The UN’s Designation of April 5 the International Day of Conscience Celebrated in Vienna

Ambassadors, leaders of NGOs, and peace promoters from 25 nations joined two sessions of the World Leader Summit of Love and Peace in Vienna on October 10, 2019 to celebrate the United Nations’ designation of April 5 as the International Day of Conscience.

The event was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the UN (Vienna), the Flame of Peace, and the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) and received many congratulatory messages from influential leaders, including the UN Secretary-General, the heads of state and government of various nations, and the Prince of Wales. A group of FOWPAL members from Los Angeles attended the event.

Ambassador Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri of Bahrain to the UN (Vienna) welcomed the participants and expressed his joy of co-hosting the event with FOWPAL and the Flame of Peace. He also stated, “Let me pay tribute to Dr. Hong, the president of FOWPAL, for his wise words regarding the launch of the International Day of Conscience. It is indeed a wake-up call to remind people of the world to listen to their conscience.”

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL, emphasized that “the designation of April 5th the International Day of Conscience by the UN is a significant progress for peace in the history of mankind. This achievement was made possible through the relentless efforts of numerous heroes of conscience. The International Day of Conscience is meant to activate sincere and pure hearts, inspire good deeds and extend selfless collaboration to achieve peace and common prosperity. This is a truly inspiring moment and a hopeful start.”

“Promoting the culture of peace with love will only work if we have a conscience,” said Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen, vice president of the Flame of Peace. “I really believe that the world is in for a very big change and that it is so important that there are leaders and organizations like Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze and FOWPAL, who are working immensely to create a real awareness for peace in world leadership to focus on sustainable activities for a lasting peace.”

To awaken the conscience in people’s hearts, FOWPAL conducted a ceremony of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love. “Peace is possible with a rightly formed conscience and with a deep spirit of forgiveness. I wish everyone to be able to forgive all!” said Bishop Camillo Ballin, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, as he rang the Bell. Ambassador Youngor Sevelee Telewoda of Liberia to Austria also rang the Bell and stated, “How wonderful it will be for all of God’s people to live together in peace and harmony–from the Book of Psalms. Peace is intangible, invisible but indispensable to humankind.”

Several other visionary leaders also shared their insights on love, peace, and conscience. On behalf of the president of Lebanon, Ambassador Ibrahim Assaf of Lebanon to the UN (Vienna) attended the event and said that “a culture of peace is one of the most important tools of the United Nations.”

Ambassador Mohammed Saleh Ali Rashid Al Gheilani of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to the UN in Vienna said that he would like to congratulate the Kingdom of Bahrain, one of the member countries of the GCC, on having its draft resolution adopted by the United Nations. Thanks to the Kingdom of Bahrain, along with FOWPAL, “we got actually a day of conscience,” said the GCC UN ambassador.

Ambassador Mirghani Abbaker Altayeb Bakhet of Sudan to the UN (Vienna) expressed his appreciation to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the FOWPAL for all their efforts to foster world peace and a culture of peace.

“The decisions about peace and war are still made by leaders whether elected or not. You can influence them with positive messages on peace and love,” said Ambassador Peter Schatzer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the UN (Vienna). “There are many ways to work towards peace, and I congratulate the organizers of today’s event, in particular, the Kingdom of Bahrain and Dr. Hong for their engagement.”

Dr. Massimo Introvigne, founder and director of the Center for Studies on New Religions, used an analogy that the world is on fire and said, “I believe tonight we see something extremely important. We saw the way out. We saw the way to salvation.” Dr. Introvigne added, “Let’s board the chariots Dr. Hong is offering to us. Let’s board the chariots and get saved.”

FOWPAL members sang a song called “The Song of Conscience” and enacted a play called “The Kingdom of Happiness” to encourage people to follow the guidance of their conscience to help themselves and the world. To promote the International Day of Conscience, FOWPAL specially designed the compass clock of conscience. The clock represents time, direction, and goal. It symbolizes that conscience is the guide that leads us toward the right path of life and reminds us to seize every moment to practice kindness in order to create peace and happiness. Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze presented the clock to many leaders.

At the end of the event, when interviewed, Alternate Ambassador Roxanna De los Santos de Piantini of the Dominican Republic to the UN (Vienna) said that “this is the second time I attend this activity. Last year I rang the Bell, and it was such a beautiful experience of love and peace. I want to be here every year, and share with those marvelous people all this beautiful thing about love, peace, conscience.” Eager to observe the International Day of Conscience, she continued to say, “I’m going to be here to celebrate it, not only myself, but also my family, my friends, all the world to celebrate this day because it’s such a beautiful day and very important!”

The event was also attended by other influential leaders, such as ambassadors to the UN (Vienna) of Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, and the League of Arab States; Ambassador of Iraq to Austria; Queen Diambi Kabatusuila of Kasai Kingdom of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Prince Bernard Ndouga of Cameroon. FOWPAL hopes that all leaders and peace promoters will work together and encourage people in all parts of the world to celebrate the first-ever International Day of Conscience together on April 5, 2020!

From left, UN Ambassador Mohammed Saleh Ali Rashid Al Gheilani of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Vienna); UN Ambassador Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri of Bahrain (Vienna); Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL; Bishop Camillo Ballin, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia; UN Ambassador Ibrahim Assaf of Lebanon (Vienna), and UN Ambassador Mohamed Samir Koubaa of the League of Arab States (Vienna). (AP Images)

Bishop Camillo Ballin, left, and Ambassador Youngor Telewoda of Liberia to Austria, right, are each presented with a compass clock of conscience by Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL. (AP Images)

Bishop Camillo Ballin, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, left, rings the Bell of World Peace and Love. (AP Images)

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL, left, shares a book with Bishop Camillo Ballin, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia. The book, titled “Be the Spark,” serves as a fine tool for conscience education. (AP Images)

From left, Sandor and Herta Habsburg-Lothringen, founders of the Flame of Peace; Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL; Ambassador Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri of Bahrain to the UN (Vienna), give a toast to their guests. (AP Images)

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL, left, and Ambassador Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri of Bahrain to the UN (Vienna), exchange ideas about celebrating the UN's designation of April 5 the International Day of Conscience. (AP Images)