Founder’s Address Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon presented by Sun Jin Moon
November 30, 2016, Washington DC, USA
OPENING REMARKS of Sun Jin Moon prior to reading TM’s Founder’s Address
Distinguished parliamentarians and leaders from throughout America and the world. It is an honor to stand before you today. I am delighted to be here in Washington and to welcome such a very distinguished group of leaders gathered here today.
The UPF’s series of International Leadership Conferences, featuring the launch of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), has been received enthusiastically throughout the world.
[As Dr. Walsh just explained] this ILC in Washington DC, concludes the 2016 series of programs.
I want to thank the Washington Times Foundation for joining together with UPF to co-sponsor this global ILC event.
As I witness the enthusiastic response that is coming from every corner of the world, in response to the IAPP, I truly feel that my beloved late father, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, must be very pleased. And I know also that my mother, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, is proud of all the amazing work that is being done—the global networking, and the building of a true sense of brotherly and sisterly love. I believe we are coming together as one family under God.
Here we witness the victory of love over enmity, harmony over division. Even though we come from so many diverse backgrounds, at this ILC we are working together beyond any difference or barrier. Most importantly, we recognize that there is a common ground that binds us together. For this reason, we can learn from one another and we can dialogue together cooperatively as we search for solutions to today’s much divided and suffering world.
Our contemporary world, now more than ever, needs good governance and a global peace-loving worldview that affirms the oneness of our human family and all life on earth. As a US citizen, I have serious concerns about the future direction of my nation. I hope that the new administration here in America, along with the US Congress, will stand up for universal values and the wellbeing of all people, the world over.
We live in an interdependent world. We are all connected. What effects one country, good or bad, affects the world.
Even in my home country of Korea the news media ar flooded with reports about the scandal related to the corruption of the government in Korea and about the protest of the people against such abuses of power. This is a very serious crisis that will no doubt have wider repercussions through East Asia.
All around us, the world seems to be unraveling as fear, anger, and division fuel domestic and global crises. Many nations seems to be turning inward in a self-interested way, and protectionism is on the rise.
This is very unfortunate at a time when, throughout the world, there is catastrophic human suffering due to extreme poverty, violent conflict, and terrorism, leading to unprecedented numbers of refugees and displaced persons. In addition, climate change is threatening the well being of us all; changing weather patterns are leading to drought, flooding, super-storms, oceans rising, and temperature fluctuations that threaten the conditions for farming, and food security in many parts of the world. These global realities affect us all.
My parents always worked to overcome division, hostility, discord, and suffering and spent their entire lives calling for world peace, true love and living for the sake of others. They were guided by a vision of “One Family Under God.” It is with this in mind that my mother has worked urgently, building on the UPF foundation, to establish the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace. It is her fervent hope that through the IAPP, parliamentarians will work together collaboratively—-even going beyond divisions of political party and political ideology—- practicing good governance. In that way, we can bring about lasting change in our world.
In order to succeed we need the wisdom, commitment and strength of all of you. Only in this way can we hope to bring about global change that yields prosperity, peace and harmony for everyone. Each one of you—statesmen and stateswomen, leaders, educators and faith based leaders from throughout the world– working together based on mutual respect, practicing true love toward humanity and all creation, offers hope to our troubled world.
My parents have a very deep love and appreciation for America. Both my mother and my father worked tirelessly over many decades in this nation. The UPF and The Washington Times, founded in this nation, are the fruits of their labors. They believed that when people are brought together and guided by their vision, the road to peace can be paved and we can transform this world. But as we know, nothing can be accomplished without our taking responsibility, taking action, guided by core principles.
My Father coined the phrase “headwing” philosophy during the “cold war” era. He wanted to overcome the opposition and the polemics between the right wing and left wing. He wanted to lead us beyond these two warring sides, offering headwing thought to create an environment of peace, cooperation, and mutual prosperity. At a time when we experience once again in many places the intense rhetoric of both right wing and left wing worldviews, I believe it shows that we are out of balance. It is therefore very important, during such divided times to consider embracing head wing consciousness.
Head wing thought is not simply a political philosophy. My parents always taught that we need to be grounded in universal spiritual and moral principles. Thus my parents also encouraged us to embrace “Godism” that is, to always seek to see the world and all things from a God-centered point of view, the most universal or cosmic point of view. Such a worldview can bring together all divisions, just as parents seek to bring their children into harmony. I believe this is the basis of the successful work of UPF and the many organizations that my parents founded.
I believe their teachings can bring about a unification of the political philosophies, and even the ideals of all the world’s religions. The essential point is that we must overcome self-centeredness and learn to live for the sake of others. If we apply this principle we can initiate a great awakening and bring all people together as one family under God.
As you know, my dear father who a passed 4 years ago. He lived for only one purpose, to unite the world as one family under God, going beyond barriers of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and ideology. I hope you can study his life and find insight and wisdom from his teachings. At this time, after his passing, my amazing mother is carrying this torch of world peace and one family under God.
The speech I am about to deliver is a message that my mother prepared for the 2016 ILC series, centered on UPF, aimed at introducing the vision of the IAPP.
Since she will be speaking tonight on Capitol Hill, she asked me, on her behalf, to deliver this important message to you today.
I hope you will give your full attention to these words.
I will now read the Founder’s Address of Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon:
UPF Founder’s Address
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, Founder, UPF
Your Excellencies. Distinguished leaders, Members of Congress and parliamentarians from throughout America and the world. Honored Participants in the International Leadership Conference, sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation, together with the Washington Times Foundation. Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am pleased to address you today in Washington, D.C.
I believe it is very significant that we have gathered here for this special session of UPF’s International Leadership Conference, and the launch of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace.
I am encouraged that parliamentarians and Members of Congress from America—and other leading nations of the world—have come together on this occasion.
My late husband, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, and I have always taught that individuals in every sector of society— including government, civil society, religion, business, academia, etc.—have a responsibility to work to build a world of universal and lasting peace. This is especially true of parliamentarians.
The parliament in any nation is the house of the people, a place where the voice of the people may be heard and the public good advanced by democratically elected representatives, parliamentarians.
Representative democracy is a noble tradition, with roots that date back many centuries, and now the most widely practiced form of governance.
Although you have gathered here from nations around the world, you share a common appreciation and respect for serving as the representatives of the people who elected you.
You are servants of the people, and, as such, are expected to serve the public good, guided by basic principles of good governance: accountability, transparency, collegiality, inclusivity, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Good governance is secured not only by the policies and laws of the political system. It is also necessary that those who hold positions of power be people of good character, guided by their conscience and universal moral principles.
Good governance also depends upon a well-educated an morally responsible citizenry.
It is for this reason that throughout history religion has been an important factor in contributing to the moral and spiritual development of both the political leaders and the citizens.
It is imperative that, within modern democratic systems, we do not lose sight of God, our creator and Heavenly Parent, nor of the spiritual principles and laws that have been taught throughout the ages.
My husband and I have dedicated our lives exclusively to building a world of lasting peace. This has been our lifelong mission.
We have always taught that peace is not merely an absence of violent conflict. Peace comes into being whenever relationships are characterized by harmony, balance and mutual respect.
Such relationships are created when we practice unselfishness, living for the sake of others. This is the essence of true love.
True Love is the essence of God, who created all things, as our Heavenly Parent. We all have a nature that derives from our common origin. That is why we are capable of practicing True Love, toward one another, and toward all things in the world around us.
Our purpose and responsibility as the sons and daughters of God, our Heavenly Parent, is to become individuals of True Love, with mind and body united; on this foundation we can build marriages and families of true love, as the foundation for the society and the nation; and in turn we should care for the planet and all the forms of life that make up our environment. If we fulfill this responsibility, we can establish a world of peace.
My husband and I have applied this ideal, and the principle of living for the sake of others, in every sector of society.
We have always honored individuals who applied these principles in their spheres of professional life, appointing them as Ambassadors for Peace.
Many parliamentarians around the world have been appointed as Ambassadors for Peace and they work closely with UPF and other affiliated organizations of our movement.
In addition, I recently inaugurated the Sunhak Peace Prize to honor individuals and organizations who have dedicated themselves to serving the well-being of others and future generations. The first Sunhak Peace Prize was presented in August 2015, and the second prize will be awarded in February 2017.
When I spoke at the United Nations in Vienna in May of last year, 2015, I called for a spiritual awakening. The member states of the United Nations should not merely follow their national interests.
Each member state should seek to serve the whole purpose, the larger purpose, looking beyond national self-interest. When we observe the world from God’s point of view, we see the world from a larger perspective.
No matter what our field of endeavor—priest, parliamentarian, or professor—we should be committed to and guided by universal moral and spiritual principles.
Whether we are the mayor of a small town, the pastor of a small church, or the president of a nation or the secretary general of the UN, this is our eternal responsibility. This is the responsibility of each parliamentarian gathered here.
In the year 2000, my husband and I spoke at the United Nations in New York, calling on the United Nations and the member states to consider an innovative proposal, namely, that the United Nations build within its system an interfaith council, consisting of religious, spiritual and moral leaders who could advise, collaborate and deliberate with the representatives of the member states. Such a council could serve as the voice of universal values and principles.
The UN emerged in the World War II era, more than 70 years ago. Whereas, there are UN Headquarters Offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, there is no such office in Asia, even though we are living increasingly in an Asia Pacific age.
In many ways, the geopolitical, economic and social center of gravity of our world is shifting toward Asia. With this in mind, UPF and other affiliated organizations of our movement, are advocating for consideration of a 5th United Nations office to be established in Korea.
I hope you will reflect on this proposal. I believe a 5th UN Office on the Korean peninsula, perhaps in the DMZ, with support of both Koreas, would go a long way toward establishing peace on this peninsula and toward peace in the Asia Pacific Region.
In closing, I want to emphasize the importance of the role of parliamentarians. You represent the people. You are entrusted by the people with a great responsibility.
If parliamentarians of the world join together in harmony and cooperation for the sake of peace, we can transform the current reality of our world, creating a world of joy, harmony and lasting peace.
With this in mind I encourage you, on this day, to form the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace, centered on the principle of living for the sake of others, and centered on God, our Heavenly Parent.
You are the representatives of the 7 billion people of the world. If you join together in this way, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Let us work together to build a world of lasting peace.
Thank you for allowing me to share these words with you today.
May God bless each one of you, your family and your nation.