Jeju Island, the largest island in South Korea, is blessed with breathtaking natural beauty—fresh air, clean water, pure seas and volcanoes of various sizes—further embellishing the landscape. The island is noted not only for its natural heritage sites but also for its efforts to protect them through expanding such green endeavors as solar and wind energy. Moreover, it is the first province in Korea that enacted an eco-friendly School Meal Program and started serving locally produced food in schools. Now, it’s taking the lead in protecting the Earth and future generations by actively tackling global warming. In September, Golden Year 6 (2009), its Provincial Assembly declared to have an organic vegan day once a week in accordance with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recommendation.

On September 21, a conference entitled “Children’s Health and a Sustainable Planet” was held on Jeju Island. Chaired by Mr. Song Dae-Jin, the Head of the Jeju Coalition for Children’s Health, and co-organized by 49 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the conference was attended by government dignitaries, such as: the Honorable Mr. Kim Tae-Hwan, the Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province; Mr. Yang Seong-Eon, Superintendent of Jeju Special Self-Governing Office of Education; Reverend Cha Heung-Do, Chief of the People’s Coalition for Children’s Health; Professor Im Jae-Taek, Chief of Korean Society for Eco Early Childhood Education; and Mr. Kim Tae-Seong, Chief of Jeju Agenda 21. They were joined by many environmental and medical experts, as well as hundreds of educators, parents, youths and civil and religious group audience members. The conference was covered by the media—TV News channels MBC, KBS, CBS; Arirang radio; newspapers Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh, Yonhap News, Jeju Ilbo; and internet news Media Jeju and Jeju Sori. Supreme Master TV broadcast the event live through satellite for its global viewers.

VIPs who extended their warm support and regards through video included Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the UN IPCC; Mr. Satinder Bindra, the Director of the Division of Communications and Public Information of the UN Environment Program; and Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Founding President of Global Voices. In his speech, Dr. Pachauri particularly highlighted how a reduction in meat consumption will bring huge benefits to the health of humans and the planet. And to make this necessary lifestyle change, he believes that people should not rely solely on the government. He said, “The feeling has to come from within. It is NGOs, it is civil society and it is the community itself that have to create awareness on what the benefits of a reduced meat consumption pattern would actually be.” 

Distinguished experts from around the world shared their valuable messages either in person or via video. Mr. Joop Oude Lohuis, the Manager of the Climate and Global Sustainability Unit for the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, who has conducted extensive research on the relationship between climate change and dietary change, noted livestock industry’s tremendous contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and anthropogenic land use. He concluded that if dietary changes on a global scale could happen between 2010 and 2030, then the situation on our planet would stabilize.

Mr. Lee Yong-Jung, a highly respected teacher and the Policy Chairperson of the Jeju Coalition for Children’s Health, delivered a passionate speech in which he said, “I think we have to change our education goals to ‘food, virtue and health,’ because public education needs to be designed for the body, mind and spirit. The thing that prevents us from doing this is our habitual lifestyle red tape and our political culture. In nature, no mother would hurt her own child. However, we humans, the crown of creation, make our children sick. This is a real shame and I believe it is a collective crime. Ensuring our children’s health is not a matter of choice but rather our minimum duty and obligation.”

Dr. Michael Greger, Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture for the Humane Society of the United States, gave his expert opinion on diseases originating from factory farmed animals, including swine flu, bird flu and mad cow disease. “The entire relationship between the animal kingdom and the human kingdom is coming under stress. In this age of emerging diseases, we now have billions of feathered and curly-tailed test tubes for viruses to incubate and mutate within, to create billions more strains of pandemic roulette. Along with human culpability, though, comes hope. If changes in human behavior can cause new plagues, well then changes in human behavior may prevent them in the future.”

Also sharing their knowledge on the benefits of the plant-based diet and the detrimental effects of the meat diet were several esteemed medical leaders: Dr. John A. McDougall, Founder and Medical Director of the nationally renowned McDougall Program; Dr. Neal Barnard, Founding President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; acclaimed physician and nutritional expert, Dr. Joel Fuhrman; and Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo, a famous Korean neurosurgeon at the Daegu Medical Center.

During the Q&A session, along with other experts in fields of health, medicine and organic farming, the event’s special guest of honor, Supreme Master Ching Hai, answered a variety of questions from the audience through videoconference.

Dr. Bu Sang-Il, Chairman of the Jeju Provincial Party of the Grand National Party, and vice-chairman of the UNESCO Korea Jeju Association, was concerned that being a well-known international tourist destination, Jeju is vulnerable to contagious diseases, and he asked about useful ways to protect the island from the H1N1 influenza. Dr. Barnard pointed out that animal factory farming is the breeding ground of the viruses that caused avian flu and swine flu, and there is some evidence to suggest that raw pork that is purchased and handled may actually spread live viruses. He concluded, “To keep our families as healthy as possible from influenza and other infections, we really want to avoid supporting the animal industries.”

Dr. Greger, when answering a question on strengthening the immune systems of children, stated clearly, “Eating a plant-based diet, a vegan diet, may protect us not only from future pandemics but from the current pandemic as well.”

While offering Her thoughts and wisdom to the questioners and the audience, Supreme Master Ching Hai highlighted the importance of the organic vegan lifestyle in awakening ourselves to compassion which is “in line with Heaven, with values that are echoed in many spiritual paths and religious teachings, such as the followers of Buddhism and Confucianism, as it’s written in their scriptures.” She urged Jeju to go vegan, “Don’t just be a model province; be a one, true, heroic, courageous model for the whole world.”

When invited by Mr. Lee Yong-Jung to share the most recent updates about climate change, Master acknowledged the frightening prospect of runaway global warming, the frightening aspect that nations will not do enough to stop it. However, She also expressed Her hope in deep emotion, saying, “I feel that the world is changing. I feel that the leaders are listening. I feel that the people of the planet want to save their home. I feel that they love their children. I feel that they will do something to save their children.” She asked Mr. Lee to join Her in prayer so that all people on the planet wake up in time to save everyone.

In response to a question from Mr. Jua Yong-Cheol, an award-winning journalist from Jeju Sori, Master listed the top five ways to deal with global warming that people can carry out in daily life: 1. Be Veg, 2. Go Green, 3. Be Frugal, 4. Do Good Deeds, 5. Pray. Regarding the role of the press and media, Master said, “Be a fine example for the world. This is exactly the role the media should have, like that of a true, honest friend to human society, warning everyone of any harmful situation; bringing new connections and data to light, like the urgent link between meat and global warming; giving chances for people to choose a better way of life; and being a brave voice, a heroic voice, especially for the voiceless, including animals who suffer so much.” She called for the noble service and leadership of the media.

In conclusion, Master urged all the NGOs, governments, media, the public, every single individual, to get involved in joining the veggie trend and in spreading the veggie news, because “our planet is a house that is burning. If we don’t work together with a united spirit to put out the fire, we will not have a home anymore. One hundred percent of the world’s people must be veg, soon, to save the planet.”

Many participants expressed their gratefulness for being informed about the importance of keeping a vegan diet to people’s health and the planet. One conference attendee, Mr. Kim Sang Jin said, “I would like to become a committed vegan like many people here. I met Supreme Master Ching Hai for the first time through this event. I was able to understand Her profound thoughts on the vegan diet and the sustainable future of the Earth, our planet, and was also able to feel Her love towards children, animals and living creatures. She is a great human being.” Mr. Song Dae-Jin, the Head of the Jeju Coalition for Children’s Health, stated that the conference was beyond his expectations, “Supreme Master Ching Hai’s words and the audience’s feedback were really great. And I felt that a pure heart really works, indeed. I felt the warm interaction of sincere hearts during the conference.”

We thank the organizers and participants of this successful gathering, as our gratefulness also goes to Supreme Master Ching Hai for sharing Her concern and valuable guidance. May all the world’s children inherit a safe planet and healthy future through the life-sustaining organic vegan diet.
 

To watch Supreme Master Television’s coverage of this videoconference, please visit: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/WOW1143s.php

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