[The Path of Peace - Ep. 9] Connecting 4 Continents and 16 Nations: The 36-Day Journey for Global Unity

From March 11 to April 14, 2014, HWPL Chairman Man-hee Lee and the peace delegation embarked on an extraordinary 36-day journey spanning four continents and 16 countries. The 9th World Peace Tour covered Africa, Europe, Central America, and South America, connecting former and current heads of state, interfaith leaders, media executives, and indigenous tribal chiefs in a unified commitment to end global conflict.

This extensive tour laid crucial groundwork for international participation in the historic World Alliance of Religions' Peace (WARP) Summit held later that year in Seoul.

Africa: Bringing Peace Messages to Uganda

The journey began in Uganda—a nation long recovering from internal conflict and political unrest. Arriving in Kampala on March 12, Chairman Lee led press conferences, peace seminars attended by over 700 local leaders, and youth peace walks.

Meeting with African royal representatives and religious leaders, Chairman Lee emphasized that true peace requires proactive leadership and community-wide cooperation.

Europe: High-Level Diplomatic Commitments Across 7 Nations

From March 16 onward, the tour progressed into Europe, engaging prominent statesmen across Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, and Spain:

• Hans Modrow (Former Prime Minister of East Germany) met with Chairman Lee in Berlin to discuss peaceful unification and joined HWPL as an advisory committee member.

• Danilo Türk & Milan Kučan (Former Presidents of Slovenia) praised the civilian peace agreement in Mindanao and signed formal peace pledges.

• Alfred Gusenbauer (Former Chancellor of Austria), Iveta Radičová (Former Prime Minister of Slovakia), and Mirko Cvetković (Former Prime Minister of Serbia) held bilateral talks on legal frameworks for peace.

• Emil Constantinescu & Ion Iliescu (Former Presidents of Romania) reaffirmed their partnership, offering to convey HWPL's message to international political assemblies.

Latin America: Presidential Dialogues and the Rose of Peace

Moving across South and Central America, Chairman Lee secured high-level endorsements from Latin American leaders:

• José Mujica (Then-President of Uruguay) expressed strong support for HWPL's global peace movement during a bilateral meeting.

• Belisario Betancur (Former President of Colombia, aged 91) pledged his 100% commitment to the initiative, joining as an HWPL advisor.

• Rose of Peace Ceremony in Guatemala: On April 8, Chairman Lee was honored by the Guatemalan government at the National Palace of Culture. He presented a white rose at the Peace Monument—a historic site commemorating the end of Guatemala’s 36-year civil war. The ceremony was accompanied by a local orchestra playing the Korean folk song Arirang.

Indigenous Alliances: Engaging the Inca Leaders in Peru

In Peru, Chairman Lee held bilateral meetings with Vice President Marisol Espinoza and human rights advocate Hilaria Supa Huamán.

On April 5, a historic dialogue took place with leaders representing the 14-million-strong Inca population. Tribal leader Claudio Cuisdisamata and fellow indigenous chiefs signed a peace agreement with Chairman Lee, pledging to integrate their communities into the global peace network.

Over 36 days, the 9th World Peace Tour demonstrated that across all borders, cultures, and political spectrums, humanity shares a single aspiration: leaving a legacy of permanent peace for future generations.

Source: https://tinyurl.com/ymsnupkc