to the media. He went on to share the chairman's vision for media reporters, press and media,

"Peace is greater than money. Reporters of press and media all over the world,

please become messengers with us and broadcast peace activities frequently."

On a global scale, HWPL has been actively working towards finalizing a new international law which will address a peaceful and practical solution to the cessation of war, having already established a committee of nineteen globally respected legal experts. In November, the committee assembled in London to draft the 2nd article of the Declaration and Convention on the Renunciation and Cessation of War and Armed Conflicts which is spearheaded by Chairman Man Hee Lee of HWPL and Chairwoman of International Women's Peace Group(IWPG).