Empowering a Culture of Peace: HWPL’s Growing Footprint in Africa

In a time when peace feels distant for many corners of the world, one movement is quietly but powerfully making a difference — from classrooms in Madagascar to the hearts of young leaders in Tanzania. HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), a global peace NGO led by Chairman Man Hee Lee, continues to turn vision into reality through grassroots partnerships, intergenerational forums, and a message that transcends borders: We Are One.

Madagascar Peace Forum: Building Bridges Across Sectors

On April 29, 2024, over 200 attendees — including ministers, lawmakers, youth, educators, and civic leaders — gathered at Madagascar’s prestigious INSCAE University for the HWPL Peace Forum. Co-hosted by the university and HWPL, the event was themed “Shaping a Better World Together.”

The forum wasn’t just ceremonial — it marked concrete steps forward. HWPL signed Memorandums of Understanding with 14 public primary schools and INSCAE, expanding the Peace Library Project and establishing long-term cooperation for peace education.

Workshops ranged from Peace Journalism to Empowering Youth through Self-Respect and Service. Discussions also included the launch of a women’s peace committee and plans for the first-ever Religious Leaders’ Peace Football Cup. Each session reflected HWPL’s holistic approach: unite all sectors of society, and peace will follow.

“This forum was groundbreaking,” said Richard Jean Bosco Ribotiana, former Minister of Labor. “HWPL’s work has made remarkable progress — and I will continue to support their peace efforts.”

Youth Rising: Tanzania Launches a Movement

Meanwhile, in Tanzania, HWPL’s youth wing IPYG (International Peace Youth Group) launched its first-ever peace campaign in partnership with student groups at the University of Dar es Salaam. The initiative — titled “Peace-Forward Tanzania” — introduced the Youth Empowerment Peace Workshop (YEPW) model to local organizations.

As a result, five youth-led groups officially joined the YEPW network. In May, students came together to declare Tanzania’s YEPW chapter and pledged to spread a culture of peace based on the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).

To symbolize unity, they created a handprint flag and launched a “plogging” campaign — jogging while picking up trash — to promote environmental care and civic responsibility.

“Youth must rise and speak on the issues that affect their lives,” said Robert Maseka, founder of the Rob Youth Foundation. “Only then can we achieve world peace.”

Grassroots Peace from Namibia to Botswana

The momentum didn’t stop in Tanzania. The Rob Youth Foundation, now partnered with IPYG, is expanding its reach across southern Africa. With active branches in Namibia and Botswana, the foundation engages youth in leadership, education, and public health — always with peace as the end goal.

Together, IPYG and the foundation have launched workshops on human rights and youth sovereignty, held community clean-up drives, and even hosted a Christmas soup kitchen for underserved communities.

These are not isolated acts of kindness. They are building blocks of a new culture — one where peace is taught, practiced, and lived.

Why This Matters

The work of HWPL and its global partners reminds us that peace isn’t a headline — it’s a daily choice. Through education, dialogue, and youth-led leadership, a more harmonious future is not just possible — it's in progress.

Source: https://vo.la/wvIzhR