Yeosu, Korea—From November 11 to 14, 2019, UPF held an International Leadership Conference (ILC) in Yeosu, Korea on the theme “Ocean Culture in the Era of the Asia-Pacific Civilization.” The ILC brought together 300 delegates from around the world who have an interest in and experience in fields related to the ocean, environment, sustainable development and peace. The location of this conference, Yeosu, is a beautiful seaside city situated on the southern coast of Korea, a place known for its rich history and, of course, its fishing industries.
During the opening plenary, keynote speakers, former U.S. Congressmen Hon. John Doolittle and Hon. Todd Tiahrt addressed “Ocean Culture in the Era of the Asia-Pacific Civilization.” Remarks were also given by Korean National Assemblymen Hon. Hwang Juhong and Hon. Park Joosun. The plenary closed with a ceremonial signing of the Yeosu Resolution, which recognizes the importance of the emerging Asia-Pacific civilization, as well as the essential value of the world’s oceans. This declaration acknowledges, “our oceans are precious resources that sustain life on this planet, the creation of one God, [and that] the oceans must be protected and preserved, along with the entire natural world around us. This is our home, our garden, given to us by God.”
The afternoon session on “Restoring the Environment and Building a World of Lasting Peace” featured panelists, Dr. Sun-Jo Hwang, president of Sun Moon University; Dr. Woo B. Lee, vice president of Chonnam National University; Dr. Tyler Hendricks, former president of the Unification Theological Seminary; and Dr. Young Don Lee, a professor at Jeju University, Korea.
The second session’s theme was “The Ocean and Sustainable Development.” This subject was discussed by Dr. Shoichi Ito, a professor at Kyushu University, Japan; Dr. Sergei Ostroumov, who leads research at Moscow State University, Russia; Mr. Michael Faris, president and CEO of Ocean Peace; and Mr. Kriengsak Phadetphao, a senior fishery biologist at the Coastal Aquaculture Department, Thailand.
The final afternoon panel, “Peace and Development: The Significance of the Ocean,” comprised of Mr. Thomas McDevitt, chairman of the Washington Times, USA; Dr. Salesh Kumar, a professor at Fiji National University; and Prof. Dr. Mulia Purba, IPB University, Indonesia.
The founders of UPF, over many decades, have engaged in numerous projects and programs related to the ocean, aquaculture, the environment and food security. The ILC paid tribute to this remarkable legacy. In addition to the high-level sessions of the ILC, delegates joined a special program on November 13, featuring a special address by UPF co-founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon.