| The 63rd Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference was held from August 30 to September 1, 2010 in Melbourne , Australia . In recognition of mankind's living crisis in the face of countless natural disasters, the United Nations particularly set “ Advance Global Health: Achieve the MDGs “ as the theme of this annual conference and discuss how non-governmental organizations could facilitate the implementation of the millennium development goals after financial crisis. Also participating in the annual conference is a Cultural Goodwill Group, comprised of members from the Association of World Citizens (AWC), the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), and Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy (TJM). T his Cultural Goodwill Group brings the 240 kilogram Bell of Peace to Melbourne and invites significant persons to ring the Bell . Through ringing the Bell of Peace, every bell ringer will make a commitment of love and peace as well as maximize personal influences to change the destiny of the world together.
On August 31, the Bell of Peace was rung by 8 bell-ringers including Mr. Winston Jacob, Vice President of Global University for Life Long Learning, Dr. Desiree Yap, President of the Australian Federation of Medical Women , and Ms. Jessiee Kaur Singh, Plan Executive of United Religions Initiative. Two days earlier, the Bell of Peace was also rung by 35 bell-ringers, including UN officials, such as Ms. Mary Norton, Chair of the 63rd Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference, keynote speaker Michel Sidibé , Executive Director of UN AIDS, H.E. Beraki Jino, Ambassador of Solomon ,Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and Dr. Sorosh Roshan, President of the International Health Awareness Network. The bell ringers rang the Bell three times. One for their country, one for the United Nations and one for humanity. The sound of the Bell reverberating across the sky of Melbourne touches everyone on site as the bell-ringers make wishes for world peace and love.
Ms. Fay Parris, executive committee of WBASNY, said that it ' s her great honor to participate in the bell-ringing ceremony. The meaning of the ceremony is not only a simple ceremony, but also collection and consolidation of participants ' power to promote love and peace. She wished that all mankind can realize the importance of peace and accumulate consensus of peace this year.
Dr. Padmini Murthy, NGO co-representative of the Medical Women's International Association to the United Nations, hoped that the dignity of human can be respected and listened to, and the persecution of human rights will never happen again. Ms. Jessiee Kaur Singh, Plan Executive of United Religions Initiative, also made a wish that everyone could get together toward the same goal – we are one family.
Since the collective survival of mankind has come to an important crossroad, Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, the Honorary Vice President and member of Advisory Board of Association of World Citizens, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love, and Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, advocated “In order for mankind to march towards global health in 2010, we have to create sound frameworks to protect human rights and take preemptive actions before it is too late.“ Lin Ru-Zhen, member of the Cultural Goodwill Group, shared her views of health. She said, under Dr. Hong's guidance, she learns that the definition of health is not only the health of body, mind, and soul, but also includes the health of a country's system. Human rights are God-given rights. The president of a nation and the beggar on the street has the same and equal human rights. Every world citizen should stand up and speak out when his rights are violated by state violence.
All participants of the ceremony signed the petition for victims of state violence. They expressed that respect for human rights and prosperity is the common wish of world citizens, and hope that governments around the world can respect human rights and prevent people from fears and persecutions.
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