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“The theme of the Interfaith Peace Blessing Festival is strengthening the family, rebuilding the nation and creating a world of peace. For those of us who worked with Father and Mother Moon for many years, you are aware that if there is anything they speak about continuously, it is the restoration of the family. Father Moon’s philosophy of peace is that peace starts at home.”
“Madiba, the freedom fighter, Madiba the negotiator, Madiba the campaigner, Madiba the victor, Madiba the president, Madiba the elder statesman, Madiba the icon, Madiba the saint—we honor him in all these ways as one whose life and legacy is always on the lips of millions, one whose life is a mirror of what is best in us and all humanity, one whose life holds lessons for all, regardless of status, stature, gender and social standing.”
“The development of UPF indicates a growing acknowledgement and trust and appreciation for the work of UPF at the United Nations and around the world.”
“Mandela had an incredible eye toward nation-building, as we heard, to treasure every person and to make every person, every sector of society feel that they were treasured and that they were valued. The Torah tells us that human beings are created in the image of God, that every human being has a divine value and a godly spark. It is one thing to say that. It is one thing to believe it, but it is another thing to treat each person, to treat each community, to treat those different from you as if they are indeed created in the image of God and as such they are indeed worthy of the great reverence and respect that the Torah tells us to give to them.”
“[It is] very seldom that history gives birth to such great leaders as Nelson Mandela. I want to say to the great leadership of the Universal Peace Federation and this beautiful audience here today and all the people of the world that in Nelson Mandela you have the best of role model to bring about peace and love amongst all the people of the world and amongst all religions of the world.”
“[Madiba] was a leader who would listen, process, consider and come back with a response that showed that he cared. He was not a person who was a dictator, saying go this way and that's it; I'm not prepared to listen to anything else. I think we need many more Madibas in that respect.”
[T]here must be a will to act. Saemaul is a philosophy to be put into action. For development to come, there must be a revolution of the mind and a change of mentality. In those early days, the Korean people thought of themselves as beggars, depending on outside help. The World Bank did an investigation of the country. Their conclusion? “Korea is just a big black hole. If you give them money, there won’t be any return on the investment.” But thanks to the New Village Movement or Saemaul, the Korean people woke up. “Unless we do it ourselves, no one will do it,” they said. The national slogan became, “We can do it.”
“[Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s] historic struggle has inspired many to also dedicate their lives to serving the human family and to give hope to the hopeless, to care for the destitute and to build a heavenly highway to a world where we can all live together in peace as one family and as equals before God Almighty.”
“We are extremely proud that we accepted as our comrades, our brothers and sisters, from those who wanted to hinder the liberation of not only South Africa but the neighboring country of Zambia. We provided them with clothes, shelter and other needs. Our enemies tried to scare us but they didn’t succeed.”
“I bring greetings from my government and from the Somali people. We hope that there will be peace in the near future.”
“Nelson Mandela had many choices. Being educated during that time and during that history he could have chosen not to engage in the route against apathy. He was a lawyer, he had the opportunity to live his life quietly, but he decided to stand for the truth because he believed truth is one, truth cannot be divided and truth cannot be compromised.”
New York, USA—The 2018 double issue of Dialogue & Alliance, a journal of UPF, is now available.