IWPG holds conference on ‘The Role of Women for Sustainable Peace’
On September 19 2023, the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) held the 2023 International Women’s Peace Conference (IWPC) on “The Multifaceted Role of Women for Sustainable Peace.” Female leaders from all over the world came together to discuss the achievements of women’s contribution toward peace over the past year and raise their voices for women to join peace efforts going forward.
The IWPC was held on September 19 at the Grand Hyatt Incheon West Tower from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM. The hall was filled with 1,000 people, and the event was translated into eight languages including Korean, English, French, Spanish, Arabic, German, Mongolian, and Ukrainian. This event was hosted as part of the 9th Anniversary of the September 18th World Peace Summit hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HPWL), a cooperative organisation of IWPG.
In her opening remarks, IWPG Chairwoman Hyun Sook Yoon said, “If there is no worldwide system to build sustainable peace, we cannot be free from war. We should start thinking about the peace we all need. IWPG is working with women all around the world to take multi-faceted approaches to achieve peace that the world needs. I look forward to the innovative plans and active execution from the participants of this session.”
First, H.E. Maria de Fátima Afonso Vila Nova, First Lady of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, gave a congratulatory speech, saying “The time has come for us to reverse the position of women on issues of insecurity, conflict, and war. Let women occupy high places that allow them to have positive intervention in this matter.”
Special speaker H.E. Aya Benjamin Libo Warille, Minister of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare of South Sudan, discussed the necessity and urgency of sustainable peace. She said, “Sustainable peace has to be built from the ground up. We know that the journey to peace is not an easy one, but a nation like ours have a resilient people, and we will emerge victorious.”
The event was then divided into three sessions: peace education, a culture of peace, and the institutionalisation of peace. In the first session, Dr. Kadia Maiga Diallo, Secretary General of the National Commission of Mali for UNESCO, gave a speech on “Women’s Peace Education: Importance and Opportunities.” She said, “Women play an important role in conflict resolution. We must include them in negotiation, reconciliation, mediation, and peacebuilding processes” and explained the case of Mali.
Next, Ms. Néziha Labidi, Former Minister for the Women, Family, Children and Seniors of Tunisia spoke on “Empowering the Future: Women’s Peace Education in a Changing World,” and Ms. Lilian Benedict Msaki, Public Health Specialist at Christian Social Service Commissions(CSSC), discussed the change in Tanzania caused by Peace Lecturer Training Education (PLTE). Former Minister Néziha Labidi said, “There is still a long way to go to establish new behaviours and a new culture of respect for human dignity. I believe that it is more intelligent to recognise the right of each culture and civilisation to respect its values without prejudice, while having the universal values of human rights as a common denominator. Women’s peace education is a crucial means to teach women and girls about their rights and how to protect them, providing them with the essential foundation to become integral members of society and leaders.” She also mentioned a quote from Dutch philosopher Spinoza that peace emerges from within a person’s heart, and to achieve it, the teaching of peace seeds in their hearts should take precedence.
Ms. Lilian Benedict Msaki, a certified PLTE lecturer, said, “PLTE transformed my thoughts and perspectives through concrete guidance on respecting life and practicing altruism. Our top priority for achieving significant success in peace education is to collaborate strategically with the Tanzanian government. We are in the final stages of registering IWPG Tanzania Chapter, and IWPG continues to actively engage with local communities, making a real impact.” She is now providing peace education to 23 students in Tanzania.
In the 2nd session, Ms. Charleen Hull, a coordinator of International Affairs of the IWPG HQ moderated a discussion with three Filipino women on the topic, “Women’s Lives Changed Peaceful in Mindanao, Philippines.” Hon. Maria Theresa Royo-Timbol, Municipal Mayor of Kapalong, Davao Del Norte; Hon. Elizabeth Mangudadatu, Municipal Vice Mayor of Mangudadatu, Maguindanao; and Ms. Ruby Bañares-Victorino, Past President of Zonta Club of Metropolitan Pasig participated. They recalled the 40 years of the war in Mindanao starting from its beginning up to now and highlighted the atrocity of those times. They also testified the influence HWPL had on peace in Mindanao and emphasised the need for cooperation and solidarity of women for sustainable peace.
The third session introduced the limitations of existing international laws and the meaning of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW). Dr. Ahlam Beydoun, former professor at the Faculty of Law, Political and Administrative Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, evaluated the limitations of existing international laws surfaced by current international affairs. She explained that the reason humanity cannot reach world peace and security is because of international practices and the way the UN functions. Dr. Beydoun said, “The UN Charter was drafted by the victorious nations of World War II. It includes agreements from post-World War I and serves the interests of the victorious nations. Consequently, while the UN Charter contains rules to promote world peace, these rules were established to serve the interests of powerful nations. As a result, the concept of ‘justice’ in the international community transformed into preserving these interests.” Regarding the UN Charter, she pointed out that “The UN Charter delegates the task of maintaining international peace and security to the Security Council. However, the Security Council does not make decisions based on the principle of sovereign equality and is not neutral.” To solve this, she said that the public should be more neutral and that the UN Security Council decision making process should improve to be more objective and neutral.
Next, Ms. Lee Kyou-sun introduced the meaning and key points of the DPCW. The DPCW, composed of 10 articles and 38 clauses, was drafted by international law experts in the HWPL International Law Peace Committee and declared on March 14, 2016. The DPCW presents the say to prevent, solve, and mediate conflicts and maintain peace. Ms. Lee said, “The DPCW explicitly outlines numerous clauses to foster an understanding and respect for diversity in our international society, and it sets the background for principles that all must pursue and uphold. Therefore, if the DPCW were to become a legally binding instrument, it would serve as a cornerstone and a new order for constructing a world of peace.”
Former Mongolian National Assembly member and current President of Association of Mothers with the Order of Famous Mothers and IWPG Advisory, Ms. Budee Munkhtuya, gave a speech on “The Role of Women in the Institutionalisation of Sustainable Peace.” She used the example of the Russo-Ukraine war to prove the ineffectiveness of existing international laws and peace treaties and emphasise the need for the role of women in institutionalising the DPCW. Ms. Budee Munkhtuya said, “Collaboration among various civil institutions and organisations is also essential for building peace. During this process, women’s leadership qualities such as communication, cooperation, and reconciliation are crucial. Women’s participation in the negotiation process plays a crucial role as they can offer unique perspectives and wisdom in conflict resolution. By increasing women’s participation in political and social decisions, we can contribute to the creation of more peaceful and inclusive international laws.”
Lastly, there was the appointment ceremony of IWPG Advisories and Publicity Ambassadors, and the IWPG Peace Achievement Award was awarded. H.E. Aya Benjamin Libo Warille (South Sudan) and Pascale Isho Warda (Iraq) were appointed as Advisories, while Warda Sada (Palestine) was appointed as IWPG Publicity Ambassador. Larzy Varghees (India), Vinutthaput Phophet (Thailand), and Wanja Chon (Republic of Korea) were awarded the IWPG Peace Achievement Award to honor their dedication and encourage more active peace activities around the world.
