CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 18, 2026 About 150 participants, including parliamentarians from five countries, gathered in Cape Town for a high level discussion on the role of law and legislation in preventing conflict and promoting peace.
The roundtable, titled “Cessation of War as a Legislative Priority”, was held at the Centre for the Book in Gardens during the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
It was co hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) and the Office of the Presidency of South Africa. 
The participants included eight parliamentarians from Tuvalu, Northern Ireland, Seychelles, Pakistan and South Africa, alongside youth representatives, religious leaders, civil society organisations and journalists.
Discussions centred on HWPL’s Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), which proposes legal and institutional measures aimed at preventing conflict and supporting lasting peace.
The meeting also examined the role of parliamentarians in developing national laws and policies that address conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, Hon. Clifford Elford, said public resources should be directed towards sectors that benefit communities rather than the costs associated with rebuilding after wars.
“budgets should be prioritized for education and health sectors rather than post-war reconstruction costs.”
Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu, Hon. Sir Iakoba Taeia Italeli, described the DPCW as a mechanism that could support a shift from armed conflict towards dialogue and cooperation.
“the DPCW is a tool for transitioning armed conflict into dialogue and cooperation,” he said, while calling for its implementation.
Parliamentarians at the meeting discussed possible ways of incorporating principles contained in the DPCW into their respective national legal systems.
Twelve Letters of Support for the DPCW were submitted during the event, while all participating parliamentarians signed Commitment Statements expressing their intention to continue discussions and initiatives related to the declaration in their respective countries.
The Cape Town roundtable formed part of international peace activities marking the anniversary of the 9·18 HWPL World Peace Summit, commemorated on September 18.
The activities coincided with the Global Youth Peace Program, which was held in South Korea from September 17 to 19 under the theme “We Are the Living Heritage”.
Young participants from different countries visited historical sites, took part in cross cultural discussions and considered practical approaches to peacebuilding.
Cape Town was also cited as one of the cities where the Peace My City initiative is being implemented at community level.
The initiative brings together residents, young people, schools and religious leaders through activities such as environmental clean ups, stakeholder dialogues, recycled art competitions, HWPL Peace Education workshops and monthly interfaith gatherings.
HWPL said that, as of August 2026, it had about 630,000 members worldwide.
People and organisations interested in participating in HWPL peace initiatives and international campaigns linked to the September 18 World Peace Summit can obtain further information and apply for membership through the organisation’s official website.
