In 2019, there were 18 individuals presented the Gusi Peace Prize. Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited by the Gusi Foundation to attend the 2019 awards ceremony. Unable to join due to the carbon footprint from flying to the Philippines and Her many work obligations. She sent a loving recorded message to the attendees. We now present the second half of Master’s message that was played during the Gusi Peace Prize Awards Night held on November 27, 2019. “If we don’t demand their flesh, if we don’t eat them, if we boycott the animal-meat cruelty, so-called industry, then they will be safe, saved and in real peace. Then we truly contribute to world peace: real, whole world peace. I am speaking from my own experience. Your conscience will be free, your health will be good and your hearts will be really at peace, now and always.”

The Gusi Peace Prize is a prestigious award, often referred to as the Asian Nobel Peace Prize. The mission of the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation is: “To honor individuals and organizations who have given exemplary contributions to Global Peace and Progress, through international brotherhood and friendship, and by using their God-given talents for the benefit of mankind; to champion human rights and maintain governance, democracy, equality, international peace, and goodwill.” Supreme Master Ching Hai received the Gusi Peace Prize in 2006 in the category of Philanthropy and Humanitarianism. Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited by the Gusi Foundation to attend the 2019 awards ceremony. We now present the first half of Master’s message that was played during the Gusi Peace Prize Awards Night held on November 27, 2019. “The world in which we live and share all the God-given abundance and comfort, this whole world, includes all beings in it, and all should have peace. Hence world peace is “capital written,” whole, complete - WORLD PEACE!”

Today we will share a touching story about a wonderful man who is a Shining World Compassion Award laureate and has rescued over 1,000 abandoned or stray dogs and cats. He has to work 20 hours each day and hardly has any time to rest, only sleeping 2-3 hours daily. “But for me, I just feel that I want to help them when I see these dogs suffering from pain. They have a soul, so I want to help them. It makes me feel so good.” In 2019, along with giving Theoklitos Proestakis the Shining World Compassion Award to recognize his splendid work on behalf of homeless animals, Supreme Master Ching Hai made a kind contribution of US$15,000 to the Takis Shelter. And as this show is being presented to you, Supreme Master Ching Hai: further "arrange to send US$30,000 to this compassionate shelter. With all love and tears of sympathy as well as gratitude to Theoklitos Proestakis and all helpers."

Luke was the leader of youth group at his church, and Christmas was a few weeks away. Somehow he heard about a family that could not afford beds for their two children. Using his daughter’s bunk bed as a template, Luke bought the necessary wood and other supplies. Then he and the youths spent a few nights in Luke’s garage making a bunk bed for the family in need. When children are deprived of adequate sleep, their physical and emotional health are affected, and it is more challenging for them to do well in school. Luke realized that he had a mission to fulfill, so he formed a nonprofit organization called “Sleep in Heavenly Peace,” a line from the Christmas carol “Silent Night.” He told CNN, “I found that the need I have isn’t financial. The need I have is seeing the joy on kids’ faces, knowing that I can make a difference.” Under Luke’s leadership, Sleep in Heavenly Peace spread to 39 states in the US, with 127 chapters, and nearly 15,000 volunteers built more than 4,100 bunk beds in 2018. Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Joyfully present the Shining World Caring Award to Luke Mickelson, with a loving token gift of US$25,000 to support Sleep in Heavenly Peace, with all admiration, love, and gratitude.”

We will further highlight how disciples commemorate Supreme Master Ching Hai Day today and every day. “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day reminds me to be grateful for the Supreme Master within. And to be of service to others, especially giving to those in need - like being there for loved ones, visiting and contributing to animal shelters, etc., and recognizing Master in every being to whom I am blessed to offer love and support.” “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day to me, is a day of gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for imparting such a wonderful method that takes care of every situation in my life, and makes me feel like I’m walking on air with daily miracles and wonders. I do my best to treat everyone as if they are Master, to remind them that they are worthy and noble, regardless of their situation and stature, which will hopefully awaken their true purpose of searching for the Kingdom of God within themselves - which is Supreme Master Ching Hai’s wish for all of us.”

Our program “Happy Supreme Master Ching Hai Day! Part 1 of 2,” celebrates the 26th anniversary of a very special occasion. On February 22, 1994, a grand event was held in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Master was honored by the World Cultural Communication Association and the governors of the six flood-affected states who proclaimed February 22 as “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day.” But each initiate has his or her own special feelings about the meaning of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day. “Supreme Master Ching Hai Day is Master’s shining example of love in action that has helped me open and expand my love and care for others, animals, plants, and the environment. Following Master’s examples of love in action, I experienced contentment, joy, and peace in my soul.” “A day to remind us To always walk in love, To live our life in a saintly way, Helping others as we may, Today is a joyous day My soul is reborn, my spirit renewed.”

Some correctional facilities offer animal-assisted therapy as a form of treatment to selected inmates who demonstrate good behavior. Today, we find out about the benefits of these programs, how they work, and why they have been proven effective. In Australia, the Queensland Corrective Services runs the minimum-security Palen Creek Correctional Centre. The Centre works with a program that finds homes for greyhounds. Liam the greyhound was fostered by an inmate so he would become accustomed to life as an animal companion. Let’s now hear from Liam’s foster father at the Centre regarding his experiences as a program participant. “He’s also never judgmental; he’s happy no matter what your mood is and what you’re doing. So he’s happy to cruise around and smile and be with you. I think also having an animal involved in this program helps with the communication between officers and inmates.” Animals love us for who we are. Some animals even can touch individuals who do not show emotion, including the inmates sometimes referred to as the “tough guys” in incarceration facilities. Dogs and cats can help to teach prisoners about care and gentleness. Correctional facility-based animal programs save the lives of animals and aid inmates in growing in humanity and expanding their personal development.

Dr. Evan Atar Adaha, a Shining World Compassion Award recipient, is a surgeon and the winner of the 2018 Nansen Refugee Award. His hospital in Bunj, South Sudan, is the only functional hospital in the Upper Nile State, serving around 200,000 people, including 144,000 refugees from Sudan. “He has done what the UNHCR cannot always do. He stays on year after year, working with grassroots organizations. Through his efforts, thousands of lives have been saved. And countless men, women and children are provided with a new chance to rebuild a future. Often risking his own safety, his dedication to serving victims of war and conflict has been extraordinary. And it deserves global attention and acknowledgment. He is a man of optimism and humanity. Dr. Atar is proof that the actions of one person can have an impact that resonates and inspires beyond borders and across the globe.”

Today, we continue to discover additional attributes of this institution and the great works of the teachers who look after youngsters. The Reverend Sonam Chhiling Lama shared with us the importance of daily prayers in student life. “We always do our morning prayers and worship. The main purpose of morning prayers and rites is to make our students wiser and to pay attention to the righteous teachings that guide us.” One joyful result of the school’s establishment is that it has brought local villages closer together. “We sometimes organize community service events. During these events, some people come from the upper hills, while some from the lower villages and they gather together and peacefully socialize during these programs, and cooperate with each other. This is how this school has contributed to our community.” Currently, the Shree Lho Basic School teaches through the 7th grade. However, it will soon expand and eventually serve students through the 10th grade.

The Reverend Acharya Sonam Dorje Rinpoche built the Shree Lho Basic School to take care of orphans as well as underprivileged and marginalized children by providing food and board while they receive an education. He also wished to incorporate the fundamental teachings of Buddhism into the courses so the children could receive moral guidance through this ancient wisdom to cultivate love and compassion. As it is a spiritual boarding school, teachers play an influential role in making Buddhism’s teachings close to the children’s hearts, along with providing attentive care to them and encouraging healthy lifestyle habits. "This is a very rural area, here almost 80-90% of the local population is uneducated. As these people here have their own hardships, and didn’t get a chance to be educated in their time. They wish to have hope for their coming generations to get a good education and do better in life." "The people residing in this school, located in a Buddhist area, do not slaughter animals for food, and hence everybody eats vegetarian food in this school. Conservation of animals, such as these is also emphasized in the books."

In Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad, there is a unique school where disadvantaged students attend classes while sitting on the ground in a park. This is an open-air place of learning established by Master Ayub. Today, the open-air classroom has grown into an institution with more than 250 students. The school has the motto “Change Starts from Within.” Master Ayub believes that youngsters should not be forced to drop out of school to work. He is also concerned that street children can fall under bad influences and be led astray. His classes fill a need for those children who have no opportunity to attend school otherwise. In addition, the educator feels that we should give aid without expecting or wanting anything in return. He received a civil honor called the Pride of Performance Award from the government of Pakistan to acknowledge his extraordinary public service and contributions to education.

In 1995, Wendy Valentine established the Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Frettenham, Norwich, UK, after seeing the enormous suffering of egg-laying hens in the poultry industry. From the beginning, Ms. Valentine has campaigned against factory farms and done her utmost to help the victims of their heartless operations. In addition to rescuing animals, she works to raise awareness of the constant agony of the animals on the farms. Her selfless love and concern for animals was already well known. Hillside’s growth over the years was made possible by the generosity of a sympathetic public. We have good hearts and instinctively know how to treat animals with love and respect. When this translates into adopting a vegan diet, we benefit our animal co-inhabitants, ourselves, and the whole planet.

Welcome to our program “Katie Cantrell: Presenting the Realities of Food Sustainability and Animal Welfare,” that introduces an admirable American vegan activist and the non-profit organization she created, the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition (FFAC). The Coalition’s mission is to inform and empower the people to save animals and the environment, as well as highlight the benefits we can gain by changing our everyday food choices. Katie and other FFAC members have made 2,000-plus presentations, which are free of charge and last for about 45 minutes. Over the years, the non-profit has reached over 111,000 people. FFAC wants to help create an informed consumer who will demand plant-based products because they have a basic understanding of where food comes from and highly value a sustainable food system.

Dr. Noel Abdayem is a dentist in Sweden. When he was still a dental student, he went to Jamaica to work as a volunteer to treat cavities in children. He found that many kids did not have toothbrushes. Accordingly, Dr. Abdayem founded The Humble Company, initiating the production of bamboo toothbrushes that were designed and developed by professional dentists. The Toothbrush handles are made from 100% biodegradable, sustainably-grown bamboo. In addition to toothbrushes, the Humble Company also produces an all-vegan lineup of products. Touched by his volunteer experience in Jamaica, Dr. Abdayem longed to further help the disadvantaged children of the world, particularly in realm of improving their oral health. Initially, he donated toothbrushes to various charity organizations working with kids. Subsequently, he met Dr. Darren Weiss. Out of a common vision, they established the Humble Smile Foundation.

In January 2001, this amazing charity was founded by a benevolent, vegan woman named Lucie Cerny. Team RASTA finds that the most important aspect of rescue work is information-sharing and advocacy. On the RASTA website, you can find a blog that covers topics ranging from how to start an animal sanctuary to veganism. “I would love to see a day when animals are not used for their body parts and that we could just live in harmony with other species on this planet, and stop destroying our planet and the animals, and human health also. Be Vegan, Make Peace.”

RASTA stands for “Rescue And Sanctuary for Threatened Animals” and focuses on aiding abandoned and abused farm animals as well as inspiring compassion for all our animal friends through advocacy and public outreach. For almost 20 years, RASTA has taken beings of all shapes and sizes who need a home. If you ever visit this place of love, you get more than just a chance to meet the cute denizens. The kind volunteers also provide all visitors with a 30-minute presentation on the sanctuary and veganism. “Because in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter how much land or how much money you have, you can’t rescue them all but you can make a much larger impact by educating people about veganism and about, just making kinder choices in life and things like that.”

The modern era is marked by humanity continuously consuming ever-greater amounts of natural resources. Blue Renew This is a recycling program for US healthcare facilities created by Halyard Health. Through Blue Renew, more than 400 US hospitals are diverting over 1,814 metric tons of blue wrap from entering landfills each year. Over the long run, the Blue Renew program is expected to recycle more than 13,600 metric tons annually. During processing, the blue wrap is converted into resin pellets and then eventually made into distribution and product tote bags, garbage cans, bedpans, and washbasins.

Mr. Winchester Lemen has a vision for the plastic we may use just once and then dump. This innovator has created adorable and sturdy chairs, school desks, and tables out of plastic refuse. For 6 years, he worked on developing a way to make a product out of soft plastics, particularly plastic wrappers, such as detergent and shampoo sachets. This material always ended up in landfills as no one else in the recycling industry wanted it. Not only did Mr. Lemen succeed, what he perfected is considered a major step forward in plastic recycling technology.

Monty received a knighthood from Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his work—not with horses—but with people! The kind man interacts with children, domestic violence victims, and military veterans, particularly those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI), a mental health condition caused by experiencing a terrifying event, to help them find peace, trust, and healing through working with equines. And we are receiving as much as 175% improvement in their psychological outlook in 3 days. Mr. Roberts has worked with hundreds of people to help them heal.

Brother Peter Tabichi is a dedicated friar who belongs to the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi and has vowed to stand in solidarity, for life, with less fortunate people living in rural areas. Brother Peter Tabichi the winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2019! The kind Kenyan was praised as a real-life superhero for transforming the lives of the most underprivileged pupils, inspiring them to discover their inborn talents through his loving ways and creative teaching methods. Brother Peter's story, "will inspire those looking to enter the teaching profession and shine a powerful spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over Kenya and throughout the world every day."