Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Dr. Chang Shik Yang, chairman of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), together with Dr. Michael Jenkins, president of UPF International and The Washington Times Foundation, as well as Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal, member of Parliament of Nepal and chair of IAPP Asia Pacific, led an 11-member IAPP delegation to participate in the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from Nov. 23-26, 2024.
During the event, IAPP signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with IPTP and the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (GCTP) to strengthen the partnership and cooperation for peace with these two global organizations.
In his address, Dr. Yang proposed three key measures for effective peacebuilding based on UPF’s principles and approach to peace:
Establishing robust institutional mechanisms that integrate religious and civil society leaders into policy-making processes.
Expanding programs that promote intercultural and interreligious understanding, building on UPF's successful model of interfaith dialogue.
Leveraging digital technology to create inclusive platforms for cooperation while nurturing young leaders to drive economic revolution without losing the essential human connection vital for peacebuilding.
The IAPP delegation held several productive bilateral and multilateral meetings, including with Hon. Dev Raj Ghimire, speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal, and Hon. Celmira Sacramento, president of the National Assembly of Sao Tome and Principe. Both speakers played key roles in the adoption of the Universal Peace Charter; they also fully support the UPF initiative for establishing an Asia Pacific Union Speakers Conference.
Throughout the conference, IAPP leaders had many opportunities to exchange opinions and views with representatives of major governmental and non-governmental organizations. Of special mention is the one-hour meeting with former Cambodian prime minister and current Senate President Samdech Hun Sen, who conveyed his appreciation of UPF founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s dedicated work for peace, and confirmed his commitment to further cooperation with IAPP and UPF. The IAPP delegates also greeted Prime Minister Samdech Hun Manet and Samdech Khuon Sudary, president of the Cambodian National Assembly, who both have had warm and cordial relations with UPF over many years.
In the evening of November 24, IAPP held a Special Consultative Meeting for all conference participants related to IAPP. Over 20 delegates from 10 nations (Cambodia, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sao Tome, Sri Lanka, Thailand) gathered and introduced themselves and their work to each other. After a brief video introduction of UPF and its six associations, Mr. Hajime Saito, IAPP vice chair of Asia Pacific and Japan, explained the current activities of UPF and IAPP.
The adoption of the Universal Peace Charter and the Phnom Penh Declaration on the Endorsement of the Universal Peace Charter in a Quest for Peace, Tolerance and Reconciliation were hailed as the main outcomes of the entire event.
