UnificationUnification NewsNews $2 Volume 20, No. 11 T HE N EWSPAPER OF THE U NIFICATION C OMMUNITY November 2001 Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace & World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations ASSEMBLY 2001 Global Violence: Crisis and Hope LARRY ORMAN / IIFWP by Dr. Michael Mickler xtraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Former U.S. Vice-President Dan Quayle, in welcoming guests to Assembly 2001, E“Global Violence: Crisis and Hope,” told participants that they were going to take part in “an extraordinary meet- ing with some very extraordinary peo- ple.” By the end of the four-day gath- ering, convened at the New York Hilton from October 19-22, few disagreed. Dr. Thomas Walsh, Secretary Gen- eral of the Interreligious and Inter- national Federation for World Peace (IIWWP), one of the two sponsoring bodies, congratulated the 380 politi- cal and religious leaders, media and NGO representatives, scholars and peace activists from 101 nations for their “courage” in coming to New York. In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Walsh singled out Assembly 2001 Co-Chair Dr. Rodrigo Carazo, former President of Costa Rica, for his efforts to assure that the meeting be convened despite the tragic circumstances of Septem- ber 11, 2001 which placed it in jeop- True Father addressing the opening ardy of being canceled. events which took place in New York and that “solutions are not simply of plenary session of Congress 2001 Originally, the Assembly was to con- City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsyl- a political or military nature.” He empha- sist of two concurrently run confer- vania on September 11, the two con- sized that “family breakdown leads to ences. The World Association of Non- ferences joined together. Several of the a wide range of social problems” and leaders in the fields of religion, politics, Governmental Organizations (WANGO), sessions and topics originally planned that “world peace begins with person- academics, the media, and NGOs “to Assembly 2001 co-sponsor, planned a were retained, but adapted to the world- al transformations of individuals.” He develop and promote attitudes of liv- meeting to focus on NGO responses to wide crisis of terrorism and global vio- also suggested that the use of religious ing for the sake of others, breaking the United Nations’ special session on lence. symbolism has caused people “to wake down the barriers that divide people” children. IIFWP planned a conference Reverend Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak, up to the mission of peace through and suggested that they would find a around the broader theme of a “New Chairman of Assembly 2001, high- interreligious harmony.” But “religions model of doing so in the life and work Vision for Leadership” in keeping with lighted a number of the Assembly’s and religious leaders must reflect if of IIFWP and WANGO founder, the Rev. its ongoing series on “The Search for themes in his “Keynote Address” at the they have preached God’s love for all Sun Myung Moon. Solutions to Critical Global Problems.” Opening Banquet. He noted that “the people universally, beyond nations, reli- New Directions for Following the dramatic and shocking roots of the present crisis are deep” gion, and race.” Dr. Kwak encouraged a World in Crisis The Assembly’s Opening Plenary and Presentation of the session that followed brought togeth- Ambassadors for Peace er a group of world leaders, representing at Congress 2001 a range of perspectives, to offer their reflections, insights and recommen- dations “to a world in crisis.” Underly- ing these sessions was a recognition that the optimism following the end of the Cold War and start of the new mil- lennium may have been misplaced and that “the state of peace remains frag- ile and vulnerable.” In this respect, speakers in these sessions and the ones to follow had the opportunity to affirm the extent to which and, more impor- tantly, how the ideals of establishing a “Culture of Peace” and “Dialogue Among Civilizations” might be achieved. The Rt. Hon. Lloyd E. Sandiford, for- mer Prime Minister of Barbados, acknowl- edged that the “heinous, abominable, see CONGRESS on page 4 2 Unification News November 2001 FOUNDER’S DISCOURSE ON UNIFICATIONISM by Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon This is the Opening Address given at Assembly 2001 held October 21, 2001 in New York, NY. The Path to World Peace oday, at this transitional point in human history, lead- of the first human ancestors, Adam and God, as the Father, wants His children person as its pivot. Under the true love ers from the world over who Eve. The conflicts and struggles that to be better than Him. That is why God of true parents, among siblings who are concerned about the resulted have continued from genera- repeatedly invests Himself in human own and share a common vertical pivot, future of humanity have gath- tion to generation until the present beings, the object partners of His love, the family finally can establish the rela- eredT here in mutual consideration of time. and nevertheless constantly forgets tionships of ultimate harmony and how to resolve the crisis facing the Then, where is the path to resolve about what He has already given and peace. We can experience true love with- Earth. The tragedies that took place in those conflicts and realize peace on desires infinitely to give love more and in an ideal family that bears good fruit. New York, Washington D.C. and Penn- Earth? Historically, human beings have more. This is so because love has its The family is the original and best school sylvania on September 11 truly shocked been attempting to overcome conflict origin in the desire to live for the sake of love. Power or knowledge can never the entire world. Along with the con- and pursue peace through economic, of others for eternity. create true love. cern over peace and safety, we came to political, diplomatic and military means. God then bestowed the Second Bless- The Loss of God’s Blessings reflect upon fundamental and serious However, such methods obviously do ing, “multiply,” (Genesis 1:28). The first questions of modern civilization and not provide fundamental solutions, as human ancestors were to have grown Honorable world leaders! What do future of humankind. we are still struggling with many unre- to maturity as the children of God. After you feel when you look at the reality of Throughout history, human beings solved problems. having reached perfection, as one with human society and at the youth of the have continuously aspired for world There is but one fundamental way God in heart, they were to have become contemporary world? Do you feel hope peace. However, that dream has never and it is simple. It is to restore the fam- True Husband and Wife. Then, they for a bright future? I believe that you been realized. We can look back at the ily that the first human ancestors lost; were to have become substantial True experience agony over the increasing end of the Cold War, at which time fierce that is, the ideal family of God. That is Parents to their children, inheriting and rates of crime, violence, drug abuse, political and military conflicts and strug- the family with God at its center, the passing on true love, true life and true immorality, corruption, teen pregnan- gles concluded. Many people expected family that has achieved perfection in lineage from God. cy and so forth. These arise out of a that the long-awaited era of peace and true love both vertically and horizon- As such, God’s ideal of creation was confusion of values and foretell dark- stability would arrive based on the foun- tally. to perfect true love both vertically and ness enveloping our youth. dation of highly developed science. God exists as the Original Being of horizontally, beginning in the first fam- How did we arrive at this point? Bet- Nonetheless, we came to realize that true love and the invisible True Parent ily of our common ancestors. Since ter school systems and social improve- conflict, hatred and selfish desire are of humankind. How-ever, love cannot God’s love is absolute, unique, un- ments would have delayed the onset of imbedded deeply within each of us and exist alone. It exists in relationships changing and eternal, that family also these problems, but these endeavors are still active. These are creating ever and it can bear fruit only through rela- was to have become the absolute, unique, do not address the fundamental cause more serious disasters in new shapes tionships. That is why we were creat- unchanging and eternal family, cen- of these problems, which is the break- and forms. Violence wreaked upon inno- ed as God’s children, through whom tered on true love. Human beings would down and loss of families. This break- cents is certainly an inhumane crimi- He sought to realize His true love. have become substantial embodiments down is a product of the time we are nal act, and it must be stopped. How- of love, totally united with God in heart. in, a time when humankind is har- The Three Blessings of God ever, what can eradicate those inner They would have enjoyed perfect free- vesting the fruit sown by the loss of the conflicts and struggles, and resolve the The First Blessing of God to human dom, happiness and the realization of first family of true love. fundamental human problems at their beings, “be fruitful” (Genesis 1:28), all ideals. The destruction of the foremost school root? Where was the seed of hatred, called God’s children to become the Then they would have become the of true love leads to the phenomena of conflict, and struggle sown, and how object partners of His true love by becom- Lords of true love whom all beings in family break-down, with enormously did it come to be rooted deeply within ing true persons.