Fiji poised to be spotlighted as HWPL World Peace Summit highlights global peace-building
Fiji’s peace-building efforts are set to take center stage on the world stage this month as the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) prepares to host the 11th Anniversary of the HWPL World Peace Summit from September 18–19, 2025, in Cheongju, South Korea. The Fiji chapter of HWPL has played a visible role in advancing the organization’s initiatives over the past year, underscoring the Pacific nation’s growing leadership in regional and international peace efforts.
In June, the University of the South Pacific’s Laucala Campus hosted the first Religious Peace Academy, bringing together leaders from Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism for dialogue with youths on the role of religion in fostering peace. The gathering concluded with a joint pledge to promote peace education, interfaith respect, and youth service. In parallel, the HOPE in FIJI (Heritage Outreach for Peace & Engagement) campaign organized a Plogging for Peace and Heritage event, blending environmental care with cultural preservation to spread a daily culture of peace.
The Cheongju summit, themed “Uniting for Peace and Fulfilling Humanity’s Duty Together,” is expected to convene more than 600 high-level participants, including presidents, prime ministers, national assembly speakers, chief justices, ministers, and leaders from education, religion, and media. Delegates will review HWPL’s initiatives and its growing support for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), a framework that has gained traction in legislative bodies around the world. Notably, the DPCW has earned endorsements from regions including the United States, Mongolia, Mali, and Madagascar, with the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), representing 23 nations, providing one of its most significant accolades to date.
Beyond formal summits, HWPL’s global momentum is reflected in several other developments. Timor-Leste has adopted HWPL’s peace education curriculum, interfaith dialogues have deepened through scripture study, and cooperation has expanded in campaigns for peaceful unification on the Korean Peninsula. HWPL’s global membership has also grown from an estimated 500,000 to 700,000, signaling broad-based enthusiasm for its vision of a united peace movement.
At the helm, HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee reaffirmed the group’s mission, saying, “We are not strangers to peace. We are the people involved, and we ourselves are peace. So let us lead this global community to a world of peace.” In addition to the Cheongju events, anniversary happenings are being staged in 66 locations across 60 countries through October, with more than 13,000 participants worldwide, including Fiji.
Context and value for readers
– Fiji’s involvement with HWPL aligns with the country’s broader regional peace agenda, highlighting a model of civil society-led, multi-faith collaboration in the Pacific.
– The DPCW’s growing legislative traction, including PARLATINO’s endorsement, signals a widening acceptance of peace-focused legal frameworks as tools for reducing conflict.
– The expansion of peace education and youth-led initiatives in Timor-Leste and other countries demonstrates a multi-layered approach to building peace from schools to parliaments.
Additional context
– Fiji’s broader diplomacy has also featured initiatives like the Ocean of Peace, a regional framework aimed at non-coercive dialogue, respect for international law, and climate and maritime cooperation. This broader approach complements HWPL’s peace education and interfaith initiatives by reinforcing regional stability and cooperation in the Pacific.
What this could mean going forward
– The combination of high-level summits, grassroots programs, and regional coalitions could strengthen Fiji’s role as a bridge-builder in the Pacific, linking local peace efforts to global governance mechanisms.
– As HWPL gains momentum with wider endorsements and growing membership, there is potential for new partnerships in education, culture, and civil society that advance peace and conflict-resolution practices in the region.
Fiji is being foregrounded as HWPL prepares to mark the 11th World Peace Summit in Cheongju, with the country’s recent religious-peace dialogue, environmental-peace initiatives, and youth engagement illustrating a comprehensive approach to peace-building. The event and related activities reflect a broader trend of expanding global support for the DPCW and for citizen-led peace initiatives, offering a hopeful outlook for sustained regional and international cooperation in peacebuilding.
The ongoing momentum across education, interfaith collaboration, youth leadership, and regional diplomacy suggests a durable path toward greater peace and stability in Fiji and the wider Pacific, reinforcing the idea that local action can scale to global impact.
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