Sunderlal Bahuguna led a life of austerity, partly to lead by example. He kept a vegetarian diet in respect to the people of the animal kingdom, wore only simple clothes, and walked 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) from village to village across the country when it was time to spread the message of forest conservation. In devotion to God, Sunderlal Bahuguna dedicated every action to protecting the natural environment. He believed that science had to be guided by spirituality rather than by politics, as thoughts directed from the heart cannot cause harm to others. "You know, I see it, that the Almighty is everywhere and especially in nature. You might have heard of the Chipko movement; that was the movement which was to save the trees. And I felt that what right do we have to kill these trees? Because these trees are also the creation of the Almighty, and these are also the living beings like us. The only difference is that these trees cannot speak, these trees cannot move, but they do greater service to society than the human beings. Had there not been trees, we would not have survived because trees are just like Lord Shiva Shankar Bhagwan." In closing, let us hear some wise advice from Sunderlal Bahuguna: "You know that power comes from the Almighty. When you surrender yourself to Him, He will show you the way. And three things I believe. The first, you should have devotion. Devotion to what, to whom? Devotion to the Almighty, devotion to the people. Does Almighty take a form for you? What form does the Almighty cover? I see Him everywhere. I see Him in you, yourself, also. I see Him in trees. I see Him in rivers, mountains, everywhere. He is everywhere, omnipotent. And omnipresent. Omnipresent. So, the first thing is that we should have devotion. The second thing is dedication – dedication for a cause. If you realize that Almighty is everywhere and He is being hurt, then we should dedicate ourselves for a service. And the third thing is determination."

Sunderlal Bahuguna is known primarily as the spokesperson of the Chipko environmental movement. Chipko actively resisted the systematic deforestation of Indian rural woodlands, often confronting powerful corporations in peaceful resistance to prevent the destruction of wilderness areas. Sunderlal Bahuguna gained international attention in the early 1990s by leading an impassioned and unrelenting campaign of opposition to the construction of the hydroelectric Tehri Dam in the Himalayan foothills in Uttarakhand. Sunderlal Bahuguna’s life is a model of selfless dedication to environmental and social causes, which he was involved in from an early age. Initially inspired to promote social equality within India’s then-rigid caste system, he later became a devotee of the Gandhian principle of nonviolence and drive, to achieve self-determination from Britain. He then became a Member of Parliament in the newly independent nation and, together with his wife Vimla Behn, gave a voice to the often-neglected needs of the villagers in India. Their actions eventually saw the establishment of the now-legendary grassroots movement that is wholeheartedly dedicated to actively promoting environmental awareness. The Chipko slogan became, “Ecology is permanent economy,” and Sunderlal Bahuguna, with his political experience, became the movement’s spokesperson. A year later, Sunderlal Bahuguna fasted for two weeks, his first of many, as the group chanted passages from the Bhagavad Gita. Hundreds of people, the majority of them women, attached themselves to tree trunks with sacred threads. Passages from the Srimad Bhagavata Katha were also read aloud to remind those present that the natural forests were blessed and an intrinsic part of India’s spiritual heritage. "The philosophy of fasting is that you search inside yourself, and you surrender yourself to the Supreme Power. 'Now I am in Your hands, and if there is anything lacking inside me, give me Light.' So, Gandhiji was doing the same thing."

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was considered one of the greatest American authors and humorists. Among his many works, his novels “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and its sequel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” have become classics in American literature. A man of many talents, Mark Twain was also a riverboat pilot, journalist, lecturer, inventor, and entrepreneur. His writing style was usually informal and amusing, differentiating him from other important 19th-century writers. He once wrote, “Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.” In 1865, his short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” was published. The entertaining tale was printed in newspapers across the country and brought him national attention. His next step to success came in 1869, with the publication of his first book, “The Innocents Abroad.” It became a nationwide bestseller. In 1883, Mark Twain published one of his most important works, “Life on the Mississippi.” Both entertaining and informative, it is a textbook on the history‚ life, and lore of the Mississippi River during the 19th century. In addition, Mr. Twain was a humanitarian who cared for the rights of people from the humans and animal kingdoms alike. He believed that animal-people are intelligent, morally upright beings, and spoke out against the use of people from the animal kingdom in sports, entertainment, and research, including cock-people fighting and bull-people fighting. In a letter to the London Anti-vivisection Society, he wrote: “I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn’t. To know that the results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility to it. The pains which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity towards it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further.” Here, Samuel Clemens, lauded as the great writer Mark Twain, passed away at the age of 74 on April 21, 1910.

Today, we continue our interview with Mr. Panudet Kerdmali and Mrs. Kanoknuch Chankham of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation. They tell us how earnestly Mr. Seub Nakhasathien tried to awaken the public. “I think another important issue is communication. At that time, Mr. Seub tried to use the media, in order to tell everyone why forests are important.”In Seub Nakhasathien’s loving memory, a documentary called “The Lights Never Gone” was created by Thai Public Broadcasting Service to commemorate his achievements. The documentary aired in August 2013. In 2019, also to commemorate the life of this exceptional man, a short biographical film “Raining in Huai Kha Khaeng” starred Nopachai Jayanama as Seub Nakhasathien and was directed by Phakpoom Wongpoom. “I’m speaking on behalf of all wildlife. Do you have any idea how many animals have to die so that you can enjoy all the conveniences in life?” “I want you to try to imagine that these animals have families. They have fathers, mothers, children, just like us. They have the right to live. But what right do we have to end their lives?”Tigers, tapirs, Asiatic wild dogs, bantengs, and gaurs are some of the numerous endangered species that are protected by specialized teams and rangers who patrol the area, ensuring that the animals and forest are safe. In forest villages, the villagers support programs to stop deforestation and hunting, and they have switched to organic farming to avoid harming the local ecosystems with chemicals and pesticides. “Today, this has happened, and there is collaborative management of the whole area. And the Department of National Parks also sees the importance of doing a lot of work on this issue. This was what Mr. Seub created, and it has been passed on till this current day.”“The proper conservation of any resource does not mean mere safekeeping, but means the sustainable use of the resource in as many ways as possible so that the future generation may benefit from its multi-faceted benefits as well.” – Seub Nakhasathien

Today, we are very honored to hear more from Mr. Panudet Kerdmali and Mrs. Kanoknuch Chankham, the Secretary-General and the Project Coordinator of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation. “Seub Nakhasathien Foundation is a non-governmental organization that is non-profit. We are a conservation organization set up in 1990, 18 days after Mr. Seub Nakhasathien passed away. His friends, co-workers, and conservationists converged at his memorial and agreed that there should be a continuation of the work that Mr. Seub Nakhasathien did when he was alive. Mr. Seub tried to protect the natural resources, whether it was the forest or the wild animals.” “I think when Mr. Seub was alive, what he really tried to do was to do everything so that the personnel who were rangers or personnel on the ground, who lived in the area, they were able to efficiently look after and protect the resources as much as they could.” “This is one issue. Another issue is research analysis of information in order to conserve resources. This is an issue that Seub Nakhasathien Foundation tries to push with regards to opposition to projects that impact the forest and wild animals. For example, not long ago there was the issue of the Mae Wong Dam, with regards to the road that will cut through the forest. Roads that cut through the forest, firstly, they break up the forest. Another factor is that this enables wildlife hunters easier access.” “The foundation is now aware that activities have an impact, especially with regards to plans to build dams in the forest. It causes the absolute loss of the heredity of the wild animals in that area. Therefore, the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation opposes development of large dams in forest areas.” Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Gratefully present the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation the Shining World Compassion Award with US$10,000 as a small token of support for this noble work. May the Buddhas protect your team and those loving, majestic, free-living animal co-inhabitants with Blessing and Divine Love.”

“I would like to speak on behalf of wildlife because they cannot speak for themselves.” – Seub Nakhasathien Legendary environmentalist and nature-lover Seub Nakhasathien is well-known for his important work in wildlife conservation and his tireless efforts to bring justice to the voiceless animal inhabitants of Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand. Seub Nakhasathien was born “Seubyos” on December 31, 1949, in Tha Nga, Prachinburi Province, Thailand. His father was once the governor of Prachinburi. In 1979, Seub Nakhasathien was awarded a British Council scholarship to study Resource and Environmental Conservation at London University for his Master’s degree. After his studies, he was appointed wildlife evacuation project leader for the Cheow Lan Dam project. Cheow Lan Dam was completed in 1987, and the resulting flooding destroyed 185 square kilometers (71 square miles) of lowland evergreen rainforest. A rescue operation was carried out to save some of the wildlife, including endangered species stranded on islands. In 1989, Seub Nakhasathien was granted a PhD scholarship to study in the United Kingdom, but he accepted the post of superintendent of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand instead. When he took over the job, he courageously had to deal with poachers every day. Most of Seub Nakhasathien’s adult life was spent studying wild animals, and he produced numerous academic papers on wildlife conservation. His reports were widely published, and to raise public awareness on the need to safeguard wildlife, he also often gave lectures and held exhibitions utilizing posters and photographs. He worked hard to protect the sanctuaries from deforestation and poaching, appealing to government agencies for support. He also prepared reports to propose the sanctuaries he was working in, become listed as Natural World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). “One year after Mr. Seub’s death, Thungyai Naresuan-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries became a Natural World Heritage Site.”

Born on August 31, 1936, in Monroeville, Alabama, Marva Collins, whose maiden name was Knight, was an American teacher. In 1975, she started Westside Preparatory School, which served an impoverished community in Garfield Park, Chicago. Marva Collins’ system of teaching displayed how much she cared for each student. She was generous with hugs and praise, calming, and able to get through to students who were initially resistant to learning. Mrs. Collins loved all students equally, and she respected their intellectual independence and individuality even when they disagreed with her. Essentially, Marva Collins offered her students “a philosophy for living.” She emphasized that achievement and excellence in life requires a sense of worth and independent thinking.Marva Collins trained teachers in her educational program, basing her curriculum on classical literature and material that contains abstract concepts. She encouraged her students to analyze what they read and express their own opinions and interpretations. Her purpose was to teach them the values of holding societies together. According to one classroom observer, the children were keen to participate in classroom debates, and their verbal skills and reasoning abilities were outstanding. Marva Collins passed away on June 24, 2015, at the age of 78, but her spirit, drive, courage, and dedication live on through her students and their high levels of accomplishment. A unique and saintly teacher, Marva Collins’ exemplary life-story continues to be an inspiration for parents and educators.In 2009, during a climate change conference with Supreme Master Ching Hai in Washington, D.C., Master mentioned the noble and crucial role of teachers. "And it is true that we are indebted to all the inspiring teachers whom we are honored to learn from throughout our lives, especially the teachers who impart the moral values as you mentioned, and a virtuous way of life; who help to nurture the citizens of the world to do good deeds selflessly; who treat others with kindness and fairness; and take care of the weak and the less fortunate. If we had more such teachers, our world could become a Heaven."

Today is World Teachers’ Day, an international event launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994. To celebrate this special day, we reflect on one distinguished educator’s story. Marva Collins became internationally renowned for developing her own educational methods and empowering her students. She has written books and manuals describing her history and methodology. The 1981 biographical TV movie entitled “The Marva Collins Story,” starring Cicely Tyson and Morgan Freeman, was released as a tribute to her success.Although she had no teaching certificate, Mrs. Collins was hired to teach second grade in public schools in Chicago as a full-time substitute teacher for 14 years. Through her experiences in that teaching system, Mrs. Collins found that the quality of education her own children were receiving deserved to be better. She was dissatisfied with its unfavorable treatment and attitude toward impoverished inner-city students. Marva Collins disregarded the Board of Education’s teaching guide and trusted her own experience. Rather than going by the public schools’ methods, which used books with pictures and dull workbooks, she developed her own teaching methods that truly worked, using phonics to teach reading and adding literary classics and poetry into the curriculum. Mrs. Collins facilitated discussions of the readings and had students memorize poetry. She used positive methods of discipline to address misconducts. “It’s always the children are the big ‘YOU’s’ and we are all the little ‘I’s.’ The teachers are not the big ‘I’s’ in our school. No teacher in our school has a desk. We do not have a chair nor a teacher’s desk. We walk all day. We serve the children. We find something positive to say about a child every morning: ‘I like your gym shoes. I like your ribbon. I like your blue jeans.’ We find something to say good to a child every morning. That’s just as important as the curriculum.”

That fateful day on the 12th of April 1961, Yuri Gagarin’s speech recorded this touching moment: “Dear friends, both known and unknown fellow countrymen, and people of all countries and continents! In a few minutes, a mighty spaceship will carry me into the far-away expanses of space. What can I say to you in these last minutes before the start? The whole of my life seems to be condensed into one wonderful moment. Everything I have experienced and done till now has been in preparation for this moment.” At his first press conference, he recalled: “The view of the Earth from an altitude of 175 to 300 kilometers (100 to 185 miles) is very sharp. The Earth’s surface looks approximately the same as seen from a high-flying jet plane. Clearly distinctive are large mountain ranges, large rivers, large forest areas, shorelines and islands.” After April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became an instant superstar, and he rose to the occasion, living up to the position of a national hero. He displayed a level of charisma that had not been witnessed in his home country for several decades. In a nation that had experienced a lot of turmoil during much of the 20th century, the occasion of Yuri Gagarin’s conquering of space was met by the public, almost universally, with an incredible outpouring of joy and patriotic fervor. He went on to become one of the first people to propose the use of a fixed-wing space vehicle, similar to the space shuttle designs that were later used by NASA in the US.Yuri Gagarin truly embraced the principles of equality and the brotherhood of man. He was at heart a pilot, with the soul of a poet. His journey into space had broadened his sense of benevolence for all of humanity as he looked down upon the most beautiful blue ball that is our Earth. To close today’s program, let us remember the wise words of Yuri Gagarin – the first man in space: “Circling the Earth in the orbital spaceship, I marveled at the beauty of our planet. People of the world!! Let us safeguard and enhance this beauty – not destroy it.”

On April 12, 2021, an unforgettable aerial tribute took place in Russia to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the incredible day that cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to leave the Earth’s atmosphere. Designated Cosmonautics Day by the United Nations, this spectacular event was celebrated around the world. In Russia, a display of modern drone technology in tandem with computer heightened artistry wowed the crowds, honoring the moment when Yuri Gagarin entered what was then an almost completely unknown domain, launching into space in the Soviet built spacecraft Vostok 1, and then returning safely to Earth. Yuri Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934, in the Russian village of Klushino, in the Smolensk region. In 1959, the Soviet Union began selecting its first group of cosmonauts. Yuri was one of The 154 applicants, of whom only 20 would be selected for training. In training, they were shut in a sensory deprivation chamber for as long as 10 days, and subjected to extreme heat and cold. Some candidates were injured during the process, and at least one trainee lost his life, yet they were all fully aware that they were risking their lives for this honorable duty for which they had all prepared. Just prior to the flight, Yuri wrote a letter to his wife and two young daughters: “I trust the hardware completely. It will not fail. I personally don’t believe it would happen. But if it does, I ask you all and you, Valyusha, in the first place not to waste yourself with grief. Life is life, and there is no guarantee for anybody that tomorrow a car might not end one’s life. Take care of our girls; love them like I do.” On the morning of the 12th of April, 1961. When Yuri finally made it into the rocket, there was a delay while some final adjustments were made; and finally, as the rockets were ignited and Vostok 1 left the launchpad, Yuri exclaimed the immortal line, “Poyekhali!” – “Let’s go!” in Russian. He left the Earth, thundering toward the sky!

In 1896, Nikola Tesla, now known as “The Man of Science,” finally met Swami Vivekananda, “The Man of God.” Both leaders were keen to delve deeper into the interrelations between science and spirituality. In 1900, Nikola Tesla published an article in “Century Illustrated Magazine” in which he pointed out the problem of food scarcity. He mentioned: “That we can subsist on plant food and perform our work even to advantage is not a theory, but a well-demonstrated fact. There is no doubt that some plant food, such as oatmeal, is more economical than meat, and superior to it in regard to both mechanical and mental performance. In view of these facts every effort should be made to stop the wanton and cruel slaughter of animals, which must be destructive to our morals.” In 1926, Nikola Tesla already described the modern smartphone: “We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance.” Anticipating the tragic consequences of climate change, he began to explore the idea of “free energy” and methods of production. Recently, a declassified FBI document entitled “Nikola Tesla Part 03 of 3” revealed that Nikola Tesla came from Venus. He left behind a treasure trove of top scientific secrets and patents. Nikola Tesla had more than 1,000 invention patents on record. Nikola Tesla’s scientific creations were considered 300 to 1,000 years ahead of his time. In 2008, Supreme Master Ching Hai also mentioned Mr. Tesla’s inventions. “Perhaps people in power will rethink about Tesla’s inventions and make use of them for the good of all. It’s a pity that when he was alive and his thinking was way ahead of his time, and also probably would not be very good news for some people who want to control the financial aspect of the world. I hope people will wake up soon, soon. Because despite all this, we will, still can halt the destructive climate change and buy some time for recovery and new technology. And the Earth can recover herself when we give her a chance and time, and not continue to exploit her ability of giving.”

The achievements that followed were not only due to Nikola’s mental prowess, but also sheer will; he had big dreams and was determined to accomplish them. In 1881, Nikola Tesla was living in Budapest and working for the Central Telephone Exchange. Nikola Tesla captured his thoughts in a diagram, drawn with a stick on the sand. This invention would forever change the world. The diagram depicted the induction motor and was presented and explained six years later in his lecture before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Tesla also stated, “The day science begins to study the non-physical (spiritual) phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.” In February 1882, Nikola Tesla had another epiphany about motors. Suddenly, he had a vision of using a rotating magnetic field in his motor, the basis with which nearly all devices using alternating currents now operate. He worked briefly as an electrical engineer at the Edison Machine Works, putting in 19 hours of work daily, from 10:30 a.m. until 5:00 a.m. the next day. Nikola Tesla came up with a set of some 24 improved and redesigned pieces of equipment to replace Edison’s existing machines. “Telautomatics” is defined here in Tesla’s writings: Whether the automaton be of flesh and bone, or of wood and steel, it mattered little, provided it could provide all the duties required of it like an intelligent being... My telautomaton, for instance, opens up a new art which will sooner or later render large guns entirely useless, and will make impossible the building of large battleships, and will... compel the nations to come to an understanding for the maintenance of peace.” His brain had become a virtual laboratory where he could successfully build mental pictures of any models, drawings, or experiments that he needed, all without putting pen to paper. He found this modus operandi to have great merit, and in over two decades of inventing, his devices always worked as he meant them to, without exception. He was bestowed with 15 honorary degrees from universities across the world, amongst them, Yale and Columbia in the United States, and 14 Meritorious Awards from various world class institutions.

Nikola Tesla was an exceptionally brilliant electrical engineer and was perhaps one of the greatest inventors that ever lived. He once declared, “What one man calls God, another calls the laws of physics.” Using his God-given talents in physics, Nikola Tesla devoted his entire life wholly for the betterment of humanity and helped modernize the world. He gave us long-distance electricity transmission and created the famous “Tesla coil.” His electric induction motors operate our appliances and run our factories. He brought in the radio, robotics, remote control, and computer technology. His alternating-current (AC) electric system has remained the primary electrical system and is still used across the world today. In fact, Tesla’s contemporary admirers regard him as the man who invented the 20th century. Commenting on Nikola Tesla’s remarkable inventions, Supreme Master Ching Hai said: “What Tesla invented uses free energy and free electricity. But he was facing competition because wired electricity had already been invented, so they suppressed his inventions. And he couldn’t reveal publicly a lot of his inventions. Many of them disappeared. After he made those inventions, his life became endangered. The Tesla car was one of his inventions, but maybe many of his original inventions are not available. I wanted to support this new technology and I like him so much. It’s such a pity that we have so much jealousy in this world, much more than the desire to contribute service. Otherwise, our world could be much more advanced.” Encyclopedia Britannica continues to list Nikola Tesla as “one of the top ten most fascinating people in history.” Throughout his childhood and the greater part of his life, Nikola Tesla had visions that were so vivid he had difficulty making out whether what he saw was real or imagined. Nikola Tesla’s Serbian parents played a leading role in molding his growth and development. As early as five years of age, he started introducing inventions that were absolutely original and of his own making.

Indeed, George Washington was a man of peace and had accepted his role only to serve his nation during its critical time. On December 23, 1783, he resigned as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and returned to his beloved civilian life at Mount Vernon. In 1787, the Constitutional Convention to decide how the American nation would be governed began in Philadelphia, and George Washington was elected to preside over it. The states now had to decide who would be their new nation’s first president, and George Washington was chosen unanimously, winning all 69 electoral votes. Both swearing the oath on the Bible and giving an inaugural address were ceremonial actions invented by His Excellency George Washington that have largely been followed since 1789. On October 3, 1789, recognizing “the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God,” President Washington declared November 26 as a “Day of Public Thanksgiving.” This later inspired His Excellency Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation. He later declined to run for a third term, thus setting a precedent of a two-term limit to the presidency, which was passed as a Constitutional amendment in 1947. To this day, he remains the only US president to have been elected unanimously. As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, His Excellency George Washington is often referred to as the “Father of His Country” in recognition of his capital role in the formation of the nation. General Henry Knox stated, “General Washington fills his place with vast ease and dignity and dispenses happiness around him.” In a recent conference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, Master graciously revealed Her fascinating relationship with His Excellency George Washington: “(We were wondering if Master has ever been a US president in the past or even one of the Founding Fathers?) Why you keep asking this kind of question? I cannot even prove it. I know. President Washington? (Yes, Master.) That was your Master. (Oh!) Surprised you. (Yeah.) Maybe that’s why I can talk politics these few days. I know the inside and the outside. I know the opposition and the self.” Upon screening this show, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed the following comments to the Supreme Master Television team: “Godlove folks! Thank you, all. For some reasons, this show brought M (Master) tears! M watched it again and again.”

George Washington was born in 1732, a fourth generation Virginian. His father passed away when he was just 11, and his education was modest. The first position he held was as a land surveyor. In 1752, following the death of one of his brothers, George Washington inherited the family estate at Mount Vernon, on the banks of the Potomac River. This would be his home for the rest of his life. He also took over his brother’s position as major in Virginia’s militia, where he began his military career. Although his tall stature made him an easy target, as a devout Anglican, George Washington had a secret power on the battlefield: his unshakable faith in God. In 1755, after miraculously being protected and surviving the conflict, 23-year-old George Washington wrote to his brother John Augustine: “But by the All-Powerful Dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability and expectation...” Amidst the conflict that continued for eight long and grueling years, George Washington always remembered the vanquished and prayed for an end to the hostilities. After one of many battles, he ordered the next day to be: “...a day of fasting, prayer and humiliation, to implore the Lord and Giver of all victory to pardon our manifold sins and wickedness, and that it would please Him to bless the Continental army with His Divine favor and protection.” At the end of 1777, the Continental Army set up camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania for the duration of winter. They were short of supplies and faced hunger and illness amidst the bitter cold. It is said that George Washington often went into the woods by himself and humbly prayed to God for his country. “In that woods pointing to a close in view, I heard a plaintive sound as, of a man at prayer. I tied my horse to a sapling and went quietly into the woods and to my astonishment I saw the great George Washington on his knees alone, with his sword on one side and his cocked hat on the other. He was at Prayer to the God of the Armies, beseeching to interpose with his Divine aid, as it was ye Crisis, and the cause of the country, of humanity, and of the world.”

An Irish politician, John Hume spent his life in the tireless pursuit of a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland. He was widely regarded as one of the most important figures of the Northern Ireland peace process. As the Catholic leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, he was one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed in 1998 by Northern Ireland’s largest political parties, ending decades of conflict. For his efforts, John Hume was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He also received the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award, making him the only person to win these three major peace awards.John Hume was born in Londonderry, also known as Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1937. John Hume felt he had a duty to help those who were not as lucky as he and founded the Derry Credit Union with a few friends. John Hume also became involved in founding a housing association to relieve the housing shortage in Londonderry. When his plans to build 700 homes were met with resistance from the planning permission department, he got into politics. John Hume was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1973, serving as Minister of Commerce in 1974. He was also a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in 1970, and nine years later, became its leader. In the 1980s, John Hume initiated private talks with Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Féin, a political party committed to the unconditional unification of Ireland. Despite facing many risks and backlash, he courageously persisted in the peaceful dialogues, creating a number of proposals which are widely acknowledged as having paved the way to peace in Northern Ireland, including a ceasefire agreement in 1994.John Hume pressed the governments in Ireland and Britain to enter talks with all parties. He enlisted support for the peace process from the United States of America and notably from former president His Excellency Bill Clinton, who is also a Shining World Leadership Award for Compassion Laureate. The British and Irish governments invited former United States Senator George J. Mitchell to chair the peace negotiations that resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The foundation for a lasting peace had been set.

Melania Trump, or Melanija Knavs, was born in 1970. A native of the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia, she is the wife of His Excellency Donald Trump, 45th US President, who is also a Shining World Peace Leader Award and Shining World Leadership Award for Compassion Laureate.Melania Trump has used her life for the betterment of humanity, especially in the care of children and the plight of women and girls around the world. Among the many causes that she has supported, she served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the American Red Cross, earned the title “Woman of the Year” in 2006 by the Police Athletic League, and was Honorary Chairwoman of the Boys Club of New York, to name a few. In 2016, Melania Trump became the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams in the 19th century. As First Lady, she continued her humanitarian endeavors. In June 2018, she urgently addressed immigration concerns regarding the separation of children from their families.In March 2018, she held a meeting with policy executives from technology giants such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google to address internet safety and online harassment. On May 7, 2018, Melania Trump formally launched her “Be Best” campaign, bringing public awareness to the problems of opioids and cyberbullying. In late 2018, Melania Trump toured Africa to learn firsthand about American aid initiatives in Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt with respect to conservation, children, and families. During a stop in Malawi, “Be Best”-themed soccer balls were given out to students and chalk to teachers.Throughout her husband’s noble presidency, Mrs. Trump supported him 100%. His Excellency Donald Trump and the former First Lady always have been, and remain, committed to the welfare of the United States of America. “Every day, let us remember that we are one nation under God, and we need to cherish one another. My husband knows how to make a real change. From the day that I met him, he has only wanted to make this country the best it can be. For many years, I watched him grow concerned and frustrated, and I am so proud to see the many things he has done in such a short time. America is in his heart.”

Born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama, of the United States of America, Zora Neale Hurston became one of the most significant and successful female African American writers of the 20th century. Her writing career spanned 30 years, during which she published two books on folklore, four novels, numerous short stories, essays, plays, and an autobiography. Zora Neale Hurston possessed a great sense of humor and intellect, charming all those she met.Zora Neale Hurston established a school of dramatic arts in 1934 at Bethune-Cookman College, and in 1956, she received the Bethune-Cookman College Award for Education and Human Relations in recognition of her achievements. In 1935, Zora began her studies at Columbia University for a Ph.D. in anthropology on a fellowship from Rosenwald Foundation. The 1937 novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” was considered her masterpiece novel. It is the story about a young African American woman’s growth towards independence and self-awareness. When Zora’s autobiography “Dust Tracks on a Road” was published in 1942, she received international acclaim and was featured in “Who’s Who in America,” “Current Biography,” and “Twentieth Century Authors.” “Barracoon” is a book written by Zora based on three months of interviews with a man named Cudjo Lewis, originally named Kossula. He was a survivor of the last slave ship to land in America. 87 years later, “Barracoon” was published by the Zora Neal Hurston Trust. It became a bestseller, selling over 250,000 copies. Zora’s book “Their Eyes Were Watching God” became a television movie in 2005. Zora Neale Hurston acknowledged herself as a “cosmic” being in her essay, “How It Feels To Be Colored Me.” “The cosmic Zora emerges. I belong to no race nor time. I am the eternal feminine with its string of beads. I have no separate feeling about being an American citizen and colored. I am merely a fragment of the Great Soul that surges within the boundaries.”

Mr. Dashdondog has written his works in all genres of children’s literature, such as lyrics, verses, poems, short stories, tales, picture books, non-fictions, plays, operas, screenplays, translations, etc. He also drew the illustrations for some of his books and set his poems to music. The internationally acclaimed pop singer, Nominjin, released her first-ever single “Children of Mother Nature” when she was just 12 years old. The lyrics of this song are full of animal rights concepts and were also written by Mr. Dashdondog. “Oh, why can’t we find a common language, when we are all from the same Mother Nature? Oh, why can’t we understand each other, When we are all from the same house – the world? When we are all from the same house – the world?” Mr. Dashdondog has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Prize, which is comparable to the Nobel Prize in Children’s Literature. One of the 33 best writers nominated from 33 countries is Dashdondog Jamba, a State-honored writer, Distinguished Culture Advocate, and celebrated children’s author. Dashdondog Jamba was honored as the Distinguished Culture Advocate of Mongolia, and more recently in 2016, the 4th President of Mongolia His Excellency Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, a Shining World Leadership Award for Compassion recipient, presented to Mr. Dashdondog the award of “State Honored Writer.” During the ceremony, President Elbegdorj said, “Goodness of a nation depends on its people; goodness of the people depends on their childhood.” Now, let’s listen to a beautiful song, entitled “Colorful Dream,” which Mr. Dashdondog performed in London during the 33rd International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) International Congress. “One day, don’t know when One place, don’t know where I am walking among caves of candies wrapped in gold and silver papers I wanted to stuff handfuls into my pockets to eat, but dawn has come. Oh, oh, how sad? How lovely was my delicious dream! If dawn had delayed its arrival a bit I would have eaten at least one.”

We are very honored to have Mr. Borolzoi Dashdondog, the son of Dashdondog Jamba, share with us his father’s story. “Another thing he was doing was the children’s library. How it was started is that, during the period when my father was young and lived actively creating his creations, it was a socialist period, before 1990. He said that it started from the year 1991. From then till the year 2016, this nomadic library operated for 25 years. There’s a note: the total distance it traveled is over 150,000 kilometers (93,200 miles). During his travels, not only did he let children read his books, but he also recited poems and gave lectures.” Dashdondog Jamba traveled to the remotest parts of Mongolia to get nomadic children to read. In the Gobi desert, when his car could no longer move, Jamba carried his mobile library on the back of a camel. He would ride a motorcycle or a horse where the steppes would not allow for any other type of transport. Let’s enjoy a recitation by Dashdondog Jamba of his poem, “‘The Mobile Library on Camelback.’ Dashdondog Jamba wrote “The Stone Legends” on behalf of wild animals, and it was published in 2001. The stories were inspired by stones in the Terelj region of Mongolia. Many sad events happen because people do not comprehend the language of animals. Worried about wild animals becoming rare, Mr. Dashdondog wrote “The Stone Legends” to help people better understand and appreciate them. While learning about the pains that the animals endure, readers feel a deep compassion for them. “The Stone Legends” created a sensation in Mongolian society, and a voluntary association for the protection of wild animals was established by children.