Global Launch of “An Era of Conscience”

Southern Californian Leaders React Enthusiastically to the Movement

Reported by Effie Chen in Los Angeles

Recently brutally cold temperatures have stricken and made many cities around the world look like scenes from the movie The Day After Tomorrow.  In the face of a disorderly world where natural disasters and man-made calamities occur frequently, what can we do to save ourselves? The Federation of World Peace and Love, Association of World Citizens, NGO in Consultative Status with ECOSOC, and Associated with the UN DPI, and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy have co-organized the movement of creating “An Era of Conscience” to evoke positive energies to stabilize the world. Through our collective efforts, humanity’s innate goodness will be awakened, and we will reconstruct a world with harmony and stability.  On Feb. 16, the City of Walnut, California, along with 24 cities around the world, joined the global launch of the movement of “An Era of Conscience.”

The mayor of the City of Walnut, Antonio “Tony” Cartagena, Stephanie Hu, rrepresentative of Congressman Ed Royce, Patrick Wang, representative of California State Senator Bob Huff, James Tsai, president of the Chinese American Association of Walnut, Nelson Huang, chair and president of APAPA-SCR, Yun-Gong Hsu, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, and other distinguished guests attended the launching ceremony.  Alma Tica Costa Rican Folk-Dance Group also took part in the global launch. Over 100 people participated in the event, and each of them made a hand gesture for “An Era of Conscience.” They made a fist with their right hands (representing their conscience) and placed it before their chests, and then covered the fist with their left hand (representing others).  This symbolizes that “You and I will safeguard our conscience to jointly create an era of love and peace.” Additionally, the General Consul of Costa Rica in Los Angeles, Ms. Sylvia Ugalde Fernandez, District Attorney Jackie Lacey (LA County), and the mayor of Azusa sent their best wishes for the movement.  Burmese Daily News and various companies and media groups showed enthusiastic support for the movement, and several businesses have joined as co-organizers of the movement.

Ms. Chiyen Chen, a Tai Ji Men dizi, stated, “Humanity’s living environment has deteriorated, and human activities have caused huge damage to our Mother Nature.  Regional political conflicts, disasters resulting from wars, and frequent occurrence of violent shooting and violations of food safety regulations are all derived from the degradadtion of the heart.”  In this time of turbulence and uneasiness, crises could be triggered at any moment. Unusual phenomenon frequently impacts our environment.  It is difficult to tell true from false, good from bad, and right from wrong.  People’s hearts are surrounded by anxiety and uncertainty. Therefore, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, remarked, “We would like to evoke positive energies to stabilize the world through the movement of creating ‘An Era of Conscience.’  Through collective efforts, the inner calling for kindness and goodness will be awakened.”

Tai Ji Men dizi read Dr. Hong’s speech on his behalf, “Conscience is the key of our hearts, inspiring good thoughts and good actions. You are at the forefront of the mighty torrent of history. Let’s connect the positive influences among individuals, families, societies, nations, and the whole world, to rediscover the inner peace in our hearts and the respect for humanity, as well as to envelope the earth with the energy of conscience. This endeavor will stabilize the turbulent state of the disorderly world. We have to start by protecting the conscience in our hearts.”

Mayor Cartagena of Walnut praised the movement and said, “I feel very pleased to join the event because there is action and there is communication.  There’s a sincere message to each and everyone about the ‘Era of Conscience.’  That means to do what is right.  We should always think: what is the best for our friends, for our community, for the world?  There should be peace and love for each and everyone.”

Mr. James Tsai, president of the Chinese American Association of Walnut, mentioned, “In our daily lives, conscience is really the essence of every business or economy.  By learning through Tai Ji Men, the ‘Era of Conscience’ has awakened me to be a better person and to be truthful not only to myself, my family, but also to everyone else.  I like to be the medium to awaken everybody.”

Patrick Wang, representative of California State Senator Bob Huff, remarked that in our busy lives we often forget to care for other people or to create good deeds for others, so we need to “have eveyone step on the brake a little bit, just slow down and take a short break and provide that care for each other more.”

Since the movement of “An Era of Conscience” began, it has received enthusiastic responses and support from global NGOs. To date, co-organizing NGOs of the movement include Organization for Environmental Preservation (Brazil), Siberian Center for Eurasian Projects (Russia), L’Observatoire International pour la non-violence (France), All-Win Network (the Netherlands), and We the World (USA). Co-organizers of the movement also include the largest school in the world, City Montessori School (Lucknow, India), and a host of global media such as World People News, Global People Daily News, World Weekly (Australia), Dawanews (Canada), News for Chinese (San Jose, USA), United Daily Newspaper (Malaysia), World Daily News (Thailand), Burmese News (Los Angeles, USA), etc.

2014 is the year to start an era of conscience, and the movement was globally launched on Feb. 16.  To date, more than 10 thousands of people and over 200 organizations from over 111 nations have participated in the movement, and promotion of the movement will continue in all corners of the earth to remind the people of the world to find peace within and show respect for human rights.  Let our conscience become thoroughly awake and let the power of goodness lead the society.  A good word of conscience and a practical action from you will bring hope and light to the earth.  The adoption of conscience-driven values will help create a peaceful new world.  You are cordially invited to share your wish or a practical experience with us about “An Era of Conscience” through words, video or audio messages, or other ways of expression such as comics and paintings. Please submit your message to the designated website of the movement (www.aneoc.org).  For the earth’s sustainable future and for the wellbeing of all humanity, let’s spread kind words, inspire others to do good deeds, and jointly promote the movement of “An Era of Conscience!”

In addition to the launching ceremony of “An Era of Conscience,” Tai Ji Men also offered a variety of traditional Chinese New Year activities such as stepping over a fire pan, stepping on colorful pebbles, greeting from an auspicious lion, and traditional Chinese games, etc. to create a very festive atmosphere.  Tai Ji Men also treated the guests to a cultural feast, which was kicked off by Chinese New Year songs presented by the Tai Ji Men band. The songs conveyed Tai Ji Men’s wishes for all the guests to have a year filled with prosperity, peace, and happiness.  A group of young Tai Ji Men members who started practicing qigong at a very young age galvanized the guests with powerful martial arts performance and wished them to lead a fulfilling and joyful life.  A group of young violinists from Walnut’s elementary school played a cheerful tune, and a Costa Rican dance group energized the guests with colorful costumes and upbeat music and dance. The final perforamance was a dance to Chinese rap music given by a group of Tai Ji Men members to wish everyone health, wealth, wisdom, joyfulness, and happiness.

Stephanie Hu, representative of Congressman Ed Royce (third from right), Mayor Antonio “Tony” Cartagena of Walnut (fourth from right), Yun-Gong Hsu, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles (third from left) and representatives of other participants jointly launch “An Era of Conscience.”

Participants make the hand gesture for “An Era of Conscience,” symbolizing that “Protect the conscience in our hearts; Create an era of love and peace”

Mayor Antonio “Tony” Cartagena of Walnut (third from right) and Yun-Gong Hsu, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles (second from right) make the hand gesture for “An Era of Conscience.”