Sung Il Cho
July 17, 2016
The 13 candidates are:
Asia: Philippines, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, and Taiwan
Africa: Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Keny
Americas: Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Paraguay
Europe: Albania
On July 17, True Mother presided over the celebratory banquet for the 10th Anniversary of True Parents’ Coronation and entrance ceremony, which was conducted alongside the opening ceremony of the special conference to select the key strategic nations.
Director General Sung Il Cho of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) International Headquarters reported on the selection process beginning from the initial proposal given at the 2016 Cheon Il Guk Leaders’ Assembly, and the process by which 21 nations were selected according to region. True Mother reminded all in attendance that we are living in an era in which Unificationists worldwide need to offer devotion and lead active lives.
“The entire Unification Movement needs to support the nations that are selected during this conference, through your collaboration, in order for those nations to be victorious. This is the purpose for which you are alive today. Therefore, do not lose hope. Do not let go of your dream. I don’t know which regions will be chosen, but it will be historic. Imagine how happy our descendants will be when they hear the story of how you received the Holy Items. Imagine how grateful your descendants will be that their ancestors have been involved. How many of your descendants will be proud? This is how desperate my heart is. There can be no retreat on our path forward. How can all the world’s 7.3 billion people come to True Parents’ bosom? This may seem like a miraculous feat, but we need to make it happen.”
True Parents, a title no one in history could previously claim, will spread their love to all of their children throughout the entire world.
The conference for the selection of the key strategic nations began with a stern message from True Mother. Regional FFWPU presidents and national leaders of the selected nations took part in the conference, which lasted four days. Each nation presented proposals for national restoration, which included detailed indicators, strategies, and joint resolutions of Unification communities. After each presentation, intense discussions ensued that analyzed each nation’s strategy and the feasibility of its success.
South America is determined to develop their outreach capabilities by emphasizing one-on-one Hoon Dok Hae readings and home group meetings to complete their mission as tribal messiahs. Africa also gave much hope as its regional leaders reported that they have been reaching out to influential village chiefs and religious leaders, and are laying the foundation for whole tribes to be dedicated to heaven.
One of the African representatives commented, “We have mobilized 180 village chiefs because we have one of our members who is a village chief and then he also has an ambassador for peace among those people. They are going to mobilize them and we will increase that up to seventy thousand village chiefs by 2020.”
A representative from South America also commented, “We must first reach individual perfection and practice a heavenly life. We can then manage home groups with that standard. When we began to think in this way, we began to have success. First, you must witness to yourself. Once we unite among ourselves, we can reach out to others.”
Countries such as Korea, Japan, and the United States already have a system for outreach in place, and sought alternative ways in which they could support nations in difficult situations to accomplish their missions. Representative nations from around the world were united as one during this conference.
The closing ceremony, presided over by True Mother, took place after all 21 presentations had been made. Dr. Thomas Walsh, President of Universal Peace Federation (UPF) International, and Sung Byung Kim, Chairman of the Mission Foundation, expressed how well each nation planned their strategies according to their national circumstances. They both expressed the hope they felt for national restoration.
True Mother selected the 13 finalists through this second phase based on the presentations, and after assessing the potential for national restoration. The winning 7 nations will be selected after deliberation over the details of each report.
“Would you like Mother to continue to be beautiful for the sake of Vision 2020? I will remain beautiful for 40 years as I continue to be with you. In order to do that, I will make more effort to take care of my health. My wish is that every time you bring me news of your victories, I can embrace you and say, ‘Thank you Heavenly Parent, you have waited so long for this victory!’ As I told you, before the day I ascend, we will be victorious without fail. I hope today you resolve to fulfill that! I have said in my heart I want to proudly praise your work and efforts. I hope that all nations that have been selected can do their best very best to accomplish their responsibilities. From the very beginning, I said that more than 7 nations would be selected. I hope all 13 nations can be victorious; I hope all 21 nations can be victorious. I want this number to grow; there is no reducing this number. Therefore, I hope that all of you here today can do your very best.”
True Mother will officially announce and bless the key strategic nations for Vision 2020 at the resolution rally to be held on 4th anniversary of True Father’s Seonghwa. Not only the strategic nations, but all the nations of the world were resolute in their determination to work toward national restoration. True Mother encouraged everyone to take into our hearts that it is our responsibility and mission as blessed families to bring about the establishment of Cheon Il Guk to this earth, and work endlessly to accomplish this.