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Peace Tour Builds UPF in Tanzania
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Mother Hak Ja Han Moon and her son Hyo Jin Moon arrived in Dar es Salaam [Harbor of Peace], Tanzania, to bring the UPF peace message. They were welcomed at the airport by a delegation of ten members of Parliament, led by Hon. Paul Peter Kimiti and Hon. Sofia M. Simba.
Tanzania has about 33 million people. Its founding father was President Julius Nyerere. During the Cold War era, Tanzania was influenced by communism.
Upon arrival at the Movenpick Royal Palm Hotel, the former President of Tanzania, Ali Hassan Mwinyi and his wife paid a visit, along with the group of parliamentarians. Mother Moon asked about the total number of MPs in Tanzania (370) and how many were women (19). She responded that there should be equal numbers of both, because both a father’s and mother’s heart should be well represented in governance. Mothers have a caring heart is needed in government.
In the early afternoon, Rev. Eiji Tokuno, regional secretary general, UPF-Africa, and Dr. Thomas Walsh visited a local orphanage on behalf of the delegation. The Muslim orphanage cares for children, most of whose parents had died of AIDS.
The main event took place at 5:00 PM in a packed hall of 600. Welcome remarks were given by Hon. Simba, followed by invocations offered by Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders. Hon. Kimiti served as the emcee for the opening program. Following Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak’s Chairman’s Address, Mother Moon and Hyo Jin gave the keynote messages and officiated at the prayers for blessing of marriage.
At the Ambassadors for Peace banquet afterwards, several Members of Parliament shared their reflections about the ideas they heard. Hon. Kimiti described the day as a new beginning for Tanzania. He called the papers read by Mother Moon and her son “a masterpiece,” and spoke of translating them into Swahili and delivering them to government offices because “they contain so much wisdom.”
Several were impressed by the insights about the family as the foundation for a peaceful society. “Yes, dialogue is important for peace,” Hon. Teddy Kasella Bantu stated, “but it takes a long time to make a change. If we marry across boundaries of culture, as has been suggested today, we eliminate enmity through love.” Hon. Monica Mbega commented, “We need cross-cultural marriage for peace — even between those who have been enemies to one another. We need to move beyond boundaries of race, religion, nationality, tribe, culture.” Hon. Ezekiel Maige, who was planning to get married in two months, was touched by the statement that peace begins with the family, and on that foundation peace come to the society, nation and world. “I want to build an ideal family,” he said.
Hon. Lucy Mayenga said, “What we have heard today has direct bearing on our lives. I pledge to be a good Ambassador for Peace.” Hon. Dr. Lucy Nkya said her horizons were expanded by the opportunity to meet people from around the world who are working for world peace. “I learned about my responsibility to work for peace, starting with the family, to the community, society, nation and world,” she said. She referred to people suffering from poverty and conflict and added, “We need to be concerned about the world situation and not just our own nation. We Ambassadors for Peace need to be concerned about what is going on in Lebanon. Even though Tanzania is a small, developing nation, we can make a difference.”
As she had done in Kenya, the following morning, Mother Moon described the tribulations of Korea during the 1950s and how Father Moon sent young people out into the countryside to teach literacy, helping to lay the foundation for Korea’s rapid rise to prosperity. “I understand that Africa faces many challenges, difficulties such as poverty and AIDS. Africa truly needs the purity and true family movement. Be the vanguard to lead a ‘New Village Movement.’ I see so much potential for this nation and continent. You can revive this nation. I see you as the hope of this nation and continent.”
To read a message delivered during the UPF peace tours click here.