Antigua and Barbuda, an island country in the Caribbean, stood alongside more than 800 global leaders as Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a South Korea–based international peace NGO, hosted the 11th anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit.
Held under the theme “Uniting for Peace and Fulfilling Humanity’s Duty Together,” the main event took place in Cheongju on September 18–19 and continues in 78 cities worldwide through October.
Representing Antigua and Barbuda were Hon. Osbert Frederick, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Chaneil Imhoff, On-Air Host and Producer at ABS Television and Radio. Imhoff is contributing to a peace journalism framework document and covering the summit for ABS, ensuring that Antiguans and Barbudans remain connected to the global dialogue on peace, education, and sustainable development.
During the 2025 Global Peace Education Conference, Speaker Frederick delivered congratulatory remarks under the theme “Institutionalizing Peace Education: Building a Peaceful Society Together.” Drawing from his career as an educator, he emphasized that peace must be taught in order to be lived: “If we wish to see a world of peace, we must teach peace.”
Antigua and Barbuda’s involvement align with the nation’s membership in both CARICOM and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), which formally endorsed the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) in 2024.
Locally, HWPL has fostered partnerships through peace education initiatives, parliamentary briefings, interfaith dialogue, and youth leadership programs. Last year, HWPL partnered with NGOs in St. John’s to host a youth-focused peace seminar on community resilience.
Highlights
Global Leadership: More than 800 participants—including former presidents, prime ministers, speakers of parliament, chief justices, cabinet ministers, and leaders in education, religion, media, and youth sectors—gathered in Korea to share peace building strategies.
Peace Education: Countries such as Zambia and Mongolia reported integrating HWPL Peace Education into their national education systems, showing tangible outcomes like the prevention of child marriage and drug abuse.
Interfaith Cooperation: HWPL launched the Solidarity of Religions’ Peace Committee and expanded its 292 WARP Offices across 132 countries, strengthening scripture-based dialogue.
Institutional Support for the DPCW: Over the past year, 17 international and regional bodies, including national legislatures and local governments, adopted resolutions supporting HWPL’s proposed legal framework for peace.
Global Membership Growth: HWPL’s worldwide membership grew by 140,000 in the past year, surpassing 580,000. Chairman Lee Man-hee of HWPL emphasised the urgency of global cooperation: “Conflict can never be good. Only the achievement of peace is truly good. What we leave behind must be a world of peace, not one of conflict.”
Beyond the summit in Cheongju, anniversary events are engaging more than 15,000 leaders across 78 countries to discuss long-term strategies for sustainable peace tailored to national contexts.
For Antigua and Barbuda, participation in these global dialogues not only amplifies its voice on the international stage but also strengthens efforts to embed peace education, foster interfaith harmony, and build resilient communities at home.
Written by Chaneil C. Imhoff
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