International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) held the Final Award Ceremony of the 7th International Loving-Peace Art Competition (ILPAC). In November, IWPG also provided PLTE (Peace Leadership Training & Education), signed peace MOU/As , advocated the legislation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), cooperated with various civil society stakeholders, and spread a culture of peace.

The cry for peace from a Bangladesh teenager moved the hearts of everyone around the world. This girl’s drawing that depicted a child holding on to hope of peace amidst the devastation of war was selected as the best drawing among 15,932 entries from 40 countries.
During the final award ceremony of the 7th International Loving-Peace Art Competition held on November 29, International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) awarded Tasfiha Tahsin’s drawing, “The Cry for Peace,” this year’s Grand Prize among 15,932 entries from 40 countries.
Ms. Tahsin’s drawing depicted humanity’s desperate cry for peace amongst the devastation of war. In the center, there is a child praying with closed eyes. Surrounding the child are tanks, missiles, and burning buildings, while the barbed wire and raising hands show the pain of countless victims in the crossfire. The white dove in the smoke, the eye with the peace symbol, the flags in the back, and the UN logo carries the message of hope. The word “please” scattered across the drawing captures the viewer’s eyes.
In her remarks, Ms. Tahsin said, “At first glance, [the drawing] is filled with chaos, fire, destruction, and overwhelming pain. But as you look deeper, you will see a silent prayer for peace emerging from despair. The child, praying even as everything burns, speaks for millions worldwide longing for safety and a life untamed by fear.”

She also said, “This child embodies countless innocent lives caught in the merciless grasp of fire. The word ‘please’ is the emotional essence of this artwork, a desperate cry to choose peace. [The] white dove in the smoke carries the message that the dream of peace never dies. [The] eye with a peace symbol signifies that we must see the world through the lens of peace. Let us rise above the sorrow, believe in humanity’s potential for better days, and be the ones who choose peace and hope.”
The Gold Award-winning drawings also demonstrated desperate cries for peace. Kyan Viryadharma Yaphet (Division 1), from Tunas Muda Primary School in Indonesia, also said, “Peace is like a white dove soaring freely and hopefully in a sky painted with beautiful colors. Below it, children from different cultures hold hands and play together, showing that peace grows where there is mutual understanding and togetherness. Peace is also like a large kite. To ensure its string never breaks, let us all protect world peace with love, generosity, and a spirit of unity.”
Severine Abigail Budiyanto (Division 2), a student from Bogor Raya Junior High School also in Indonesia, drew the “Tree of Peace” that bridges all countries as one. She said, “[The tree] symbolizes that peace can be achieved through the unity of all nations. As the young generation, let’s stand together in harmony and unity for the better future.”
Prince R.M.B. Ikan (Division 3) from Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo-Bailen Integrated School in the Philippines, conveyed a message of peace with a dove and people from different races holding hands. “Through simple images and calm colors, this drawing delivers a powerful message for all people to understand each other, not to fight, and to be united as one. Let’s all become messengers of peace,” he said.
Cyubahiro Alain Prince (Division 4) from Lycee De Kucukiro Apade in Rwanda said he spent the most time drawing the part where people are shaking hands. He explained, “(It is) because it shows understanding and friendship,” and added, “Each person in the drawing is doing something peaceful: greeting others, sharing, planting, or supporting peace.”

Mr. Soon-kyu Hwang, president of the Korea Green Fine Art Association and the head judge of this year’s competition, said, “The drawing by the student from Bangladesh was highly valued by the judges. Peace is like life, so we much teach it to the youth. When judging, I thought of how these students can contribute to world peace when they grow up.”
IWPG Chairwoman Na Yeong Jeon said, “The children gave answers that were both pure and remarkably clear, which is to respect others, love one another, and choose forgiveness over hatred. The children who learn the meaning of peace through art will become precious and steadfast seeds, spreading peace throughout their communities and regions. The children who have expressed world peace through art are the most beautiful artists and true heroes of peace in our time.
This year’s competition was held on the theme, “How can we practice peace and make it a reality in our daily lives?” One million KRW was given to the Grand Prize winner as a scholarship. The Gold Award, Silver Award, and Bronze Award also included a scholarship of 500,000 KRW, 300,000 KRW and 200,000 KRW respectively, and Honorable Mentions received a certificate. A total of 41 participants were awarded in the finals, and their drawings along with all the drawings that advanced to the finals will be featured in the competition art brochure. 1,000 people including awardees, parents, staff, and guests from all around the world joined the award competition.

Jeon Na Yeong, Chairwoman of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), has received the Peace Culture Promotion Award from Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (UJAT) in Mexico.
The award was presented at the opening ceremony of the 4th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Gender Studies and Violence Prevention, held at 9:00 AM local time on November 21 at the Eduardo Andrade Hernández Auditorium at UJAT. Jasmine Yoo Min-sook, Director of International Affairs for IWPG Global Region 10, received the award on behalf of Chairwoman Jeon.
The award ceremony was organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities as part of the university’s 67th anniversary celebration. The congress theme was “Building a Sustainable Culture of Peace for Violence Prevention through Neuroscience and Emotional Intelligence.” With 350 attendees present, Representative Jeon was selected as an award recipient alongside notary Emma Estela Hernández Domínguez, former UJAT President Cándida Victoria Gil Jiménez, and DACEA teacher Olga Yeri González López.
The Peace Culture Promotion Award is presented by UJAT to recognize social contributions to the culture of peace. Last year’s recipients included Dr. María Elósegui, a judge at the European Court of Human Rights, and Dr. Guadalupe Cano, the first female President of the Judicial Branch in Tabasco. Chairwoman Jeon received this award in recognition of her contributions to promoting peace through women’s organizations and expanding peace education.
In her acceptance remarks, Chairwoman Jeon stated, “I am truly honored to receive this meaningful award. This recognition represents the fruition of IWPG’s peace education and women’s rights promotion activities throughout Mexico and Latin America.” She added, “Moving forward, we will work even more actively so that women throughout not only Mexico but all of Latin America can grow as agents of peace.”

The most significant change was assuming the title of chairwoman. Having been at the working level for so long, I initially felt the position was beyond my capacity, but I approached it with the belief that my gentle leadership style could benefit the organization.
The International Women’s Peace Conference held in September, held immediately after my inauguration, stands out in my memory. It was an occasion that reaffirmed IWPG’s strength, bringing together women leaders from over fifty countries alongside many domestic and international participants. Internally, we conducted large-scale organizational restructuring accompanied by staff capacity-building training. Through this process, all staff members developed a deep understanding of and alignment with our organization’s direction and message, which I consider an achievement as meaningful as the conference’s success.

South Korea is a nation that has experienced war, poverty, devastation, democratization, and economic growth in a compressed form for over half a century. While the country may now project an image of K-pop and digital prowess, within a single century, it has endured colonial rule and liberation, the Korean War, authoritarian regimes, democratization movements, the Miracle on the Han River, and the IMF crisis—a tumultuous modern history. Memories of war and poverty remain vivid in the generation immediately preceding ours. My father, born in 1953, experienced the Korean War. I grew up hearing about how a prosperous family was devastated by war and the suffering that resulted. This naturally taught me that the peace we enjoy today was not simply given.
While South Korea experiences various conflicts, including ideological and gender divisions, we have a history of uniting and fighting together whenever peace is threatened.

My original dream was to become a diplomat. I loved South Korea so much that I wanted to represent Korea. I think my current work with IWPG is that dream realized in a different form. I have long been deeply interested in Korea’s unique culture of ‘han’(deep sorrow) and ‘jeong’(closeness and attachment), and the spirit of citizen cooperation that emerges during crises. I believe this sentiment provides great strength for international peace activities as well.

My visit to Ukraine in 2018 comes to mind. At that time, tensions surrounding the Crimean Peninsula had already escalated, creating a precarious atmosphere charged with the specter of war. A child gave me a drawing they had made themselves, depicting birds flying freely in the sky. It represented children’s earnest wish to fly freely without the threat of war. Seeing the drawings these children gave to us as a peace organization visiting in such dangerous circumstances, I felt a strong sense of responsibility to bring peace to them. It felt as though the children were entrusting me with a request, and I still carry that request in my heart.
After the outbreak of Myanmar’s civil war, a Myanmar diplomat I met pleaded, “Please don’t forget us,” asking that we remind the international community of Myanmar’s situation so it would not be forgotten. Because this reminded me of the pain of Korea’s modern history, I felt even deeper empathy and developed a sense of responsibility to advocate for their voices.

Until now, we have been running hard from the grassroots level like grassroots democracy; now is the time to gather that momentum and set our direction forward. Based on sufficient accumulated experience, we are at a turning point for transformation—speaking with one voice to create synergy and leap to the next stage. Now is the time for IWPG to establish a new identity and develop new initiatives, and we intend to materialize this in 2026.

Exactly. I participated in drafting the initial version of the PLTE curriculum, which is currently IWPG’s core program. Our curriculum was written to be easily understood by everyone and focuses on sharing and practice. Compared to other organizations’ materials, it may appear simple and unsophisticated at first glance, but that very simplicity has become the power to move people’s hearts. We incorporated the philosophy that peace begins with oneself, and that a single woman awakening to realize she is an agent capable of achieving peace is itself the beginning of peace.
Survey results from our PLTE implementation with Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Women, Family, and Children in 2024 provided data-driven proof of the education’s effectiveness. While participants thought of peace as a vague and abstract concept before the education, afterward they realized that peace is something practical that begins with oneself, and that they are agents capable of achieving peace. Content about creating peace starting from home, based on women’s sense of responsibility and maternal love, received a particularly strong response.
Through this experience, I came to realize that peace education is not merely a concept existing only in our minds, but possesses real power and evidence to actually transform people. This strengthened my resolve that IWPG must voice peace not only in the field but increasingly in the international community.

Following participation in the 2025 International Women’s Peace Conference, the IWPG Manila Branch (Branch Manager April Otadoy) launched PLTE in Mangudadatu, Maguindanao, Philippines.
This PLTE program brought together three local women leaders: Elizabeth Mangudadatu, Vice Mayor of Mangudadatu; Jennah M. Lumawa, ABC President of Buluan, Maguindanao; and Alysha Shaniddar Dilangalen, Tourism Officer of Mangudadatu.
The training served as a concrete application of insights gained from the International Women’s Peace Conference, translating global discussions into practical action for cultivating responsible peace leaders at the community level.
Vice Mayor Elizabeth Mangudadatu emphasized, “Peace must begin with myself. We must first study and understand women’s peace education led by the IWPG.”
Meanwhile, Ruby B. Victorino, Past President of Zonta Club Metropolitan Pasig, who completed the PLTE program, is scheduled to take on a leading role in educating the next generation of women leaders beginning next year.

On Nov 21, IWPG Global Region 10 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (UJAT), led by Rector Guillermo Narváez Osorio, to promote women’s peace education and expand a culture of peace. This agreement is expected to mark a significant turning point in strengthening the institutionalization of peace education by integrating IWPG’s PLTE program with UJAT’s framework for cultivating a culture of peace.
The signing ceremony took place during the opening of the 4th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Gender Studies and Violence Prevention (IV Congreso Internacional Interdisciplinario de Estudios de Género y Prevención de la Violencia), held at the Division of Social Sciences and Humanities (DACSyH) in celebration of UJAT’s 67th anniversary.
The event brought together approximately 350 participants, including university officials and Claudia Magaña Lugo, Secretary-General of the Tabasco State Institute for Women (Instituto Estatal de las Mujeres de Tabasco).
During his remarks, Rector Narváez Osorio emphasized the importance of collective efforts toward peace, stating, “A culture of peace does not arise by decree, but through constant actions that allow prevention rather than reaction.” Under this MOU, IWPG’s PLTE program is scheduled to be incorporated into UJAT’s regular academic curriculum, serving as a core pillar of the university’s Institutional Program for a Culture of Peace (Programa Institucional de Cultura de Paz).
Following the signing ceremony, Ivonne Adriana Gaytán Bertruy, a professor and researcher at UJAT, was officially appointed as an IWPG Peace Committee Representative at the university. The event also featured a graduation ceremony for 50 students selected from various academic departments who successfully completed the IWPG PLTE pilot program.
Building on this partnership, Global Region 10 plans to further collaborate with other universities across Mexico, continuing efforts to expand women’s participation in peacebuilding through education and to establish a sustainable culture of peace nationwide.

During its official visit to Mexico in November, IWPG Global Region 10 met with representatives at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex). The delegation met with Peace Committee representatives and members from both universities to exchange perspectives and encouraged strengthened cooperation so that the committees can continue to play a central role in women’s empowerment and women-led solidarity.
When the delegation visited UNAM on Nov 26, a creative peace activity was held with students, inviting them to express “What peace means to me” by illustrating their ideas on reusable fabric bags. The activity was well received, offering students an engaging way to reflect on the meaning and importance of peace. One participant shared, “As a woman, I wasn’t sure how I could contribute to the international community, but through IWPG, I was able to find a practical direction.”
During the meetings, Jasmine Yu, Manager of International Affairs of Global Region 10, remarked, “Previous generations often assume that young people are indifferent to peace; however, meeting you makes it clear that this assumption is mistaken.” She added, “I hope you continue to make good and principled choices amid many distractions. Women become stronger through solidarity, and I encourage you to join forces within the IWPG network.”

On Nov 25, the ILPAC exhibition took place in Frankfurt, Germany for the first time. The collected pictures from 6 years of ILPAC (International Loving Peace Art Competition) events were presented, accompanied by a thoughtfully designed and engaging program.
In addition to a painting corner for children, there were great enriching discussion rounds for the guests in which they exchanged ideas about how to bring peace into everyday life. Everyone agreed also that we need to be role models for the children as to become peace messengers. During the conversations, many practical ideas emerged on how a culture of peace can be integrated into family life, daily routines, and the community. Many parents also expressed how valuable it was to experience the exhibition together with their children. They realized peace is not just something abstract but a culture that must be lived, taught, and shared.

On November 14, 2025, an ILPAC exhibition accompanied by a peace workshop was held at an elementary school in Prague 6. A total of 45 children and 4 teachers actively participated in the exhibition that remained at the school until the end of November. The event gave children the opportunity to think, discuss, and share their views on what peace means to them and how they resolve conflicts in their environment.
The workshop helped children realize that peace is not just an abstract concept, but a concrete vision of the future they can actively contribute to. This event once again demonstrated that through children’s creativity and dialogue, it is possible to strengthen a culture of peace and empower younger generations to shape harmonious relationships and the future of society.

On November 8, 2025, a Peace kafe meeting was held at Cross Club in Prague 7, Czech Republic, bringing together IWPG members, volunteers, and new participants. The event focused on sharing positive news and women’s achievements both at home and abroad, including inspiration from the life of Marie Curie-Skłodowska.
The program also included creating symbols of peace–swans and doves–on which the women wrote their personal messages of peace. At the end of the meeting, the women shared their stories of courage and pride, demonstrating how peace can be cultivated in everyday life.
The Peace kafe meeting is held offline or online every month to explore ways to foster peace in our lives.

On Nov 28, Enkhtaivan, Branch Manager of the Ulaanbaatar branch, hosted the ILPAC exhibition and awards ceremony at the Art Hall of School No. 4 in Orkhon Aimag. Approximately 89 participants, led by the Orkhon Aimag Peace Committee, attended, along with Mongolian National Merited Teacher D. Ganchimeg.
Orkhon Aimag School No. 4 organized an exhibition featuring artwork submitted by 80 students and allowed teachers and students to view the exhibit together. The Peace Committee presided over the awards ceremony.
This year, 12 students received special sponsorship awards, and IWPG presented the school with a certificate of “Outstanding Partner of the Year.”
Students who visited the exhibition shared their thoughts on peace, and listening to explanations about the exhibition’s purpose and meaning deepened their understanding. It was a memorable and moving moment to see students discussing their own artwork.

On Nov 16, Enkhtaivan, Branch Manager of the Ulaanbaatar branch, held a peace hike in Chingeltei District, Zurkh Un District, Ulaanbaatar, with 32 members, including Bat-Erdene, the leader of the AYAA club.
The event, under the slogan “Peace, Step by Step,” was supported by the AYAA club. During the walk, IWPG promoted and introduced its goals and key activities. The president of the AYAA also requested a meeting with the IWPG.

Global Region 2 (Regional Director Seo Yeon Lee) agreed to co-host a side event at the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW70) in collaboration with Every Woman Treaty (EWT). The decision reflects a shared commitment to advancing women’s rights and strengthening international cooperation for sustainable peace.
UN CSW70 will be convened under the theme “Ensuring and Strengthening Access to Justice for All Women and Girls,” addressing key issues such as inclusive legal and institutional frameworks, the expansion of women’s participation in public life, and the elimination of violence against women and girls.
During the discussions, Ms. Patricia Elias emphasized that “Sustainable peace is not possible without the participation of women,” and described IWPG as an important partner in advancing meaningful change at UN CSW70.
Regional Director Seo Yeon Lee stated, “UN CSW serves as a core global platform where women’s organizations come together to deliberate on shared priorities,” adding, “IWPG will continue to expand cooperation with international NGOs, with a particular focus on strengthening women’s access to justice and participation.”
Building on this dialogue, IWPG plans to establish joint hosting frameworks with major NGOs in Geneva, Vienna, and New York, and to further expand global petition initiatives for women’s rights and peace in collaboration with its international partners.

Mandalay Branch of Myanmar (Branch Manager Khin Mu Mu Han) held the Nov International Women’s Peace Network Regular Meeting at University Christian Fellowship on Nov 1 with 20 participants.
The participants shared news of the 11th Anniversary of the World Peace Summit and the International Women’s Peace Conference, explained the DPCW, and discussed way to develop the IWPG branch in Mandalay.
Khin Maung Than said, “This time, the attendees were newly interested and well-educated individuals. They are hoping to attend the upcoming conference in Korea next September.”