Spreading love and peace globally on World Teachers’ Day: Illuminating the tree of future hope

“International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV” promotes the ripple effect of kindness

Teachers are highly valued, for they play a key role in making the society function well. Initiated by UNESCO and ILO in 1994, World Teachers’ Day is annually celebrated on October 5. “Invest in the future, invest in teachers” is the theme for 2014 World Teachers’ Day. UNESCO has encouraged everyone to consider undertaking a special celebration for World Teachers’ Day, and over 100 countries observed World Teachers’ Day this year. There are 182 events found at www.worldteachersday.org, including “The International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV.” This forum was held in Taiwan and the USA and organized by 18 organizations in 7 countries, including Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy, the Association of World Citizens, NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC and associated with the UN DPI, and the Federation of World Peace and Love, etc. The forum in Taipei was held in the

	More than 50 experts and scholars attend “The International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV” in Taipei and share their valuable experiences and wisdom with the audience.

International Conference Hall of National Taipei University of Business, on the 10th floor of Cheng-Shi Building from 10 am to 6:30 pm. Over 50 experts from different walks of life attended the forum. The forums in the USA were respectively held in the City of La Puente of the greater Los Angeles area and San Jose in the Bay area.  Congressman Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, California State Senator Bob Huff, Senate Republican Leader, and a number of educators attended the forums and expressed how they see the world from an educational perspective. Their conscientious opinions were meant to inspire more positive influences to create the butterfly effect. More information can be found at http://www.worldteachersday.org/map/index.php/reports/view/173.

A group of teenagers start the forum by singing a song called “Love and Peace Song” in praise of the beauty of a peaceful world and wins an enthusiastic ovation.

A series of “International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience” have been” organized to honor important international days and address related issues, and the organizers of the forum hope to encourage a global perspective on issues such as peace, love, education, human rights, sustainability, etc. and consolidate the wise and conscientious suggestions from leaders in different fields to promote unity and cooperation among humans. Held on October 5, “The International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV” was an event where you could see joyous celebration, the rise of young volunteers, insightful reflections, and youthful vitality. The forum opened with a video entitled “Globalization of Awakening of Conscience” and precious images of global responses to the movement of An Era of Conscience. After that, a group of teenagers officially kicked off the event by singing a song called “Love and Peace Song” in praise of the beauty of a peaceful world and won an enthusiastic ovation. 

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, Zang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men and also the initiator of An Era of Conscience Movement, in his opening remarks said, “Every world citizen is a participant in the business of education and is responsible for the earth's sustainable development. Only when all of us act according to our conscience, can we create a better environment for future generations where mountains remain lush and green, and rivers clear and clean.”  Dr. Hong also urged all people to work hand in hand, spread positive energies to keep the butterfly effect going, and create a better world with love and wisdom.

Rene Wadlow, president of the Association of World Citizens, also made an appeal in his welcome remarks, “By working together, we must lay a conscious basis for a new world society, the next step in our human evolution. Man must become consciously evolutionary in his individual thinking, in his collective outlook and his social machinery.” He talked about the origin of UNESCO and its long-term relationship with the AWC, including the Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013 to 2020) of which UNESCO is the lead UN Agency. Rene Wadlow emphasized that “as world citizens we choose to work for wholeness, harmony and creativity.” He also thanked all who make their contribution to the world-wide wave of action in promoting world citizenship education.

The unveiling ceremony for the Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience. Guests from different walks of life activate “A globe with a smily face” together. They show their determination to take conscientious actions by chanting, “I respond. I endorse it. Yes, I do”.

One of the highlights of the forum that day was the unveiling ceremony for the Declaration for the Movement of An Era of Conscience. The declaration was revealed by 9 distinguished guests, including Ruay-Shiung Chang, president of National Taipei University of Business Taipei; Han-Chiang Chen, former president of National Hsinchu University of Education; Yuan-Hui Hu, assistant dean of College of Social Science, National Chung Cheng University; Ching-Lian Yen, professor emeritus of civil engineering, National Taiwan University; Ling-Ling Yang, dean of College of LOHAS Industry, FoGuang University; Hsiao-Shien Chen, professor of music, National Taichung University of Education; Yuh-Yin Wu, dean of College of Education, National Taipei University of Education; Louis Leung, chairman of Hong Kong Society of Accountants; and Chi-Ming Chung, professor of digital technology design and educational management, National Taipei University of Education. Then, Yiu-Chin Su, honorary chairman of Chinese Association for Human Rights, Fei-Lung Lee, Secretary General of the AWC (Taiwan), and other local and overseas guests activated “A globe with a smily face” together. This symbolized to utilize digital technology to spread the positive influences of education.  As one smiley face after another rose up from a symbolic tree of the future, it represented that positive energies had spread to every corner of the world. All of the guests chanted, “I respond. I endorse it. Yes, I do.”

The theme of “The International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV” was “the awakening of conscience, suggestions for education.”. There were 6 panel discussions, moderated respectively by Ruay-Shiung Chang, president of National Taipei University of Business Taipei; Keh-Chang Gee, professor of law at National Taiwan University; Cheng-Yan Kao, professor of computer science and information engineering at National Taiwan University; De-Fen Ho, professor emeritus of law from National Taiwan University; Chien-Wen Peng, professor of real estate and built environment, College of Public Affairs National Taipei University; and Ming-Jun Lu, professor of environmental resources management at Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science.The attendees included Li-Ying Chen, policy advisor of Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research;Wen-Yi Lin, a famous writer; Chwan-Chuen King, professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine at National Taiwan University, and various experts from the fields of education, human rights, culture, law, medicine, arts, environmental protection, and the media. The forum, in response to international trend, consolidated the wise suggestions from experts in all fields to awaken the conscience in everyone.  Through education the collective positive energies will cause the butterfly effect and bring positive changes to families, societies, and all nations across the globe. Let’s all work together to create a world of love and peace. 

The panel discussions in Taipei lasted from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. More than 50 experts and scholars shared their valuable experiences and wisdom. And then the “International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV” was held in La Puente of the greater Los Angeles area and San Jose in the Bay area respectively. During the forum, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the initiator of An Era of Conscience Movement, gave a speech entitled “Awakening of Conscience is the Soul of Education” in response to World Teachers’ Day. He pointed out that one of today’s problems in education is that it fails to cultivate students to be world citizens who are well equipped with the skills and qualities required for success in this day and age. He also observed that global youth are bravely stepping forward to voice out their concerns for themselves and the world due to the waves of democratic demonstrations at the beginning of the 21st century. Dr. Hong emphasized, “The awakening of conscience is the soul of education, like a compass pointing to the right path of life. It guides people to tell right from wrong and to know the difference between pride and humility. It prevents one from being greedy and enables one to conduct oneself properly and become truly enlightened, balanced, and selfless. Following conscience is the way people can become peaceful and bring peace to the world.”  “Generations evolve as time progresses; conscience is the origin that stays constant. Education is a lifelong career with the core being of the heart; passing the awakening of conscience to generations ahead,” added Dr. Hong.

The enthusiasm for the “Movement of An Era of Conscience” is worldwide. To date, people in 185 countries and over 2000 organizations have participated in the movement of An Era of Conscience. Many impressive speeches made in the series of “The International Forum on the Awakening of Conscience IV” can be found at the website as well. Please visit the website of the movement of An Era of Conscience at www.aneoc.org to learn more about global updates and about the movement and ways to support it.