Youth-led peace events held across Bangladesh

Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a South Korea-based international peace NGO, held the 12th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace across 94 locations in 61 countries worldwide, including Bangladesh.

The events took place both offline (86 locations) and online (8 locations), with a participation of over 1,600 public figures and 10,000 citizens globally.

The Declaration of World Peace was first proclaimed on May 25, 2013, by Chairman Man Hee Lee in front of the Peace Gate at the Olympic Park in Seoul with 30,000 global youth advocating peace. It was a call to end war and establish peace through the collective efforts of global citizens by outlining the roles of individuals from all walks of life in achieving peace. The event also featured a large-scale Peace Walk, which has since become a symbolic annual movement in cities around the world.

In commemoration of the 12th Anniversary of the Declaration of World Peace, peace events were actively held in various regions across Bangladesh, alongside global celebrations. In cities such as Chapainawabganj, Chattogram, and Mirpur-Pallabi, youth and citizens took the lead in organizing peace activities that resonated deeply within their local communities.

Among them, the youth organization NextGen Youth Alliance hosted a peace campaign on May 20 in Chapainawabganj, specifically targeting young people. This event was organized in collaboration with IPYG (International Peace Youth Group), a youth organization under the international peace NGO HWPL, and was attended by approximately 30 young participants.

The event began with an introduction to IPYG and international youth peace activities, followed by a presentation on the DPCW (Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War), and concluded with a Peace Walk parade through the city center. In particular, this activity served as an opportunity for the youth to personally experience and share the spirit of peace embodied in the DPCW.
 
On 14 March 2016, HWPL proclaimed the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), which was drafted with the participation of international law experts from 15 countries. This declaration, comprised of 10 articles and 38 clauses, aims to restore the spirit that served as the basis for the establishment of the United Nations and to achieve sustainable peace by promoting the universal values of the global community. The DPCW embodies the principles and measures for preventing and resolving conflicts and sustaining a peaceful global society.

On May 25, an “Eco Ten Minute” environmental cleanup activity took place at Karal Girls' High School in Chattogram, Bangladesh. The activity was organized as part of a collaborative program between HWPL and the Youth Empowerment Peace Workshop (YEPW), with around 60 students participating voluntarily.

The students carried out a focused 10-minute cleanup campaign around the school premises, taking the lead in protecting the local environment. This activity went beyond a simple cleanup—it became an educational moment where youth experienced the value of peace through environmental responsibility. The high level of participation and enthusiasm among the students demonstrated the potential for these efforts to grow into regular school-led environmental programs.

Furthermore, in the Mirpur-Pallabi area, a community-linked environmental campaign was held, led by the Obhizatrik Foundation. 

The “Legislate Peace” (LP) program is a global initiative to support and advocate for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) and its implementation at the international level. It also strives to implement the core values of the DPCW in reality.

The LP program started off as the Sign Your Support campaign, which was launched to promote the value of the DPCW as a solution for achieving global peace and urge different sectors of society to support this declaration. The campaign expanded into various forms of peace events and activities tailored to regions around the world, including seminars, forums, peace walks, and education. Currently, mid- to long-term goals are being pursued worldwide to establish peace legally, institutionally, and culturally.
 
Eco Ten Minute, a community-linked environmental campaign, is one of the "Legislate Peace" programs and is a project designed based on the core values of environmental protection initiatives and HWPL peace education textbooks among the "Vision 2030" policies in Karnataka, India. The message, "Let's clean the local environment and make the community beautiful with 10 minutes of practice," is lowering the psychological burden of participants and inducing active participation.