The Very First Washington, DC Youth Peace Festival by HWPL Empowers Youth Through Unity & Community Engagement

 

 

Homeland News

Washington, DC, May 30, 2026 –

Heavenly Culture, World Peace,
Restoration of Light (HWPL) of Washington, DC organized its first Youth Peace Festival in Washington, DC. Held at Franklin Park in Washington, DC, the festival brought together youth, community leaders, educators, faith groups, cultural organizations, and civil society partners to promote dialogue, civic engagement, and peaceful community building. HWPL and its partners worked to advance a culture of peace among DC youth by fostering dialogue and nonviolent conflict resolution. Through the festival and other ongoing peace initiatives, HWPL encourages young people to become leaders for peace.

HWPL Chairman, Lee Man-Hee shared the heart needed for this work of peace, saying: “The effort for World Peace is the duty of all youths in this generation. It is the greatest work and it is the only way to stop the pointless and tragic deaths. The efforts of the young people of the world today in pursuit of peace will remain as a never fading light of life for all future generations.”

In alignment with this goal, today’s peace festival included youth-focused performances, interactive booths, speeches, and community activities. Participants from diverse backgrounds engaged with one another through cultural exchange, discussion, and collaborative activities throughout the event. Youth voices for peace from the local community were highlighted through spoken word, dance, and vocal performances, giving a platform for future leaders of peace to shine. In this way, the event demonstrated the role and responsibility that each individual person plays in creating a world of peace.

One event speaker, Asha-Gayle Cowell, Co-Chair & Jamaica Representative Caribbean Development Bank Future Leaders Network shared, saying: “I have witnessed the extraordinary power of young people when they are given the opportunity to lead. Young people are often told that they are the future, but believe me when I tell you that young people are also the present. They are already solving problems, they are already building communities, they are already creating innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges we face today. That’s why this festival matters. They remind us that peace is not the responsibility of only a few; it belongs to all of us.”

Centered on community and non-partisan peace activities, this Peace Festival aimed to strengthen efforts towards building a more inclusive, and harmonious society, both locally and globally. The Peace Festival also commemorated the 13th anniversary of the Declaration of World Peace and founding of HWPL. Since HWPL was founded, more than 920,000 letters and signatures supporting the DPCW have been collected from 178 countries. HWPL has completed 32 World Peace Tours, secured thousands of MOAs and MOUs, and established 572 HWPL Peace Academies in 111 countries.

About Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL)
HWPL is a non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and United Nations Department of Global Communications. The organization advocates for the cessation of war and conflict worldwide. In 2013, HWPL proclaimed the Declaration of World Peace, emphasizing the need for a new international legal framework to prevent war and promote global peace. This vision later led to the proclamation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) on 14 March 2016.