Africa—Rev. George M. Ogurie, regional coordinator for the Africa region of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD), opened the third session of Africa’s portion of the 2021 International Leadership Conference, which had the theme “The Role of Spiritual Leaders in Identifying and Promoting Universal Values for a Peaceful World.” The session, which was limited to one panelist in addition to the moderator due to technical difficulties, nonetheless had 170 viewers.
Bishop Albert Chikuni, founder of Family Life Ministries International, and chair of the Zimbabwe chapter of the IAPD, spoke about the exemplary leadership of UPF’s founders in promoting universal spiritual values and the importance of their investment towards the reunification of North and South Korea. He testified to the way he had been personally inspired by Dr. Hak Ja Han’s leadership and called on religious leaders to unite and embrace her vision of a world that functions as a family under the Heavenly Parent where people live for the sake of others.
Reverend Ogurie also took time to testify about the UPF founders’ visit to North Korea in 1991 and their declaration of God in that country where the name of God, the Heavenly Parent, would never be mentioned. He posited that it is the role of spiritual leaders to introduce and champion the spiritual dimension to the problem of the reunification of North and South Korea. He called on them to follow the example of Reverend and Dr. Moon, who demonstrated great courage by introducing the Heavenly Parent in a place where it was hitherto impossible to do so because they have always taught that no true and sustainable peace and harmony can be achieved with the exclusion of God the Heavenly Parent.