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J.H. Kim: Address to Summit 2022, Session IVb
Written by Kim Jae-hyeon, vice president, YSP International
Friday, August 12, 2022
Address to Summit 2022 and Leadership Conference,
Seoul, Korea, August 11-15, 2022
Distinguished guests from home and abroad, and youth leaders from all nations across the world, I am truly delighted to meet you. I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to all those who have come to take part in today’s International Youth Leaders Conference, which is going to be a beautiful and historic gathering of young leaders.
It is also my great pleasure to be given this honor of delivering the congratulatory address as the vice president of Youth and Students for Peace (YSP).
This event marks the starting point, laying the cornerstones to build an international network that will help young people take the lead in bringing about peace and coexistence of humanity, and also for them to grow and develop together by resolving diverse issues faced by the world.
As the first step toward that goal, this conference is bringing together the ministers of youth-related government ministries from 26 countries in Africa with youth leaders from Korea and abroad, both online and offline, to discuss the establishment of a ministry of youth in South Korea, and also to search for practical ways of supporting youth character education in Africa by concluding Memorandums of Understanding between related organizations and universities.
As many of you may know, Africa is considered to be a young continent filled with youth. In truth, about 70 percent of the total African population of 1.26 billion is aged 30 years and younger. Compared to the world’s average of 51 percent, the ratio of youth in Africa is much higher. Therefore, government ministries of youth cannot but play an important role in Africa, which is why these ministries have been engaged in many projects until now. Accordingly, we have invited the ministers of youth-related ministries from 26 African nations to this International Youth Leaders Conference, so that they can speak about diverse model cases. And since the host nation, South Korea, already has diverse educational infrastructures in place, I hope this conference will set the stage for Korea to provide many educational opportunities in various fields to young people in Africa.
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, the host of this event, has lived her whole life as a pioneer of peace and unification together with her husband, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and is devoting all her energies to realizing the Heavenly Unified Korea through the unification of the Korean Peninsula and, furthermore, the Heavenly Unified World. In order to realize the Heavenly Unified World advocated by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, the entire world needs to cooperate and coexist with the common goal of achieving peace.
However, since national egoism is growing to be a serious problem, the Heavenly Unified World where all nations are united as one seems only too distant. Nevertheless, as I look upon the peace-loving young people gathered here today, I grow confident that it will be possible to realize the Heavenly Unified World, which is Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s dream as well as my own. In fact, I feel like my dream already has come true as I gaze upon this historic scene, where people of different nationalities and skin colors have come together as one for the sole reason of being youth, in order to hold discussions and help one another to achieve our common vision.
Of course, there are many organizations that have been carrying out various activities to realize the Heavenly Unified World. One of those organizations is the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) with its global foundation of young people. YSP, founded by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, offers the Synergy Program through which youth from around the world propose visions and solutions for a world of peace, as well as the Peace Designer Program that takes the lead in bringing about changes in local communities. YSP also is doing its best to realize a world of peace transcending nations by carrying out relief and volunteer work, children’s education, family restoration, character education and so forth in nations across the world.
In addition, as the vice president of YSP, I have engaged in youth-related projects and devoted myself to supporting various activities, so that YSP can cut a brilliant figure in the society and economy as well. I believe that these activities of YSP have contributed toward making today’s historic event possible, and that it can become the model for future activities of youth.
My dear youth leaders! As you can see, many young leaders like you already are working hard to realize peace. Young people always have played a leading role in changing history. It therefore follows that, in surmounting today’s difficulties, the role of youth leaders aspiring for peace is more important than ever before.
In this regard, those of you attending today’s International Youth Leaders Conference already are fulfilling your great mission and responsibility toward history. I have high expectations for the future, which will be filled with hope through you. Without a doubt, youth are the hope of this world and the future. Let us demonstrate what we are capable of.
May God bless the actions of peace and hope that will be carried out by youth leaders in the future. Thank you.
To go to the World Summit 2022 Schedule page, click here.