By HWPL


SEOUL, South Korea--‘The Great Legacy’ is a documentary film which depicts the remarkable peace steps achieved in Mindanao, Philippines by Man-hee Lee, Chairman of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an NGO affiliated with the UN Economic and Social Council.

Malaysia and the Philippines have always been close neighbors, geographically and economically, but perhaps many people are unaware that up until very recently there were numerous armed conflicts in the Philippines.

In Mindanao, the conflicts between the Philippine government and the Mindanao militants started in the 1960s and resulted in the deaths of 120,000 people.  

Chairman Lee mediated a civilian peace agreement signed by Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla and then Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto” G. Mangudadatu on January 24, 2014 in General Santos City.

The representative on that day promised to cooperate in ceasing the conflict and building peace especially in the Mindanao region which has long suffered the after-effects of war.

One of the most important Sustainable Development Goals in Malaysia and Philippines is to end poverty in order to ensure that people can enjoy peace and prosperity.

Without peace, all the other goals from focusing on youth, women's needs, addressing climate change, water energy and food security will be impossible to achieve. The Sustainable Development Goals have an intrinsic relationship to the peace and stability of the country.

The peace agreement mediated in Mindanao by HWPL became the starting point of HWPL in raising public awareness about peace not only in Mindanao but throughout the Philippines, based on the universal principles of mutual understanding, respect, and harmony.

The conflict in Mindanao has been a major variable not only in Southeast Asia but also globally, including Malaysia.

The documentary film of the peace legacy is a key reminder for us of the importance in enhancing peace in Malaysia because it will be possible to understand through this documentary film that the efforts at the private sector, like HWPL in Mindanao, are the foundation for peace to settle down.

The possibility of peace emphasised by HWPL will become the reality when people around the world take the lead and become one in peace.

The video can be viewed here.