South America—On February 10, 2021, UPF-South America held an International Leadership Conference (ILC) with the theme “The Reunification of the Koreas as the Basis for the Realization of World Peace.”
The strategic organizing principle of the ILC is to work together to build, strengthen and expand each association under UPF as a basis for the ongoing work of creating families, societies, nations and a world of universal and lasting peace. Held online through the Zoom and YouTube platform, the event was attended by 414 people from all over South America.
The event’s moderator was Mr. Jaime Fernández (UPF-Peru Secretary General). He recalled that South America's effective military aid in the Korean War created diplomatic ties that still exist today, and UPF wishes to strengthen this connection with the ultimate goal of supporting the reunification of the Koreas.
After the presentation of the video summarizing International Summit 2020, we started the event with the welcoming words of Rev. Dong Mo Shin (Regional Chairman, UPF-South America). This year we celebrate 30 years since the visit of UPF’s founders to North Korea. In addition, 70 years have passed since the war that separated the Koreas. Thus UPF is making an all-out effort to promote events to establish friendly relations, form a peace alliance and join forces for the reunification of the Koreas.
Dr. Simão Ferabolli (Secretary General, UPF-South America) spoke about the meaning and importance of the reunification of the Koreas. The peace initiatives that UPF has taken include humanitarian aid, international conferences, assistance to refugees from North Korea, the visit of Little Angels and the Sorocaba Football Team to North Korea, as well the visit of the UPF founders’ delegation 30 years ago. UPF's actions are aimed at the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula through programs that strengthen the relationship between the Koreas and other nations, as well as through dialogues, academic research and civil society initiatives. In the next two years, UPF will follow an intensive program in this objective, involving all organizations created under the umbrella of UPF. Dr. Ferabolli also recounted his experience when visiting North Korea.
H.E. Julio Cesar Pineda (Former Ambassador of Venezuela to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and South Korea). Seven decades after the Korean War, Korea is the last stronghold of the Cold War, with the country still divided. In the North, a Stalinist regime continues to prevail, which, with its nuclear threats and ambitions, is creating dangerous military tensions in East Asia. In the South, democracy and freedom reigned. We hope that the new generations will commit to reunification as a vital task and their grandparents' hope to see one Korea will one day happen.
Dr. Cármen Lucia Ruette (Director, Brazilian Consul Association and Consul Association in São Paulo). If we all plant this seed, we will start to influence in an unconscious way, breaking paradigms, changing the thoughts of people and governments to obtain the unification of Korea as the basis for the realization of world peace.
H.E. Anibal Casal (Former Ambassador of Paraguay to South Korea). Currently, North Korea has access to ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, destabilizing the region. If UPF leads this project to inform public opinion, perhaps we can convince Kim Jong-un that living in peace is worth much more than having atomic weapons.
Dr. Priscila Menin (President and Chancellor, International Association of Educators for World Peace, Brazil). In Brazil, we started a movement committed to the promotion of peace and the unification of the Koreas. We are mobilizing leaders who are part of the Ambassadors for Peace in Brazil, the United Nations Association of Educators for World Peace and UPF. Together, we will organize the creation of the International Council for the Pacification of the Koreas, which will work with government, institutional and corporate authorities for the reunification of Koreas as the basis for the unification of the world.
Dr. Oscar José Maurtua (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peru). Today, we are not living in such critical times as in the 1950s. Currently, the desire for reunification of the Koreas has diminished. That is why we have to reaffirm this goal in activities such as this one, promoted by UPF. We can enlarge this perspective around the world.
Mr. Augustín Menéndez (Specialist in Korean Peninsula issues from Argentina). We must encourage the governments of our countries to support South Korea and its allies in this cause and everything that involves the pursuit of dialogue and establishing a peace treaty between the Koreas.
After the presentations, panelists received questions with the assistance of Ms. Rosa Elizabeth, manager of the Rumbo Digital TV Peru channel.
Link transmissão em Português: https://youtu.be/E-PJRn6vFog