My country, Iran, is the second largest in the Middle East. Iran is the recipient of two Shining World Leadership Awards for Compassion for her noble lifesaving acts toward our animal co-inhabitants. The honorable government of Iran is also a four-time recipient of the Shining World Leadership Award for Good Governance. A continued priority for Iran’s leaders is the protection of women’s rights. I

Iceland is a Nordic island country famous for its breathtaking natural landscapes of mountains, glaciers, and healing hot springs. Despite its small population of 342,000, Iceland is a highly developed country. Today, 100% of Iceland’s electricity is renewable, with hydro- and geothermal electricity contributing 75% and 25%, respectively. Geothermal energy also provides 87% of the nation’s hot wat

Reserve on land, Honduras is a world-renowned biodiversity hotspot. Since 2018, at least 60% of our total national electricity is now derived from renewable sources. And in 2019, Honduras was part of an eight-country pledge to preserve the Five Great Forests of Mesoamerica, one of which is the Moskitia. Hong Kong, has had the honor of being visited by our Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai. “

My South American country, Guyana, means “Land of Many Waters.” Along with four large rivers that run through the land, there is the spectacular Kaieteur Falls, the world’s largest single-drop waterfall by volume. We also show our care for these God-given treasures through sustainable forest management and green development strategies that protect biodiversity and rainforests. Another preservation

Guatemala is best known for her magnificent mountainous landscape, rich Mayan heritage, and the colorful city Antigua. Thankfully, the people of Guatemala have made considerable strides in conserving our beautiful rainforests. Moreover, health care is becoming more accessible in Guatemala! What’s more, the Guatemalan government has taken major steps to improve animal welfare. A comprehensive law p

The people of Ghana wish you spiritual upliftment. Our country is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and we are neighbored by Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo. To improve the life quality of its citizens, the Ghanaian government had been implementing programs like LEAP, or Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty," which provides both cash payments for those in need as well as free hea

Africa’s smallest country, The Gambia, opens onto the Atlantic coast on the west and borders Senegal in all three other directions. On May 28, 2010, The Gambia took a giant step toward gender equality when His Excellency President Yahya Jammeh signed the Women’s Act. The Gambian government has also been working to protect citizens through a National Adaptation Plan to build resilience to climate c

Taiwan (Formosa) is a recipient of the Shining World Leadership Award for Compassion. Located in the ocean waters neighboring mainland China, Japan, and the Philippines, this island nation was originally called "Ilha Formosa" by Portuguese explorers, which means "Beautiful Island." The Taiwanese (Formosan) people are known for their inventiveness and creativity, combining science with colorful des

Located in a region known as the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia existed as a civilization millions of years ago, based on archaeological finds. Ethiopia achieved a wonderful stabilizing change when His Excellency, Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed forged a peace accord with neighboring country Eritrea in 2018. The following year, His Excellency’s efforts were recognized as he became not only a Nobel Peace P

Historically, Eritrea is one of the earliest countries to adopt Christianity and is also home to the world’s first African mosque, the Mosque of the Companions, in Massawa. On September 17, 2018, Eritrea and Ethiopia officials agreed to end decades of previous discord when they signed a peace accord. More recently, the two countries re-opened free travel between their borders. The development has

Located at the cross paths between North Africa, Southwestern Asia and Europe, my country, Egypt, is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with over 5000 years of history. Its iconic monuments, the Giza Necropolis, the Great Sphinx, as well as the ruins of Memphis, Thebes, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings. In other news, did you know that ninety-six percent of Egypt’s land is covered by

The Commonwealth of Dominica, a small island country rich in natural beauty, is part of a group called the Lesser Antilles, situated in the Caribbean Sea. Dominica’s treasures include Morne Trois Pitons National Park, which was recognized by UNESCO in 1997 as a World Heritage Site. Protected areas such as these are home to a variety of plants and animals found only in Dominica, like our national b

Our three generous countries: the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Djibouti.Nestled in the very heart of Europe, the Czech Republic, or Czechia, was once an ancient kingdom, with magnificent towers, cathedrals and castles that still adorn the land today. During Her 1999 European Lecture tour, Supreme ‘Master Ching Hai’ was invited to the nation’s beautiful capital city of Prague, where She spoke a

Let’s talk about some positive news and share stories about our courageous countries. As a country that began turning to organic farming methods nearly 30 years ago, Cuba has become a leader in sustainable agriculture. Along with a decrease in the use of pesticides is a significant increase in produce production. To address the effects of climate change on this vulnerable Caribbean island, our far

Costa Ricans are friendly, easygoing and happy people. Costa Rica has opened its borders with loving arms to neighboring refugees in need. In addition, many far-sighted environmental policies have been put in place, coupled with expanded agriculture and the modernization of the nation. It has long been recognized as the greenest and happiest country in the world. Animal welfare in Costa Rica has a

In Comoros, eighty percent of the rural population relies on rain to nourish their agriculture. With the help of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and a partnership with United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Comorian government launched a US$60 million project with the goal of “ensuring climate-resilient water supplies in the Comoros Islands.” With year-round operation of the supply facilities

With a multi-ethnic society of European and indigenous Indian ancestry, Chile is known for political freedom and cultural tolerance. Chile passed legislation in 2018 to strengthen women’s leadership in politics and public enterprises, requiring at least 40% of the candidates standing for Parliament to be women. Not only that, the ethical veg lifestyle has taken Chile by storm. In 2018, research fo

Cabo Verde is a growing, tropical paradise tourist destination that’s vegan friendly and going green. Cabo Verde is indeed plant-based as well as green, with more and more restaurants offering delicious, healthy vegan options on their menus. Last but not least, women in Cabo Verde have come a long way since the country’s independence in 1975. The government of the Central African Republic is stead

From 1995 to 2018, Cambodia’s economy has enjoyed an annual growth rate of 8%, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world, thanks to robust garment exports and a prosperous tourist trade. Cambodia also protects its natural resources. Veganism is also rising in Cambodia. In the capital city Phnom Penh alone, we have 59 vegetarian-friendly restaurants. In 2018, Cameroon and its neig

Today we are going to share with you many positive changes from our home countries. With God’s grace, organic agriculture in Bulgaria has had the highest rate of expansion in the whole of Europe, more than tripling in recent years. Moreover, Bulgaria is taking a step closer to completely banning fur trade. In the last few years, veganism has seen exponential growth in Bulgaria. Now let me introduc