Celebrating the International Month of Conscience

Ms. Ellen Young, a former New York Assemblywoman who is now the Chairwoman & CEO for the United Nations Global Peace Development Foundation, was invited by Principal Chung Hsinchang of Yongji Elementary School in New Taipei City to participate in a series of activities for "International Month of Conscience" on April 28, 2023. The ECOSOC-accredited NGO Association of World Citizens and other civic groups co-organized this month-long series of activities beginning on April 1. Ellen Young, who considers "love and peace" to be her life's work, planted a "tree of hope and peace" in the school, hoping that future generations will flourish under the guidance of love and morality.

Ellen Young said that the main reason for her visit to the school was to promote peace. She hopes to have the opportunity to visit Yongji Elementary School every year to see if the tree of peace, love and hope is growing in a healthy way. She stated that the United Nations Global Peace Development Foundation primarily promotes the 17 sustainable development goals with "environmental conservation" being one of the most crucial issues. As a result of climate change, hot locations are becoming colder, cold places are becoming warmer, and glaciers are melting. She reminded everyone to think about the following questions: "What kind of world have we left for our children? How can we keep them alive? How will they survive? "

Ellen Young stated that planting trees is part of environmental conservation. People must not only plant trees, but also avoid illegal logging, which destroys the protective net that safeguards the earth, said Young, adding that this is also an embodiment of conscience. Planting trees also teaches children the concept: "With my help, the world will become safer, better, and more conducive to our own growth."

At the 66th UN DPI/NGO Conference in 2016, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the zhang-men-ren (leader) of Tai Ji Men and president of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL), presented a paper on "hope for global citizens: conscience, education and culture." In 2017, during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dr. Hong and the Kingdom of Bahrain co-organized the World Leader Summit of Love and Peace, under the theme of “calling for global action: awakening conscience for a sustainable world.” Beginning on April 5, 2018, FOWPAL worked with the UN ambassadors of Bahrain, Kiribati, and other nations on the resolution "Promoting the Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience" at the United Nations in New York and Vienna. FOWPAL visited 38 countries to promote the culture of peace with love and conscience for nearly a year and a half. On February 5, 2019, the Global Endorsement Campaign for the Declaration of International Day of Conscience was launched at the United Nations in New York. On July 25, 2019, during its 73rd session, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution entitled "Promoting the Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience" submitted by Bahrain, declaring April 5 as the International Day of Conscience.

In support of the International Day of Conscience and this year's International Month of Conscience, Ellen Young noted that conscience is about altruism and selflessness. Concerning the key aspect of altruism, she stated that people are acting with their conscience if they speak and act for the benefit of others, rather than harm them. She believes that the world will be filled with love and peace if everyone acts with consideration for others.

Ellen Young, who moved to New York at the age of 25, has lived there for 46 years. At the end of 2006, she made history by becoming the first Asian woman elected to the New York State legislature and the first Asian female legislator on the East Coast of the United States. Despite having lived in New York for decades, she has never stopped caring about her hometown.
She also encouraged students to broaden their horizons through education and motivated them to travel to see the world in addition to reading. Allowing children to have a bright future and enable them to serve humankind is the purpose of education, she remarked.

Even though Ellen Young didn’t attend university while she was in Taiwan, the moral education she received, and the grit she demonstrated, and the courage she had to challenge herself and overcome the difficulties she encountered have shaped her. As a Taiwan-born assemblywoman, she was a self-starter imbued with pride. She constantly reminds herself that she represents the success of Taiwan’s fundamental education.

Ellen Young recalled inviting Aurelia Greene, speaker pro tempore of the New York State Assembly, to visit Taiwan on behalf of the state legislature. She was the first speaker to visit Taiwan. Speaker Greene saw that even though Taiwan is tiny in size, it has such a good education and such kind, passionate, and hardworking people, Ellen Young said, feeling extremely proud of that!

She has served as the Chairwoman & CEO for the United Nations Global Peace Development Foundation since January 2022, and she is currently the senior advisor to the first Korean-American member of the New York State Assembly. There are no losers in peace and there are no winners in war, emphasized Ellen Young as her primary goal now is to contribute to world peace.