HWPL International Youth Peace Program: From Memories of War to Action for Peace — Youth from 43 Countries Find Answers in Seoul
What does “peace” mean to a generation that has never experienced war firsthand?
For some, peace may be an everyday reality they have never thought deeply about because they take it for granted. For others, it may be a way of life they still long for.
So, what was the first thing that young people from 43 countries encountered in Seoul?
From September 17 to 19, Seoul hosted the HWPL International Youth Peace Program.
Bringing together young people from around the world, the program was held under the theme “We, the Living Legacy of Peace.”
What made the program particularly impressive was that it went beyond simply talking about peace.
Following a three-stage journey of “Discover, Learn, and Act,” participants experienced peace firsthand.
🕊 A Story of Peace Begins Amid the Traces of War
On the first day, the young participants visited the War Memorial of Korea.
They explored the Korean War Exhibition, the UN Exhibition, and the UN Memorial, reflecting on the scars left by war on individuals, families, and an entire generation.
War is not something that exists only on the pages of history books.
For some, it brings back memories of losing family members. For others, it brings back memories of having to leave their hometowns. For still others, it may be an event that changed the course of their lives forever.
This makes the question posed to the participants all the more meaningful.
What does peace mean to me, and what can I do to protect it?
The message was that while many young people in the past had to bear the suffering caused by war, young people today can take an active role in building peace.
Laisani Sepo of the Fiji National Youth Council also emphasized the importance of perseverance in building peace, even in the face of challenges and criticism.
🌏 Discovering Different Cultures Is Also a Step Toward Peace
The participants’ journey in Seoul went beyond exploring the history of war.
In Insadong, they experienced traditional Korean culture firsthand. At Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, they reflected on the meaning of peace through Korea’s history and cultural heritage.
The young people came from different countries, bringing with them different languages, religious beliefs, and backgrounds.
Yet perhaps the very process of encountering and understanding these differences is an important step toward peace.
Alwand Talat Jawhar Kalluri, a participant from Iraq, emphasized the need for a safe and inclusive space where young people from different religious backgrounds can share their thoughts and concerns about peace.
His message was that coming together to share experiences and learn from one another is itself an important form of peacebuilding.
When you think about it, peace does not always begin with grand slogans.
“How do I see people who are different from me?”
Perhaps that small shift in perspective is the first step toward peace.
🏛 Discovering Enduring Values Through History
At Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, participants explored the meaning of peace through five key values: continuity, respect, responsibility, change, and harmony.
By examining the examples of King Sejong, the Hall of Worthies (Jiphyeonjeon), and Hunminjeongeum, participants reflected on how the choices and learning of one era can shape society and influence future generations.
Participants then chose one value they wanted to put into practice and wrote down how they planned to turn it into action after returning home.
At this point, peace begins to feel a little closer and more tangible.
This means reflecting on what each of us can do for peace and translating those ideas into concrete actions.
Ultimately, peace is not just something to learn about; it is something we must put into practice.
🤝 Bridging Religious and Cultural Differences
On September 18, a roundtable discussion was held on the role of young people in promoting a culture of peace.
Participants exchanged ideas on how young people can help ensure that religious and ethnic differences do not become sources of violence and conflict.
At the World Religious Peace Academy for Young Leaders, held afterward, participants explored the teachings of Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, deepening their understanding of different religions and cultures.
In a society where people with different beliefs live side by side, learning to understand those differences can sometimes be more important than trying to eliminate them.
Perhaps this gathering, too, was an opportunity to learn to understand one another.
🌱 Where Does Peace Go After We Learn About It?
On the final day of the program, September 19, participants moved on to the “Act” stage.
They shared regional case studies from the Youth Empowerment for Peacebuilding Working Group (YEPW) and outlined specific plans for their 2027 activities, clarifying each participant’s role.
This helped participants translate what they had seen, heard, and learned in Seoul over the three days into concrete actions in their own communities.
Andrew Junior Mwima, who leads a youth organization in Zambia, shared a meaningful message.
His message was clear: “Young people are not the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today.”
Peace, too, does not suddenly come into being someday in the future. It is something we, the people living today, must begin building now.
💌 The Lasting Message Behind the Words “I’m Just a Student”
Sarah Vermote, a law student at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium, also shared a story that left a lasting impression.
She described herself this way:
“I’m just a student. Who would listen to what I have to say?”
But what she said next conveyed a different message.
“If everyone thought that way, nothing would ever change.”
Those words leave a lasting impression.
She expressed her hope to share what she had learned in Korea with her peers and organize activities that encourage other young people to participate in society.
Perhaps you don’t need any special qualifications to take the first step toward peace.
Her words suggest that being a student or a young person—or feeling that you don’t yet have the power to change the world—doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference.
🌿 From Memories of War to a Legacy of Peace
The young people who gathered from 43 countries came from different national, religious, and linguistic backgrounds.
Yet despite their differences, they discovered that the starting point for peace was much the same.
Understanding and respecting one another’s differences.
And putting what they had learned into practice in their own communities.
The three-day journey of the HWPL International Youth Peace Program showed that memories of war can do more than remind us of the past. They can also prompt us to reflect on the kind of world we want to build for the future.
Perhaps peace is not a legacy that someone else can create for us, but one that we must build together and pass on to future generations.
And perhaps it all begins not with someone extraordinary, but with each of us.
That is why the program’s theme, “We, the Living Legacy of Peace,” leaves a lasting impression.
Facing the memories of war, learning from one another, and finally putting those lessons into practice wherever we are.
Could peace begin with one person's thoughts and then be passed on from one person to another?
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