Man Hee Lee laid white rose in Palm of Peace

Man Hee Lee, the representative of World peace laid a white rose in the Palm of Peace – a statue located in the National Palace of Guatemala City. It was the first time since 2011, when UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, made a similar gesture, that a Korean citizen laid a flower on the statue. In recognition of his work towards world peace, the Guatemalan government has even offered the peace advocate from Korea a testimonial.

At a peace seminar held the previous day, Mr. Lee emphasized the need for everyone to take the role of delivering the message of peace to people all over the world. He added that it was only when people were able to experience the hope of a world in which peace was a reality – without discrimination, prejudice, or other forms of social and political alienation – would they be able to take appropriate action towards achieving it.

That same day, 6 April, Mr. Lee held talks with various high-profile government officials in Guatemala. Among them were the Minister of Culture, Mr. Carlos Batzin, and the Minister of Justice, Ms. Claudia Paz y paz. Both were strongly taken with what the peace advocate had to say and offered their personal support and endorsement of the 84 year-old peace advocate’s work and mission.

Since 2012, Mr. Lee has been traveling world meeting with notable leaders in both secular and religious circles. On this, his 9th and most recent trip, he held talks with the vice-president of Peru, Ms. Marisol Espinoza in Lima, Peru. Following that, the former presidents of Guatemala – Mr. Alvaro Colom Caballeros, and Colombia – Belisario Betancur, in Bogota, Colombia. In Chile he met with the former president Mr. Ricardo Lagos in Santiago, Chile. His Excellency, Mr. Jose Mujcia, the President of Uruguay met with Mr. Lee in Montevideo, Uruguay.  During his talks with the leaders, the peace advocate urged each of them to help bring an end to wars and conflicts still besetting their countries and neighbours. The inspired vision of peace that he painted in his message was not lost of any of the leaders of the South American continent.

Throughout his travels, press and media kept a close watch on the intrepid 84-year-old peace advocate. Telenoticais 23, a Live News broadcasting station located in Guatemala City, covered the flower-laying ceremony, ensuring that the story of the Korean peace advocate’s mission of peace was announced all over the country. In Peru, RBC Television Channel 11 covered similar stories of the meetings and travels of the World Peace Delegation from Korea.

As part of his world peace tours, Mr. Lee signed a peace agreement with the Guatemalan government in 2013, as well as with the leader of the Maya community. This year, the same agreement was entered into by a leading representative of the Inca community. Mr. Lee’s vision of peace is for the agreement to be signed by representatives of all cultures, religions, ethnic groups, and governments in the world, thus providing common grounds on which resolutions for conflicts, and ultimately the cessation of wars can be achieved. With each new meeting, entire communities are showing their support for the movement by signing this agreement – a sign that Mr. Lee’s message is one that truly resonates with the hearts of the people.

Mr. Yann Arthus-Bertrand, a photographer and producer from France, well-known for his breath-taking work in aerial photography was deeply inspired by Mr. Lee’s work for peace. He will be including exclusive interview footage shot during Mr. Lee’s 9th World Peace Tour in his latest documentary, “Human”, which will be shown at the UN General Assembly in 2015. Yann Arthus-Bertrand has held several exhibitions in South Korea, most notably work which was compiled into his spectacular book, “Korea from Above.”