On 3 April 2025, the Free Republic of Liberland had the honour of bestowing its highest state decoration, the Medal of Merit, upon Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL). This prestigious award recognizes individuals whose efforts have significantly advanced the causes of liberty, peace, and human dignity — principles that lie at the very heart of the Liberland project.
Dr. Hong is not only a spiritual leader but also a statesman of conscience. Through the Federation of World Peace and Love, which he founded in 2000, Dr. Hong has led an extraordinary campaign for global awareness of the moral responsibilities we all share. He has personally travelled to over 75 countries, conducting peace bell ceremonies with presidents, prime ministers, and heads of international organizations. These acts are far from symbolic alone — they carry with them a profound call for the rekindling of personal conscience in political, civic, and individual life.
Among Dr. Hong’s most significant achievements is his contribution to the establishment of the United Nations’ International Day of Conscience, observed globally on 5 April. This day encourages all individuals to reflect inwardly and act outwardly in accordance with their highest ethical convictions — a concept that strongly resonates with Liberland’s motto, “to live and let live.” In this, Dr. Hong and Liberland speak a shared language: one of responsibility without coercion, peace without submission, and action without domination.
Liberland is a small nation with a grand vision. Founded on libertarian principles, it seeks to create a new model of statehood — one that places individual sovereignty, voluntary association, and transparent governance above bureaucratic control and centralized power. In Dr. Hong, Liberland recognizes not only a fellow traveller but a global pioneer whose work reinforces the idea that true peace must be chosen freely and built on the foundation of personal virtue.
The Medal of Merit is not awarded lightly. It is reserved for those whose contributions transcend borders and touch the core of what it means to be free. By presenting it to Dr. Hong, Liberland acknowledges the immense value of his humanitarian efforts and the alignment of his mission with our national values. His leadership serves as a moral compass in a world increasingly adrift in technocracy and cynicism.
We believe that a freer world is a more peaceful one. Dr. Hong embodies this belief — not only in words, but in relentless action, grounded in humility and hope. This medal is a symbol of our gratitude, but also of our ongoing alliance with those working to build a world governed not by force, but by conscience.
Thank you, Dr. Hong, for your courage, your clarity, and your enduring commitment to peace. Your light does not shine alone — it is joined now by a nation that shares your dream.