UN NGOs discuss ways to achieve sustainability. Awakening of people’s conscience is the key.

(Reporter Lily Chen, New York)

FOWPAL, while promoting a culture of love and peace around the world, has worked with many global NGOs sharing the common ideal.  On Aug. 26, the NGOs reunite and participate in the movement of “An Era of Conscience” to consolidate more positive energies.

The 65^th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference is held on Aug. 27-29 at the UN headquarters in New York, with a special emphasis on civil society’s role in the development beyond 2015.  The international community has come to realize that grass-roots movements at the local level have tremendous power and the power of people awakening is far greater than the administrative powers of national government. Therefore, the Association of World Citizens, NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC and associated with the UN DPI (AWC), the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy (TJM) have especially shared with other NGOs the movement of “An Era of Conscience” and emphasized that the key to shaping the destiny of the future lies in every one of us, with the core being our conscience.

Over the years, while promoting a culture of love and peace around the world, AWC, TJM, and FOWPAL have worked with many NGOs sharing the common ideal.  On Aug. 26, FOWPAL especially held an annual gathering to reunite with its longtime friends and share with one another their experiences and accomplishments of the past year.  Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze shared with these friends the reason why in the beginning of this year he initiated the movement of “An Era of Conscience”---the fastest, easiest, and most direct way of mankind’s salvation is to inspire the conscience in everyone’s heart. In response to the call of this year’s NGO agenda, Dr. Hong launched global endorsement for the “Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience.” It is hoped that more energies of kindness will be connected through modern technology.

At the gathering, Dr. Hong remarks, “If every world citizen, irrespective of social status, ethnic background or cultural origin can exercise their conscience and spread the positive effects of kind hearts and good intentions, many problems troubling people in this world such as wealth gaps, unequal access to education, gender inequality, wars and disease will be alleviated and fundamental solutions found. The best prescription for sustainable development comes from calling for conscience rooted deeply in the depth of our souls.”

Dr. Hong’s words have touched the hearts of many NGO workers who have endeavored to achieve the UN goals, and they also share their ideas of how to apply the notion of awakening people’s conscience in their organizations.  Elizabeth Carll, president of Communications Coordination Committee for the UN,

	Elizabeth Carll, president of Communications Coordination Committee for the UN, states that she will use the media in a positive way across the globe so that everyone will develop conscience and good intentions and a world of conscience will become a reality.

states that her work involves reporting through the media the positive forces that change the world, and that she will use the media in a positive way across the globe so that everyone will develop conscience and good intentions and a world of conscience will become a reality.

Lisinka Ulatowska, representative of AWC at the UN, remarks that the way we look at things will be totally different when we consider everything from our conscience; if we work from our conscience human beings can return to a more natural and harmonious state and attain sustainability.

Lisinka Ulatowska, representative of AWC at the UN, remarks that the way we look at things will be totally different when we consider everything from our conscience.  When assisting our governments in policy making or speaking at the UN, if we work from our conscience human beings can return to a more natural and harmonious state and attain sustainability, according to Ulatowska.

Jilie Gerland, chief UN representative of World Organization of Prenatal Education Associations, NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC, points out that the concept of conscience should be incorporated into the care of pregnancy.  If an expectant mother is surrounded by love and peace physically, emotionally, and spiritually during her pregnancy—the optimal condition, then the child she gives birth do will have the energy of love and peace at birth and the child will later contribute to a world of love and peace, says Gerland.

Wadlow Pierre, a member of AWC, thinks that conscience can help us tell right from wrong and lead us to change the world step by step.  Aamis Memon, representative of Global Future Network, believes that everyone has conscience deep inside one’s heart and that we just need to awaken the conscience in the depth of the heart.

A group of young FOWPAL members presents a song “An Era of Conscience” with energizing dances that galvanize the NGO participants.

Near the end of the meeting, a group of young FOWPAL members, who have started volunteer work since a very young age, brings a climax to the gathering as they present a song entitled “An Era of Conscience” with energizing dances that galvanize the NGO participants.  Beth Lamont, a 90-year-old representative of Humanist Society Humanist Chaplain, shares her feeling that she thanks every one for giving her such a wonderful day.  This is truly what she needs because recently she feel depressed about the worsening world situation.  She is deeply inspired by what volunteers do, especially the group of young volunteers. She also encourages the group of young FOWPAL members to “shoulder the responsibility, seize the moment, and bravely do what you should do. This is the right direction.”

The gathering has allowed global NGOs who work in different corners of the earth to come together and share with one another their ideas and experiences, and the movement of “An Era of Conscience” will further connect all NGOs worldwide to use their conscience to work for the world’s sustainable future.   

Since “An Era of Conscience” started on Jan. 1, 2014, people in 184 nations and 1689 organizations worldwide have participated in the movement, and the movement’s website has received over 1.45 million visits.  We cordially invite you to participate in the global endorsement for the “Declaration for the Movement of “An Era of Conscience.” Please go to the movement’s website at www.aneoc.org/en, read the contents of the declaration, and endorse it. You are also very welcome to submit your words of conscience (100-300 words) with your photo to the movement’s website or send your video or audio recording (about 30 seconds) or drawing, painting, or comics to info.aneoc@gmail.com.  Organizations are welcome to jointly promote the movement of "An Era of Conscience" and create a world of love and peace together.