World Summit 2022
Seoul, Korea, Feb. 11-13, 2022
Executive Summary
Global Leaders Call for Peace on the Korean Peninsula
The World Summit 2022 for Peace on the Korean Peninsula was held in Seoul, Korea, from February 11 to 13. Some 160 nations were represented, including 157 nations with diplomatic ties to one or both of the Koreas. The Summit was sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), an NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and by the Royal Government of Cambodia. Hosted by UPF Co-Founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, the Summit was co-chaired by H.E. Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, and H.E. Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations.
In response to South Korea’s strict sanitary and travel restrictions caused by a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections, the Summit combined in-person attendance and virtual participation. Eighty-five world leaders (see list below) addressed over three hundred people attending in person, as well as a global virtual audience participating through the world’s largest 360-degree interactive broadcast. Eleven key political and civic leaders from around South Korea, including provincial governors and major city mayors, offered their congratulations.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen opened the Summit at the Lotte Hotel World in Seoul. Then, virtual greetings were given live from the Korean National Assembly by Vice Chairman Chung Jin-suk and former US Speaker Newt Gingrich, and from the Japanese Diet by Hon. Yoshiaki Harada, former Minister of the Environment.
Speaking in person at the Opening Plenary were former heads of state and government: US Vice President Mike Pence, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. Senegalese President and African Union Chairman Macky Sall addressed the audience by video, along with former EU Commission President Romano Prodi and former Brazilian President Michel Temer.
The Summit sessions featured heads of state, government ministers, parliamentarians, scholars, and media representatives from each region of the world. They addressed the many challenges to peace on the Korean Peninsula, such as resistance to denuclearization, strained Korea-Japan relations, tensions between China and the United States, and core differences between North and South. At the same time, they offered a range of solutions, such as encouraging new friendships with the North Korean people through trade, tourism, sports, music, and cultural exchanges.
On February 12 in the morning, the Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony honored Dame Prof. Sarah Catherine Gilbert of Oxford University for her role in developing the AstraZeneca vaccine and ensuring its availability at cost, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for its achievement in dealing with the COVID pandemic throughout the world as well as its ongoing work to provide vaccines to over 800 million of the world’s neediest children.
Founded by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon in 2013, the Sunhak Peace Prize selects laureates for their service to global peace in the areas of sustainable human development, conflict resolution or ecological conservation. Previous awardees include climate change activist Kiribati President Anote Tong and Indian aquaculture pioneer Vijay Gupta; Italian humanitarian surgeon Gino Strada and Afghan refugee educator Sakena Yacoobi; African development expert Akinwumi Adesina and women’s rights activist Waris Dirie; Palestinian Bishop Munib Younan and Senegalese President Macky Sall.
H.E. José Manuel Barroso, former EU Commission President and Chairman of the Sunhak Peace Prize Selection Committee, presented the award to Professor Gilbert, and Dr. Thomas Walsh, Chairman of the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation, presented the award to Gavi.
The Founder’s Special Award was given by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon to Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, recognizing his role in lifting his country from civil war and a murderous past into prosperity and peace.
The Global Summit concluded with a “One Million Rally of Hope” and renewed calls for unity on the Korean Peninsula. The main event was held at the CheongShim Peace World Center near Seoul, and broadcast simultaneously in 52 locations in South Korea as well as throughout the world.
In his welcoming remarks H.E. Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Co-chairman of the Summit, expressed his hope that “one day in the near future the people of the South can directly engage with their brothers and sisters in the North.” He was followed by speeches from former US President Donald Trump, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, former EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
Each continent was represented by prominent speakers who shared with the global audience their assessment of the prospects for peace on the Korean Peninsula. While former US Vice President Mike Pence, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US investor Jim Rogers spoke in person, the views from Europe were conveyed through video by President Ilir Meta of Albania, Prime Minister Albin Kurti of Kosovo, former EU Commission President Romano Prodi and former heads of government Dominique de Villepin from France, José Maria Aznar from Spain, and Ahmet Davutoglu from Turkey.
Dr. Moon closed the Summit with a moving speech thanking world leaders for their contributions in support of peace on the Peninsula. She expressed her concern for the multiple challenges to peace in the world, notably in Eastern Europe and Northeast Asia, and for the damage caused to the environment by the lack of human responsibility. “These challenges cannot be met by human effort alone,” she said. “Building one family under God is the only way to bring about a world filled with freedom, equality and peace.” In an emotional conclusion, she asked the citizens of North and South Korea and all nations present to join with her to achieve unification on the Korean Peninsula and true peace throughout the world.
List of Speakers at the World Summit 2022
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World Summit 2022 Executive Committee |
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Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, Co-Founder, Universal Peace Federation H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia; Co-chair, World Summit 2022 H.E. Ban Ki-moon, eighth United Nations Secretary-General; Co-chair, World Summit 2022
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Dr. Yun Young-ho, Director General, FFWPU; Co-chair, World Summit 2022 Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, UPF Chairman |
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Africa |
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H.E. Macky Sall, Senegalese President and African Union Chairperson H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian President H.E. George Weah, Liberian President H.E. Carlos Vila Nova, São Tomé and Príncipe President H.E. Eugene Aka Aouele, representing Côte d'Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara H.E. Monica Chakwera, First Lady of Malawi H.E. Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerian President (2010-2015) H.E. Adolphe Tiao, Burkina Faso Prime Minister (2011-2014) H.E. Paul Mba, Gabonese Prime Minister (2009-2012)
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H.E. Kwassi Klutse, Togolese Prime Minister (1996-1999) Hon. Nevers Mumba, Zambian Vice President (2003-2004) Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigerian First Lady (2010-2015) H.E. Delfim das Neves, São Tomé and Príncipe President of the National Assembly H.E. Dr. André Dassaoundo, Beninese Vice President of the National Assembly H.E. Kassoum Maiga, Niger Member of Parliament Prophet Samuel Radebe, Founder and Leader of the Revelation Spiritual Home, South Africa Sheikh Mansour Diouf, Representative of the Grand Khalif of the Murid brotherhood, Senegal |
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Asia Pacific |
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H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan Prime Minister H.E. Leni Robredo, Philippine Vice President H.E. Gloria Arroyo, Philippine President (2001-2010) H.E. Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lankan President (2015-2019) H.E. Deve Gowda, Indian Prime Minister (1996-1997) H.E. K.P. Sharma Oli, Nepali Prime Minister (2015-2016 and 2018-2021) H.E. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Pakistani Prime Minister (2008-2012) H.E. Xanana Gusmao, East Timorese President (2002-2007) |
Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa, First Lady of Sri Lanka Madam Adi Koila Nailatikua, First Lady of Fiji (2009-2015) H.E. Ing Kantha Phavi, Cambodian Minister of Women’s Affairs Hon. Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairman of the National Assembly in Nepal H.E. Suos Yara, chairman of Cambodia’s Commission of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hon. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Pakistani Defense Committee H.E. Lord Fatefehi Fakafanua, Speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly Samdech Dr. Khy Sovanaratana, Chief Abbot of Mongkolvan Temple in Cambodia
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Europe and Middle East |
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H.E. Ilir Meta, Albanian President H.E. Albin Kurti, Kosovan Prime Minister H.E. Romano Prodi, Italian Prime Minister (2006-2008), EU Commission President (1999-2004) H.E. José Manuel Barroso, Portuguese Prime Minister (2002-2004), EU Commission President (2004-2014) H.E. Ehud Olmert, Israel Prime Minister (2006-2009) H.E. Dominique de Villepin, France Prime Minister (2005-2007) H.E. José Maria Aznar, Spain Prime Minister (1996-2004) H.E. Filip Vujanovic, Montenegro President (2003-2018) H.E. Mladen Ivanic, Bosnia and Herzegovina President (2014-2018) H.E. Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey Prime Minister (2014-2016) |
H.E. Mohamed El Baradei, Egyptian Vice President (2013) and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dame Prof. Sarah Catherine Gilbert of Oxford University, Sunhak Peace Prize 2022 Laureate Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Sunhak Peace Prize 2022 Laureate Senator Pier Ferdinando Casini, President, Italian Chamber of Deputies (2001-2006) Hon. Werner Fasslabend, Austrian Minister of Defense (1990-2000) Dr. Aleksandr Vorontsov, Head, Dept. of Korean and Mongolian Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences Mr. Humphrey Hawksley, former BBC Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Author, United Kingdom Dr. Claude Béglé, Founder and CEO, Symbioswiss; Member of Swiss Parliament (2015-2019) |
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Korea and Japan |
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Hon. Kim Hyon Hwan, South Korean Vice Minister of Culture, Sports & Tourism Hon. Chung Jin-suk, Korean National Assembly Vice Chairman Hon. Hyung Suk Kim, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Unification Hon. Shim Jae Kwon, chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee (2012-2016), Hon. Lim Jong Seong, one of 35 Members of the South Korean National Assembly |
Mr. Michael Breen, Seoul-based journalist and author, founder, Insight Communications H.E. Shinzo Abe, Japanese Prime Minister (2006-2007, 2012-2020) Hon. Yoshinori Ohno, Japanese Minister of Defense (2004-2005) Hon. Yoshiaki Harada, Japanese Minister of the Environment (2018-2019) H.E. Chuichi Date, President of the Japanese House of Councillors (2016-2019) |
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North and South America |
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H.E. Donald Trump, US President (2017-2021) H.E. Mike Pence, US Vice President (2017-2021) Hon. Richard Cheney, US Vice President (2001-2009) Hon. Dan Quayle, US Vice President (1989-1993) Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister (2006-2015) Hon. Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State (2018-2021) Hon. Mark Esper, US Secretary of Defense (2019-2020) Hon. Newt Gingrich, US House Speaker (1995-1999) Hon. Dan Burton, member, U.S. House of Representatives (1983-2013) Amb. Christopher Hill, US Ambassador to South Korea (1994-1995) Amb. Joseph De Trani, former US Special Envoy to Six Party Talks and North Korea Amb. Callista Gingrich, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See (2017-2021) Mr. Thomas P. McDevitt, Chairman of The Washington Times |
Mr. Charlie Hurt, Opinion Editor of The Washington Times Mrs. Trish Regan, TV Talk Show Host and Author Mrs. Kyra Phillips, ABC Correspondent Pastor Paula White-Cain, Head of Paula White Ministries, Spiritual adviser to former President Donald J. Trump. H.E. Jimmy Morales, Guatemalan President (2016-2020); H.E. Federico Franco, Paraguayan President (2012-2013) H.E. Rosalia Arteaga Serrano, Ecuadoran President (1997) H.E. Michel Temer, Brazilian President (2016-2018) H.E. Anthony Carmona, Trinidad & Tobago President (2013-2019) Hon. Wayne Panton, Cayman Islands Premier and Minister of Sustainability H.E. Hon. Hamilton Green, Guyanese Prime Minister (1985-1992) H.E. Ántero Flores, Peruvian Prime Minister (2020) Cardinal Kelvin Edward Felix, Archbishop emeritus of Castries, Saint Lucia |