It is with enormous pleasure and honor that I am here at the Oceania Peace Embassy, attending the Legacy of Peace Program in honor of those who have dedicated their lives in service of peace. My husband would have been very proud of this honor.
Throughout history it has always been soldiers of wars who have been recognized and honored. Hence, recognizing and honoring God’s peacemakers is long overdue and a great joy!
Recognizing and honouring peacemakers is something I have long advocated. So, for me, this is a dream come true, and I wish to personally thank Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, Mother Moon, Rev. Enrique and Robyn Ledesma, and all the others who have made this blessed event possible.
Some of the most memorable and joyous times my husband and I shared were when we attended the numerous conferences of the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace and the Universal Peace Federation. Our first was the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace Summit in Tokyo, Japan, in June 2005, where we met so many wonderful world leaders, who were all there for the same reason. Everyone I met, from many different countries and all religions, wanted to do their part to help create a world with peace. Rev. and Mother Moon, Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak, Dr. Thomas Walsh, Tomiko Duggan, Karen Smith, and numerous others provided the resources, venue, and logistics to help make it possible.
Then, in December 2005, we attended the inauguration in Australia of the Universal Peace Federation with Father and Mother Moon in Sydney. It was great to see many of the wonderful Ambassadors for Peace we had met in Japan.
In March 2006, I received a call from Enrique asking if I could attend the Women for Peace Leadership Seminar in Seoul, Korea. It was a very hectic time for us, and there were only a few days to prepare ... but ... somehow, some way, I knew I had to make it possible. I wasn’t going to miss it for anything. That seminar was an unforgettable event in my life. I met so many beautiful women of substance from all parts of the world. Each one of them had a story to tell. I often wonder how they are doing and hope that in the not too distant future there will be a follow up of that seminar with the same amazing women.
In June 2007, came an invitation to the International Leadership Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. Having lived in Hawaii for 14 years, I was very excited to return. What a wonderful event that turned out to be! To add more joy, my daughter Monique was able to join me there from California and attend the conference. The memory of that wonderful experience will forever be implanted in our hearts. We met so many wonderful people and were ever so grateful for Rev. Moon and Mother Moon and all those at UPF who gave us such a blessed opportunity to unite with other Ambassadors for Peace. An abundance of meaningful discussions and events transpired in the true Hawaiian spirit.
Only when tyranny ceases and there is respect for liberty and different cultures can we all have peace, productivity, and prosperity!
I highly commend Rev. and Mother Moon during this year of Rev. Moon’s 90th birthday for all their outstanding achievements. I look forward to reading Rev. Moon’s autobiography. He is a true inspiration to all of us. His efforts and dedication to world peace will no doubt leave a divine legacy, along with the spirit of all the Ambassadors for Peace who are being honored today.
May there soon be a time when our children will share a world of unified PEACE! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and God bless all of you!
For a report of the event, click here.