In Celebration of the UN Day: Forum on the Awakening of Conscience Calls for Global Solidarity

 (Reporter: Susan Wu,Taipei)

To celebrate the “United Nations Day” on Oct. 24th, celebrations were held during the UN week from the 20th to 26^th in many countries. The “International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience V” was one of them. It was held in many cities in the U.S. and Taiwan on the 25th and 26th. They were organized by Federation of World Peace and Love, Association of World Citizens, Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and other 12 organizations from 6 nations, including the USA, France, Brazil, India and Russia. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed in his speech, “at this critical moment, let us reaffirm our commitment to empowering the marginalized and vulnerable. On United Nations Day, I call on Governments and individuals to work in common cause for the common good.” Besides, in the “UN Day Concert 2014”, a world-renowned pianist, Lang Lang and international youth orchestra representing five continents performed together, accentuating the focus on youth and the education of world citizens.

In Taiwan, the International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience was held at the National Taipei University of Business. It gathered scholars and experts to speak on the topic of conscience and gave suggestions to the society, aiming to promote world unity, human rights and security. Bayu Wicaksono Putro, Chief of Protocol of Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei, Toyosawa Koichi, former president of Mitsubishi Corporation Taiwan and Kao, Chung-Hsin, Chairman of Chih-Nan Temple also attended the forum. The experts and representatives, from various fields, including international cooperation, education, culture, human right, law, technology, environment protection, media, religion and business shared their experience at the panel discussion.

International volunteers and the young people in colorful costumes representing five continents celebrated the anniversary of the UN with their innocent smile. They wished people around the world could work together to create a culture of peace and a better future for the next generation.

The forum was in an atmosphere of love, peace and joy. The forum began with a video of “An Era of Conscience” movement initiated by a civil society at the beginning of 2014 and had surged into the United Nations. A group of young people sang "Love and Peace Song”, and the kids with innocent smile in colorful costumes, representing five continents celebrated the anniversary of the UN. They wished people around the world could work together to create a culture of peace and a better future for the next generation.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the initiator of the movement of "An Era of Conscience" and the Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy delivered a speech to congratulate the UN and called for continuation of the ideal of the UN Charter. He indicated “the responsibility to safeguard world peace and security extends beyond the United Nations and governmental officials of every nation. Citizens of the world must also play a role in order to achieve this goal. Societal chaos and toil result from the missing of one’s conscience; a thought of evil perpetuates a vicious cycle. Government authorities are responsible for the corrective remedies. However, the cure to the fundamental problem lies in the awakening of conscience in everyone's hearts.” He also stressed that “Rebuilding a culture of conscience is a significant undertaking which depends upon awakening every world citizen’s conscience to do the right things with courage and determination.” 

"As Citizens of the World, we strive that the United Nations becomes what it was intended to be − the guiding focus of a world society on the law based on justice and popular consent. As US President Franklin Roosevelt said in his fourth inaugural address on 20 January 1945 "We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community” " said Dr. Rene Wadlow, the President of Association of World Citizens, in his remark to stress the consciousness of humanity as one world community. 

An unveiling ceremony of the "Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience” was held before the forum. The declaration was revealed

	Representatives from all walks of life activated the smiling globe and said "I respond. I endorse. Yes, I do."

by 9 distinguished guests, including Bayu Wicaksono Putro, Chief of Protocol of Indonesian Economic and Trade office to Taipei, chuang, Chi-Chung, inspector of Taipei City Fire Department, Toyosawa Koichi, former president of Mitsubishi Corporation Taiwan, Yeh, Ching-Chiang, associate professor of Department of Business Administration, National Taipei University of Business, Pu, Hao-Ming, associate professor of Fine Art Department, Chinese Culture University, Chen, Shu-Fen, General Manager of Ying Tang Sustainable Services co., LTD., Liu, Chu-Sung, auditor of Taoyuan County Government Environmental Protection Bureau, Fu, Hsin-I, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan Bar Association and Tsai, Cheng-An, associate professor of Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Management, Shih Chien University. Then, they activated the smiling globe and said "I respond. I endorse. Yes, I do."

Kao, Chung-Hsin, Chairman of Chih-Nan Temple showed his admiration to Dr. Hong for he promotes peace and conscience selflessly in the global village.

Kao, Chung-Hsin, Chairman of Chih-Nan Temple said he admires Dr. Hong for he is selfless and promotes peace and conscience in the global village. “Our conscience can bring the peaceful coexistence of mankind and bring harmony and peace of the global village,” he emphasized and also appealed for the rise of conscience and the fall of the conscienceless.

This forum was themed international exchanges and cooperation, protection of human rights for peace, and

	The experts and representatives were from various fields, including international cooperation, education, culture, human right, law, technology, environment protection, media, religion and business shared their experience at the panel discussion.

sustainable development and coexistence. Dr. Hong presented his paper titled "Rebuilding a culture of conscience-In support of 2014 UN Day", asserting that "We now face daunting challenges in our natural and human environments. Be it combating diseases such as Ebola, preventing disasters caused by climate change, eradicating poverty, providing universal primary education, protecting human rights, preventing conflicts, and promoting peace, each is filled with extreme difficulties. However these are not entirely hopeless undertakings. It is inevitable that we, as world citizens, are in a race against time, fighting against the power of evil and a deteriorating environment. In doing so, what we need is not weapons of massive destructive power, but a heart of conscience. Every one of us should nurture and protect the pure conscience in our hearts that tells right from wrong and gives us the strength to resist temptations. We must be willing to bravely take actions and give our time and efforts to consolidate the kind hearts and good intentions of the people of the world.  The powerful collective energies of conscience will improve our society and save ourselves, our families, the world and future generations."

The professionals and scholars from all fields voiced concerns for the current situation from the perspective of conscience. Toyosawa Koichi, former president of Mitsubishi Corporation Taiwan, aged 77, mentioned that he has had a connection with Taiwan when he was a student. “Taiwan is a very great country” he said. He added that Taiwan has been through a lot of setbacks; nevertheless, the government and the people have built up the country step by step together, which impressed him a lot. He believed that conscience awakening is a manifestation of an advanced culture. He also wishes Taiwan to become a “conscience paradigm of the world”

 “Today’s corporations should meet the standard of Double Bottom Lines, which means they have to strike a balance between profit and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility),” Lin, Yung-Chiang, vice general manager of TSRC Corporation stated. From the aspects of environment protection, labor, human rights and giving back to the society, he indicated that only when fulfilling the duty of a corporate citizen will a corporation achieve sustainable development. “In the past, teachers were regarded as those who propagated the doctrine, imparted professional knowledge, and resolved doubts. But, teachers nowadays are those who serve, teach and research,” said Yeh, Ching-Chiang, the winner of Outstanding Teacher Award and associate professor of Department of Business Administration, National Taipei University of Business. He believes that the quality of teaching and learning can be increased only when teachers serve, teach and research with conscience.     

The forum brought voices of all walks of life together, including food safety, health, environment protection, housing justice, taxpayer human rights and so on. With respect to the recent issue in Taiwan, a food safety specialist, Wen, Chang-An was invited to speak at the panel discussion. He had worked in Department of Food Safety for 25 years and is a lecturer in Department of Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management, Fu Jen Catholic University. Lei, Pei-Lin, Chairman of Friends of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Association, also gave suggestions to the government. A young volunteer of An Era of Conscience who attended the UN Annual DPI/NGO Conference was one of the panelist, voicing for the youth around the world. Given the pressing problems in Taiwan and all over the globe, it is critical to gather different voices and good suggestions to make the world a better place.     

An Era of Conscience is a worldwide movement. To date, people from 185 countries and over 2300 organizations have participated in the movement. You can go on to the website www.aneoc.org for more details. Many impressive speeches presented in the series of “The International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience” can be found on the website as well. Please visit the website to endorse the Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience and share your words of good conscience.