FOWPAL Convenes Global Leaders at Summit on Love and Peace in Toronto

Global leaders gather in Toronto with Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze (center) at the World Leader Summit of Love and Peace to champion conscience, transparency, and integrity for a sustainable future.

Former Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Y. Thinley (right) and Dr. Hong endorsed the Declaration of Transparency and Integrity.

FOWPAL President Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze presents a LIFU artwork to Jerry White, co-leader of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Building a Peaceful and Sustainable Future Through Conscience, Transparency, and Integrity

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, October 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) organized the World Leader Summit of Love and Peace in Toronto on October 2, 2026, bringing together Jerry White, co-leader of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, five former heads of state and government, other distinguished leaders, and peace advocates from more than 10 nations. The summit explored the issues of fostering peace, trust, and environmental sustainability for humanity’s shared future.

During the summit, former Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Y. Thinley endorsed the Declaration of Transparency and Integrity. Dr. Hong presented the FOWPAL Peace Bell Award to former Prime Minister Thinley and presented symbolic works of art and gifts to distinguished leaders.

Key Insights and Leadership Addresses

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, President of FOWPAL, delivered a keynote speech, emphasizing, “Human life depends on three essentials: sunlight, air, and water. And to forge a path to sustainable peace for all humanity, there are three important basic elements: integrity, transparency, and conscience.”

Dr. Hong further explained, “Sustainable peace is not a project that any single nation or organization can accomplish alone; it is a responsibility that all humanity must safeguard together. Integrity makes us worthy of trust, transparency allows truth to flourish, and conscience enables us to hold the right course even when interests collide. Linked together, these three principles form a stable, positive force that restrains the abuse of power and dissolves the cycle of hatred.”

Dr. Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, former Prime Minister of Lesotho, expressed support for the Declaration of Transparency and Integrity, emphasizing that peace and sustainable development depend not only on institutions and policies, but also on the values that guide our actions.

Rosalía Arteaga Serrano, former President of Ecuador, stressed that the critical question facing humanity is not simply what AI “can do,” but what we “should allow it to do.” Shaping the future, she noted, cannot be merely a technological or economic undertaking; at its core, it is a human and ethical responsibility. Arteaga also emphasized that education plays a central role in shaping conscience and values. Teachers, she said, do more than impart knowledge: they inspire and guide young people, helping them discover their capacity to bring positive change to their communities.

Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona, former President of Trinidad and Tobago, praised Dr. Hong's visionary leadership in advancing the International Day of Conscience, noting that conscience, transparency, and integrity provide an essential guide to action for humanity’s survival and continued well-being in the 21st century. He emphasized that true peace is built upon justice, equity, the rule of law, and institutional accountability. Everyone, he said, must make disciplined choices each day and shine the light of transparency into the darkest corners of governance.

Jigmi Y. Thinley, former Prime Minister of Bhutan, noted that today’s multidimensional global turmoil stems from humanity’s pursuit of a consumer-driven model of development that has harmed both the environment and society, as well as the failure of nations to recognize the reality of their interdependence and shared destiny. He stressed the importance of conscience and urged leaders to embrace their solemn responsibility to unite the world through transparency and integrity, mobilizing collective action to overcome global turmoil.

Dr. Ivo Josipović, former President of Croatia, called on society to choose love over hate. He emphasized the need for widespread education—from schools and universities to community clubs and conferences—that empowers individuals to resist hate, totalitarianism, and human rights abuses while actively spreading conscience, responsibility, and friendship.

Jerry White, co-leader of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, emphasized that integrity represents wholeness—living true to our values—while conscience serves as our innate moral compass. When paired with transparency and accountability, these principles unite "being, seeing, and doing," enabling individuals to drive meaningful change grounded in integrity, transparency, and conscience.

Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute, stated that the voice of conscience is an inestimable value. He emphasized that we ought to eliminate nuclear weapons and treat all lives as equal, proposing a golden rule for the 21st century: Treat the lives and well-being of future generations as we want to be treated. Noting that the voice of conscience is where the power of hope comes from, he thanked Dr. Hong for ringing the bell, calling on everyone to be in harmony with conscience, wisdom, and love.

Additionally, Dr. Werner Fasslabend, former Minister of Defense of Austria, emphasized the need to establish and maintain political structures that are rule-based and grounded in conscience, noting that leaders must look at the best of the globe to earn the trust of the people and work together for our common future.

Henry R. Ori, former Minister of Education, Science and Culture of Suriname, conveyed via video that true sustainability requires a moral architecture, calling on leaders to pledge to guide their nations with a clear conscience, to govern with absolute transparency, and to act with unwavering integrity.

Massimo Introvigne, Editor-in-Chief of Bitter Winter, honored Dr. Hong’s lifelong commitment to conscience, transparency, and integrity, emphasizing that transforming a turbulent world begins not with grand declarations but with cultivating conscience in each person.

Willy Fautré, Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, stressed that building a better future requires deliberate effort. He called for a shared commitment guided by conscience, held accountable through transparency, anchored in integrity, and united by a common purpose of peace.

Hans Noot, Associate Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, described conscience as an inner guiding force, transparency as its public expression, and integrity as the perseverance to live by those principles. He reaffirmed that proponents of peace must go beyond words to actively help build a peaceful and sustainable future.

The event concluded with an energetic performance of the song "We Are One World" and a cultural presentation by FOWPAL youth members, demonstrating cohesion that transcends cultural boundaries. Representatives united in their shared hope to translate the moral wisdom generated from the summit into daily actions to build a sustainable global home for future generations.

Lily Chen
FOWPAL
+1 626-314-3093