Connecting the Power of Love and Peace: FOWPAL Visits Vienna

The cultural goodwill delegation of the Federation of World Peace and

Love (FOWPAL) arrived in Vienna, Austria on October 19, 2017. The delegation visited its city hall and
city council. Mr. Andreas Mailath-Pokorny, executive city councillor of Vienna for cultural affairs, science
and sports, especially asked Marco Niebauer, chief of staff of his office, and Daniela Mantarliewa, his
spokeswoman, to receive the delegation. The delegation had a joyful conversation with them, sharing
FOWPAL’s promotion of love and peace through cultural exchanges across the planet. Mr. Niebauer
admired what FOWPAL had done and stressed that the power of a single person is limited but the joint
efforts of many can change the world.

Over the past 17 years, FOWPAL has visited 75 nations across every populated continent to continuously
foster the ideas of love and peace. In 2005, it was cordially invited to conduct cultural exchanges in
European countries, including Italy and the Netherlands, and was well-received. Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze,
president of FOWPAL, met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Dr. Hong congratulated His Holiness on
his new post and shared with him, “No love, no peace. Peace needs love, and love needs to be balanced.”
Under Dr. Hong’s leadership, FOWPAL members have visited many cities across the Earth, promoting love
and peace. In early October this year, the FOWPAL delegation visited Eastern European countries, including
Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Afterwards, it visited Central Europe and arrived in Austria
on October 19 to conduct cultural exchanges.

Known as the world capital of music, Vienna is the capital of Austria. Over a quarter of Austria’s population
lives in the city, and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its high quality of living and
low crime rates, many important international organizations have their headquarters in the city, including
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OPEC, and the International Press Institute.
Additionally, one of the four UN offices is also located in Vienna, with the other three in New York, USA;
Geneva, Switzerland; and Nairobi, Kenya respectively. Today, Vienna is the second largest German-
speaking city, after Berlin.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, president of FOWPAL and Zhang-men- ren of Tai Ji Men, pointed out that the impacts
of cultural exchanges are profound. He shared Tai Ji Men’s participation in the 2017 Summer Universiade
and the meaning of martial arts: Over 140 nations and regions participated in the event, and Tai Ji Men
presented the first performance in the opening ceremony. Its presentation conveyed the highest level of
martial arts—ending conflicts and promoting peace. Peace is also the spirit of the Olympic Games. The
Chinese character for martial arts is composed of two parts-- to end and war, meaning to stop war. Martial
arts are not for competition or fighting; the highest martial arts are to defuse conflicts with wisdom and are
about peace and love.

Ms. Daniela Mantarliewa welcomed FOWPAL to Vienna and its city hall. She affirmed FOWPAL’s
promotion of love and peace and believes that love and peace are the most important things for humanity.
She said, “We would like to support you because it is really very important to work together for a better
world, for protecting and preserving peace, and for spreading love in the world.”

Mr. Marco Niebauer praised FOWPAL’s peace endeavors: “In times when we have war in the world, it is
very important that we have initiative like this which helps us to get more freedom in our countries and all
over the world. . . . That’s the most important thing. You get connections. You get cooperation, international
cooperation, because only one person can’t change the world, but the more you are, the more we are, the
more we can do.”