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C.S. Yang: The Quest for True Canadian Values
Written by Dr. Charles S. Yang, Chair, Universal Peace Federation
Friday, May 30, 2014
Presentation to a conference on Peace, Order and Good Government:
The Quest for True Canadian Values
Ottawa, Canada - May 30, 2014
Respected Ambassadors for Peace, leaders from all walks of life, distinguished guests:
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for participating in our annual joint conference of UPF and the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP) in Canada. I appreciate your efforts to realize peace for the community, the nation and the world. And I thank you especially for your support of the Universal Peace Federation, and Women’s Federation for World Peace.
UPF-WFWP Canada has built on the theme of Educating for Peace through monthly meetings held consistently during the past 13 years and through regional and annual national conferences.
Canada is a large country with a population of 35 million, where people of all races, ethnicities, religions and cultures live and thrive. Canada’s geography and cultural heritage provide links to most countries on earth, particularly the USA, U.K., France and an increasing number of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
History has placed Canada in asymmetrical relations with powerful nations.Thus, Canada has led the way in developing multilateral institutions like the United Nations and plays significant roles in a large number of organizations such as the G7, NATO, NAFTA, the Organization of American States, La Francophonie, and the British Commonwealth of Nations, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), in addition to the United Nations and all of its agencies.
Canada has a good reputation internationally as a leader in the peace movement and as an honest broker. It has no imperialist past. Lester B. Pearson, a Canadian, suggested the first of the UN’s peace-keeping missions, and Canada has participated in every one since Korean War in 1950.The “blue hats” worn by UN Peacekeepers were inspired by a Canadian. The central tower of your Parliament Buildings is called the Peace Tower. Canada has extensive NGO and government-sponsored Third World development projects around the world.
Although Canada is a beacon of light for many around the world, it also confronts many troubling issues such as its treatment of the aboriginal peoples, corruption among public officials and confusion about the values that guide governance issues. All these problems are undoubtedly related to the failings of human nature and behavior; as you know, a lack of principled values leads to all kinds of social problems. These are issues prevalent in most nations and are not limited to Canada.
The theme of our conference this time is “Peace, Order, and Good Government: The Quest for True Canadian Values.” The phrase peace, order and good government, I have learned, originally describes the principles upon which Canada’s Confederation took place and is found in the Constitution Act of 1867. “Peace, order and good government” defines the principles under which the Canadian Parliament should legislate. The US equivalent is “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Can Canadians continue to hold their heads high as new immigrants continue to join the Canadian family? Can Canada be a role model for a just and peaceful society on the world stage? What are the universal values that can inspire and educate all Canadians to become proud world citizens? What are the universal values to re-build the family, restore community and renew the nation?
The founders of the Universal Peace Federation and Women’s Federation for World Peace, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his wife, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, dedicated their entire lives to build world peace. Rev. Moon influenced the lives of millions of people around the world with his teachings aboutl iving for the sake of others. That is the practice of true love.
He said,“Although God is the master and king of power, money, and material, He will not ask you to come to Him with these things. He would say that anyone can come to Him if they live for the sake of others.”
As a basic principle, it applies not only to individuals but to all levels—from the family to the society and the nation.
Rev. Moon taught that all people, regardless of their individual religious, national or racial backgrounds, should unite in their love for God. Based on his vision for peace, Father Moon appointed thousands of leaders in the world as Ambassadors for Peace. Each Ambassador for Peace is a member of a global network of peacemakers and peace builders.
Launched in 2001, the Ambassadors for Peace network is now possibly the largest and most diverse organization of peace leaders in the world. They come from all walks of life representing many races, religions, nationalities and cultures, and commit to standing on the common ground of universal moral principles, promoting reconciliation, overcoming barriers and building peace.
Ambassadors for Peace dedicate themselves to, affirm, and put into practice the following principles:
- Living for the sake of others. This central principle transforms a ‘self-serving’ or ‘nation serving’ perspective into one of ‘selfless service’ and living for the sake of the whole. This is an essential ingredient in building a world community and a core principle of UPF.
- Going beyond barriers that divide people. Barriers such as race, religion, nationality, status, class, culture, personality, etc., traditionally separate people. To enable differences to “enhance” rather than separate requires dialogue, cooperation and respect among all religions, races, cultures and nationalities.
- A commitment to the renewal and health of the family. The most fundamental unit of society of society, the first “school” for human relationships, is the family. Each person’s sacred duty to create a peaceful world can be realized through our personal investment in creating healthy families that then go on to form healthy societies, nations and world.
I hope that this vision and the principles of Ambassadors for Peace can be a good reference for all of you to consider. Our Ambassadors for Peace seek not only to affirm these ideals but to put them into practice beginning with their own families and then expanding into their communities, nations and ultimately, the world.
I hope that all participants here can join this great Ambassador for Peace movement to achieve peace in this nation and the world, eventually to build a better, more caring, loving community in Canada. And I hope that today’s conference can build the momentum to establish peace, order and good government. Thank you very much.