Jerusalem, Israel - More than 700 Israelis, Palestinians, and Americans gathered for the inauguration of the Universal Peace Federation in Israel at the Hyatt Regency ballroom on Mount Scopus. Professor Shuki Ben Ami, the emcee, introduced a kibbutzim choir, followed by an invocation by Rabbi David Ringler, a welcome address by Professor Eliezar Glaubach, and the blowing of the shofar by Rabbi Waldman.

Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak, chair of the Universal Peace Federation, read the peace message, representing the founder, Dr. Sun Myung Moon. As soon as he completed the speech, we went to the airport to catch the flight to Kathmandu, Nepal to rejoin Father and Mother Moon, who were inaugurating the Universal Peace Federation in south Asia.

Rev. Kwak and those traveling with him had begun the day in Amman, Jordan, and traveled by the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on the planet, on the way to Jerusalem. From there we flew to the “roof of the world,” the land of Mt. Everest. Such dramatic highs and lows characterized the journey, delivering the message of peace and inaugurating the Universal Peace Federation on six continents in 2005.

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