Peace Projects in 170 Countries : Cape Town Celebrates a Decade of Global Commitment to Peace
Cape Town, South Africa – 21 September 2024
On September 21, 2024, Cape Town joined over 122 countries in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the HWPL World Peace Summit. The event, attended by 200 participants, was part of a global initiative to promote peace and address regional challenges through dialogue and cooperation.
Held at the Civic Centre’s Council Chambers, the event was organized in partnership with the City of Cape Town, Lady of Peace Community Foundation (LOPECO), Volunteer Hub, Africa Unite, Rob Youth Foundation, JCI Beau Bassin Rose Hill, Peacepod the National Interfaith Council of South Africa, and several schools, including Morifi High School, Zinniaville High School and Ribaneng High School.
The summit started off with a group session focusing on collective efforts for peace. It then moved into breakout rooms tailored to women, youth, religious leaders, government personnel, and educators, allowing for focused discussions on regional issues.
The guests were welcomed by Hon. Khalid Sayed, followed by speeches from Hon Khumbo Hastings Khachali former Vice President of Malawi, Mr Nkanyiso Radebe the Southern African manager of HWPL and a keynote address from Chairman Man Hee Lee, of HWPL. In his speech, Former Vice President of Malawi, Hon. Khumbo Hastings Khachali, highlighted the importance of involving diverse stakeholders, stating that “collaborative efforts are more effective when diverse stakeholders are involved.”
Chairman Lee Man-hee of HWPL pointed out that division of religion caused tremendous loss of life, emphasizing that religions must take the lead in dialogue and understanding. “We must work together to create a world of peace and leave it as a legacy for future generations. This is to fulfill our mission as a light that brings life to the global village. Only through love and peace can the world become one,” he said.
During the breakout sessions, Moulana Nolan from Westridge Mosque and His Holiness Swami Vedanand Saraswati Singh of the Sannyasa Spiritual Council of South Africa delivered impactful speeches. Moulana Nolan stressed the importance of HWPL’s Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), a legal framework for conflict prevention and peaceful resolution through dialogue. He also shared his deep connection to interfaith dialogue through his nine-year involvement with HWPL’s WARP Office. His Holiness Swami Vedanand highlighted the need for unity in diversity, urging that “our beautiful diversity” should never become division. Educational leaders, Keamogetswe Mokopakgosi from Crescent Primary (Botswana) and Dawood Goeiman from Scottsdale High, emphasized education’s key role in peacebuilding. Nancy Richards (WomenZone) and Fredalene Booysen (Sonke Gender Justice) led discussions on women’s empowerment, while Monique Hansen (GunFreeSA) contributed youth perspectives.
In line with the event keyword of regional cooperation, HWPL during the celebration globally formed a partnership with the intergovernmental organization Group of 7+(G7+) and high-level political forum organization The Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) to develop peace initiatives. G7+ was established to unite conflict-affected countries by a vision of peace, stability, and development, with 20 member states, and the Parlatino was founded to promote development and integration within a framework of full democracy, having 23 member states.
