[The Path of Peace - Ep. 7] From the SS Meredith Victory to Maya Villages: Seeds of Peace in the Americas

Just 13 days after completing his 6th tour across Europe and Asia, HWPL Chairman Man-hee Lee departed South Korea once again on October 30, 2013. The 7th World Peace Tour was a high-density, 18-day journey spanning the United States and six Latin American nations—Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico—encompassing 39 official engagements across political, religious, civic, and indigenous sectors.

Uniting Faiths in Los Angeles and Symbolic Venues

The tour commenced in Los Angeles, California, with the Conference for Religious Alliance and World Peace on October 31, bringing together leaders from Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Christianity to establish interfaith solidarity ahead of the upcoming World Alliance of Religions' Peace (WARP) Summit.

On November 1, a poignant peace seminar was convened aboard the SS Meredith Victory docked at San Pedro Bay. Known historically for rescuing over 14,000 refugees during the Korean War, the vessel served as a powerful backdrop. Addressing 500 youth leaders representing 50 youth organizations, Chairman Lee—himself a Korean War veteran—urged the younger generation to stand as active guardians of peace rather than casualties of war.

Summit Diplomacy with Latin American Heads of State

The 7th World Peace Tour expanded into high-level diplomatic engagements across Central and South America. Chairman Lee held bilateral dialogues and signed peace agreements with four current and former heads of state:

• Enrique Bolaños (Former President of Nicaragua)

• Ernesto Samper (Former President of Colombia)

• Álvaro Arzú (Former President of Guatemala)

• Laura Chinchilla (Then-President of Costa Rica)

During these summits, Chairman Lee emphasized that sustainable peace requires structural backing through enforceable international legal frameworks prohibiting war. President Chinchilla and her counterparts expressed strong alignment, signing agreements to cooperate on global peace initiatives.

Ecumenical Agreements and Media Resonance

In parallel with presidential meetings, Chairman Lee built strategic alliances with senior Christian leaders:

• Guatemala: Archbishop Óscar Julio Vian Morales signed a peace agreement and pledged participation in international peace summits.

• Colombia: Bishop Francisco Gómez of the Anglican Church formally partnered with HWPL to implement regional peace programs.

News networks across the Americas—including FOX5 and CBS Radio in the US, Telemundo in Mexico, Channel 13 in Costa Rica, and CDNN23 in Nicaragua—extensively broadcast the tour. In Nicaragua, Father Roberto Fernández watched the live broadcast on CDNN23 and personally traveled to the studio to meet Chairman Lee and sign a peace pledge.

Connecting with the Maya Community and Public Rallies

In Guatemala, Chairman Lee engaged with leaders of the 12-million-strong Maya community. Following talks with Minister of Culture Carlos Batzin (a prominent Mayan leader), Chairman Lee adjusted his itinerary to visit the mountain village of Chuarrancho, located 1,350 meters above sea level, where traditional tribal leaders welcomed the delegation.

The tour concluded with a World Peace Walk in Tijuana, Mexico, where local citizens spontaneously joined the procession through the city streets, demonstrating grassroots enthusiasm for global harmony.

By connecting heads of state, interfaith leaders, youth networks, and indigenous communities, the 7th World Peace Tour established an enduring network of solidarity across the Western Hemisphere.

Source: https://tinyurl.com/eeuzkemw