Creating a World of Peace - The Thought and Works of Sun Myung Moon by Joon Ho Seuk
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Creating a World of Peace - The Thought and Works of Sun Myung Moon by Joon Ho Seuk |
At the outset of 2004 Rev. Moon proclaimed the dawning of the "era of the Peace Kingdom." The Peace Kingdom refers to the establishment of a realm of universal harmony, cooperation and prosperity among all people, beyond race, religion, nationality or culture. Within the Peace Kingdom all human beings belong to one family and one lineage of true love under God. The citizens of the Peace Kingdom are brothers and sisters living together in true love.
In order to further the realization of the Peace Kingdom, in September 2005 Reverend Moon founded the Universal Peace Federation a global alliance of individuals and organizations dedicated to building a world of peace, a world in which everyone can live in freedom, harmony, cooperation and co-prosperity.
The core objectives of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) include the promotion of:
1. Reform and strengthening of the United Nations and its Economic and Social Council
2. Partnerships among governments, religions and civil society
3. A culture of peace through education, sports, arts, media and service
4. Inter-religious cooperation
5. Conflict prevention and resolution
6. Strong, loving family life
The Universal Peace Federation builds on the foundation established over decades through a wide range of organizations and programs founded by Reverend Moon, including the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (known as the Unification Church), established in 1954, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, established in 1996, and the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace founded in 1999.
The UPF programs are carried out by a global network of Ambassadors for Peace who have formed Peace Councils on the global, regional, national and local levels.
What is an Ambassador for Peace?
Ambassadors for Peace are part of a global network of leaders representing the religious, racial and ethnic diversity of the human family, as well as all disciplines of human endeavor. They stand on the common ground of shared principles and are committed to the path of promoting reconciliation, overcoming barriers, and building peace.
Ambassadors for Peace are leaders in all walks of life, dedicated to building a world-wide community of peace through applying the principles of peace of the Universal Peace Federation.
The Universal Peace Federation is guided by a vision of humanity as one global family under God, living in accordance with universal principles.
As instructed by the teachings of all the great religions, we all derive our existence from a common origin and we all share a common purpose and destiny. We affirm these core values:
The essential characteristics of God-centeredness are absolute faith, love and obedience. These are not only the characteristics of a God-centered person but fundamental attributes of the divine character. A God-centered person is one who understands God as the ultimate reality and guiding force in the universe and who lives for the sake of others.
Peace has its foundation in the family, the cornerstone of peace. Through family, we not only reproduce the human species but also generate the human spirit, our character and our culture. The family has its foundation in the stability of sexual order, which entails purity before marriage and fidelity in marriage.
The Universal Peace Federation encourages all efforts to overcome human barriers such as race, religion, politics and ethnicity and works to build bridges of reconciliation, cooperation and peace.
The realization of peace requires principled, human effort. Peace does not emerge automatically. Each human being must take responsibility to initiate their own personal, spiritual and moral transformation and contribute to the well-being of others.
The essence of good character is true love, an unselfish heart of love for others that translates into unselfish action, living for the sake of others. Living for the sake of others is not the teaching of any particular religion but can be found in the essential teachings of all religions.
The universe is relational in nature. Give and take action leads to peace when the action is guided by the principle of living for the sake of others. Lasting human development has its foundation in unselfish give and take action.
Conflict, abuse and corruption have their foundation in selfish give and take action.
All things are created to co-exist in harmonious, cooperative and mutually fulfilling partnership.
No entity's purpose is to exist in isolation as an individual. Successful partnership has its foundation in unselfish give and take action.
In addition to the observable physical world we experience, there is also a spiritual world, a spiritual reality that exists as well. Each human being has an eternal spirit that exists in an eternal spiritual world after the death of the physical body. Spiritual principles are to be practiced on earth so that we are prepared for life in the spiritual world.
UPF has appointed thousands of Ambassadors for Peace throughout the world. Here is one example of their valuable work:
The West African nation of Liberia made history in January 2006 when Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became the first democratically-elected female Head of State in the history of the African Continent. However, the new President faced a daunting task. The civil war that marred the recent history of Liberia undid much of what the nation had achieved. Most of the country's infrastructure and public buildings were destroyed. Two hundred thousand people were killed, and another 800,000 displaced from their homes.
Close to another 700,000 became refugees in neighboring countries.
In May 2006, with the support and cooperation of the Universal Peace Federation, the new President launched the National Peace Council (NPC) of Liberia. Support for the work of the NPC was declared by a representative from the UN mission in Liberia.
The launching of the NPC marked the start of a three-day West Africa Ambassadors for Peace conference which ended on May 8, with Vice President Joseph Boakai in attendance to award a number of Peace Ambassadorships to several prominent Liberians.
According to the UPF/IIFWP Chairperson Mary N. Brownell, the new National Peace Council is "a permanent structure to foster peace, good governance, peace education and national reconciliation so as to promote human development at all levels of the Liberian society as well as the sub-region."
President of NPC of Liberia, Dr. Evelyn Kandakai (Minister of Education for the Republic of Liberia) said the NPC will be driven by core principles of the UPF such as God-centeredness, humanity as one global family under God, and true families as the foundation of world peace. The inter-religious nature of the NPC seeks to break down barriers whether national, religious, race, tribal or other by the principle of partnership among individuals, educational institutions, organizations, corporations, media, and governments.
Rev. Gerald Coleman, a commissioner of Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Liberia, who represented the TRC Chairman, observed: "Today, May 6, 2006 will certainly be remembered as the second most historical day in the resurrection history of Liberia which symbolizes LIBERTY In Africa (LIBERIA)." He also used the occasion to inform the public that the TRC will be launching its own activities on June 22, 2006, noting that "while TRC has short life, you (the officers of NPC) have the potential of being the moral guarantors of our work beyond 2008."
Ambassador for Peace Joseph Boakai, the Vice President of Liberia, delivered the closing remarks in which he stated: "This is a praise-worthy approach and I commend organizers for this unique concept.
The concept about peace councils as espoused by UPF will further consolidate the strides we have made in the search for genuine peace and harmony in our country and the world."