SEOUL — Young people from 43 countries, including Indonesia, gathered in Seoul for an international youth exchange program focused on peace, coexistence and mutual understanding.
The participants visited historical and cultural sites connected to Korea’s history, including places associated with the Korean War and the division of the Korean Peninsula. Their visits included the War Memorial of Korea, Insadong, Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an organization in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), held the HWPL International Youth Peace Program from September 17 to 19.
The program, themed “We, the Living Legacy of Peace,” was divided into three stages: Discover, Learn and Act.
On September 17, participants visited the War Memorial of Korea, including the Korean War Room, UN Room, UN Monument and Statue of Brothers. They reflected on the impact of war on individuals, families and younger generations.
Participants were also asked, “What does peace mean to me, and what can I do to protect it?”
Laisani Sepo, Chairwoman of the National Youth Council of Fiji (NYCF), said after visiting the War Memorial, “The young ones were trying to protect their areas and willing to give up their lives even though they saw the risk, the death in front of them. It takes strong willpower to keep moving forward despite the challenges and criticism we may face in building peace.”
At Insadong, participants explored traditional Korean culture and discussed how understanding an unfamiliar culture can lead to respect for differences and exchange between people.
Alwand Talaat Jawhar Caluri, Program Director of Public Aid Organization from Iraq, said, “It is important to provide a safe and inclusive space where young people from around the world and from different religious backgrounds can share their thoughts and concerns about peace.”
He added, “This kind of gathering can serve as a platform for exchanging best practices and learning from one another, allowing young people to benefit from each other’s experiences.”
At Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, participants explored peace through five keywords: Inheritance, Respect, Responsibility, Change and Harmony.
They examined the examples of King Sejong the Great, the Hall of Worthies (Jiphyeonjeon) and the creation of Hangeul (Hunminjeongeum), focusing on how a leader’s choices and learning can influence society and future generations.
Each participant selected one of the five values to put into practice and recorded the actions they would take after returning home.
Andrew Junior Mwima, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mental Health and Anti-Drug Abuse Organisation, said, “Young people are the ones sent to war. It means the young people can be the ones leading peace initiatives on the front lines.”
He added, “Youths are not the future leaders. We are the leaders of today.”
The Discover stage on September 17 was followed by the Learn stage on September 18, which included a roundtable discussion titled “The Role of Youth in Spreading a Culture of Peace.”
The discussion focused on how religious beliefs and ethnic identities can be prevented from being used as pretexts for violence and conflict, based on Articles 8, 9 and 10 of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).
Articles 8, 9 and 10 of the DPCW address the prevention of war, conflict resolution, the promotion of peace among religious and ethnic groups, and the spread of a culture of peace.
The participants then attended the International Religious Peace Academy for Youth Leaders, where they examined the scriptures and teachings of Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
The final stage, Act, took place on September 19. Participants shared regional activity case studies from the Youth Engagement & Peacebuilding Working Group (YEPW), where young people plan and carry out their own peace activities.
They also discussed strategies for implementing YEPW projects in their respective regions and further developed their 2027 action plans and individual roles.
HWPL Secretary-General Kang Tae-ho said, “Youth from around the world directly encountered the necessity of peace on this land of war and division.”
He added, “Peace is not a legacy we inherit, but a legacy we must pass on to future generations forever. Youth peace leaders are the ones who must carry that forward. I hope participants will take the answers they found in Korea and turn them into action in their own countries.”
Sarah Vermaut, a law student at the Free University of Brussels (VUB) in Belgium, said, “I am just a student. Why would they listen to me? But if we think like that, we cannot change anything.”
She added that she wants to share what she has learned with her peers and organize activities that other young people can take part in.
