BY HWPL

SEOUL, South Korea--The 40-year-long conflict of bloodshed over ethnic and religious identities in Mindanao, the Philippines, left 120,000 victims and 3.5 million refugees, bringing tragedy to their families and society.

What could comfort them? Only peace and ending the conflict would shed light on their lives anew.

HWPL and Chairman Man-hee Lee became messengers of peace and initiated a civilian-led Peace Agreement in Mindanao on 24 January 2014.

After the peace agreement, a government-level peace accord was signed for peace in Mindanao, and efforts to establish peace in the region have continued to this day.

In recognition of HWPL's various peace activities, the state government officially designated January 24th as HWPL Peace Day, and peace monuments are built across the Philippines to commemorate the promise made on that day.

This path of peace is a result that could not have been achieved by any army, weapon, power, or law, nor by the 120 million citizens of the Philippines.

The will to stop the bloodshed conflict that continued for 40 years and work for peace was not the kind that could be generated by people's might.

It was an achievement only possible because the Creator's earnest desire to bring humankind as one in peace and harmony toward coexistence and prosperity was with HWPL and Chairman Lee, the messenger of peace.

To permanently establish peace throughout the Philippines beyond Mindanao, HWPL conducts peace education in various parts of the Philippines, runs HWPL World Alliance of Religions' Peace Offices for harmony among religions, and carries out peace projects centered on civil society such as youth and women's groups.

Such peace activities are yielding fruits of peace. People from all walks of life who work together as the messengers of peace have witnessed the progress, and they vividly testify to the processes and results at the 8th Anniversary of the January 24 HWPL Peace Day.

Please see for yourselves the wind of change blowing across Mindanao.

Furthermore, please decide to become messengers of peace and work with HWPL to bring peace to a full bloom wherever you are in the world, just as in Mindanao.

We are one!