Sao Paulo, Brazil - Dr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon arrived in Sao Paulo on December 12, and went straight to the Brazil headquarters, where hundreds of young people and families welcomed them.

The main event was held at the city’s Rebouças Convention Center, about 40 minutes from the headquarters. The hall was filled to its 2,500 capacity with a most enthusiastic crowd who welcomed Father and Mother Moon with the kind of thunderous, rousing ovation normally reserved for when the Brazilian national soccer team score a goal.

The program was energetic from the beginning, with a 100-voice choir singing Handel’s "Messiah" and a warm letter of welcome from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Marco Polo del Nero, the President of the Paulista Soccer Federation (a key figure in soccer for Brazil) welcomed Father and Mother Moon.

In keeping with earlier cities in South America, Father Moon occasionally departed from the text of his peace message to speak candidly about some of the difficulties of his mission. “My course has not been easy,” he said, “Even my mother and father opposed me. My entire nation opposed me.”

"I asked God, ‘Am I doing something wrong?" and God said ‘No, you are not doing something wrong.’ God does not solve problems by eliminating the opponent,” Father Moon said, “The main point of building peace is to love your enemies more than you love your own children.”

The event included an invitation for couples to join in a world peace blessing toast of marriage rededication.

To read the inaugural peace message, click here.
To download a report booklet of the UPF Founders' 2005 World Peace Tour, click here.