Two world wars and warfare of various scales had occurred in the last century. Until today, the pictures of afflictions and sufferings still haunt people's minds. Military hostilities have brought unfathomable adversity and imprint of deep anguish.
Since the end of the Second World War in August 15, 1945, warfare is still raging throughout different corners of the world, from the Korea War, Vietnam War, Israeli-Arabs armed conflicts, Iran-Iraqi battles, Iraq's Kuwaiti invasion, US's Operation Dessert Storm to the earlier civil war between the Kuomingtung and the Chinese Communists as well as the present hostile tension across the Taiwan Strait. These military conflicts had not effectively solve the essential problems existed, but only inflicted more pain and hatred. As the new millennium began, peace has become people's yearning and common value.
Consequently, the United Nations has proclaimed the millennium year of 2000 to be the "Year of World Peace and Culture." The U.N. has also planed the following 10 years to be the "The Decade for the Culture of World Peace" in a hope that people and governments in the world will work together to change the culture of "war and violence" to that of "peace and non-violence." Accordingly, Vice President Lu Hsiu-Lien has summoned people of various levels in Taiwan to establish "The Taiwan Alliance for Global Peace (TAFG)". TAFG's mission is to observe the Olympian glorious tradition of peace, kindness, just, respect for human rights, as well as to participate in the U.N.-sponsored world peace and culture functions and activities in the effort to achieve the world peace and prosperity.
We are delighted to learn that Beijing has won the bid to host the Olympics Game in 2008. This is a grand event and an honor to the Chinese people worldwide. It is also a new milestone to China's progress in modernization and globalization. The Taiwan Alliance for Global Peace deeply congratulates Beijing for its success and hopes that its government will conform to the fundamental principles in the Olympic charter "to achieve and create the kind of lifestyle that respects basic ethics principles worldwide" and effectively accomplish the Olympian goals "to harmonize mankind development with athletic spirit,…, and to encourage the establishment of peaceful societies, to protect the respect of humankind,..., and to advance peace with action." TAFG hopes that Beijing's honor to host the Olympics Game will enable it to unequivocally embrace Olympics' peaceful spirit, stop military belligerence and any hostilities against human rights, and determine to resolve international conflicts with peaceful means, including cross-strait relations, in order to promote global peace.
TAFG has invited U.N.'s non-governmental organizations on peace and many Nobel Laureates as well as congressional members from different nations to participate in the historical event, "Voice of Taiwan: Peace and Love" on August 15, 2001, the auspicious day for the end of the Second World War. In light of the increasing tensions in the cross-strait relation, we want to proclaim that: All the Taiwanese live in Taiwan and abroad, not only should ensure protective national defense, but also preventative diplomacy; People from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, for the future of Taiwan as well as China, should join us hand in hand and step forward together with the world for peaceful co-existence and mutual respect; and the world community should appeal to the Beijing government to embrace the Olympian spirit to maintain peace in Taiwan Strait and the world.