FOLLOW US
J. Mancham: Commissioned as Children of God
Written by Sir James Mancham, Founding President, Seychelles
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Address to the World Summit on Peace
Seoul, Korea, January 16, 2009
Just watching the video about the work of the Universal Peace Federation has inspired me with a feeling of utter pride to have been associated with this organization for nearly 15 years. At the London Peace Festival, when I was asked to say a few words I said that with the UPF we have embarked on the task of building a new empire — not like the British empire but one family under God, serving the cause of universal peace.
You know as well as I do the sad state of affairs in the Middle East. Some two years ago, under the banner of the UPF I was part of a delegation in Jerusalem, singing “peace, shalom, salaam alaikam,” praying to God for peace in the Middle East. I felt very sad at the prevailing state of affairs.
Recently the Japanese prime minister paid an official visit at the invitation of his counterpart here in Korea, and these two great nations have finally decided to cast aside the controversies and hostilities of yesterday in order to face the future closer together in the interest of international and national stability. So, while Korea remains a divided nation, I believe the encounter between the prime ministers of Japan and Korea signals a hopeful future for the nations of the Asian Pacific region and indeed of the world.
This is the celebration of the 90th birthday of one of the greatest men born in the last century, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Universal Peace Federation, the host of all of us who are assembled here this evening. We are privileged to celebrate Rev. Moon’s vision, his dedication, his extreme vitality, and his many accomplishments.
This is a man who has spoken millions of words which would take months or years for any one of us to digest. Listening to this great man and learning from his wisdom and experience, I have finally realized that he is fulfilling the role of another Jesus Christ. So many of his words can be summarized in the beautiful words of the beatitudes of Jesus Christ, who talked to his disciples and the multitudes on the mountain before his departure from this world:
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
Ladies and gentlemen, by commissioning so many of us as Ambassadors for Peace, Rev. Moon has made us the children of God. Let us not forget the responsibility and the privilege that we carry with this name as children of God.