His Excellency Stanislav Shushkevich, the former President of Belarus, introduced UPF Founder Dr. Sun Myung Moon to the 500 delegates who had assembled at the Palace Forum in central Vilnius for the inauguration of the Universal Peace Federation in Lithuania. He described Father Moon’s lifelong service for the cause of peace, praised his accomplishments in strengthening marriage and family, acknowledging that divorce, family breakdown and youth alienation were rampant in the former Soviet republics.
Dr. Victora Tarduk added that the effort to protect and promote human rights worldwide was a great concern of all people and all nations, and he applauded the work of the Universal Peace Federation and its emphasis on the value of the human being, freedom of religion, and human rights.
Father Pavel Paulilius offered the invocation, underscoring the need for spiritual values and the importance of respect and cooperation among people of all faiths.
Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak, chair of UPF, described Father Moon as a person who stood at the center of a movement for world transformation centered on the ideal of true love, living for the sake of others, even the love of one’s enemies. Many in the audience had met Father and Mother Moon on previous occasions at international conferences, but others, while having known or studies his teachings for years, were meeting him for the first time.
Father Moon delivered his peace message with occasional asides. He talked about a “true love peace force” that would strengthen, protect and promote the sacred value of marriage and family and could be mobilized as needed to trouble spots around the world to promote the spirit of living for the sake of others.
The event included an invitation for couples to join in a world peace blessing toast of marriage rededication.
Mother Moon joined her “true love partner” on the stage, to everyone’s delight. Repeated calls came for an encore, and the audience clearly didn’t want the event to end, but savored the experience.
To read the inaugural peace message, click here.
To download a report booklet of the UPF Founders' 2005 World Peace Tour, click here.
