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S.J. Moon: Preface to the Founder's Address, World Summit 2014
Written by Mrs. Sun Jin Moon, Director General, Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Address to World Summit 2014, Seoul, Korea, August 9-13, 2014
Good morning, anyonghaseyo! Our family wishes to extend to each of you our sincere gratitude for your attendance and participation in this very important World Summit, dedicated to peace and human development. We are deeply moved to welcome and work with so many high level leaders from virtually every field who have gathered here in Seoul despite your busy schedules.
No other cause or goal can surpass what we all know to be the single calling we have in our hearts today, and that is to realize a world of true peace, joy, and prosperity for all. We gather here united as “one family under God” on this historic day, commemorating the 2nd anniversary of my father’s passing. In this way, we honor his legacy, his life’s mission and treasured teachings which call us to build a world of harmony, kinship, service, and faith, and to commit ourselves in service to all of God’s children around the globe.
My father tirelessly dedicated every waking moment of his physical life to teach us to work together to apply the principles of peace through true love. True love reaches out to everyone, globally, and even to our enemies. It is the lifeline of this global consciousness that eternally links us to our creator. It is what guides and calls us to live our lives for the sake of others. It is the only force that can bring the entire world into balance. True love is our eternal quest, from the time of our birth, throughout our physical lives, and even beyond our earthly existence, until we attain everlasting peace.
Then why is it that we find ourselves in the midst of very trying and un-peaceful times? Although we know in our hearts the peace and love we desire, it constantly evades us on a personal, family, tribal, national, and global level. Now more than ever we are faced with the impending disharmony of war, disease, famine, environmental destruction, greed, corruption, and human rights violations, all throughout the globe, threatening all members of the human family.
Your excellencies, religious leaders, Ambassadors for Peace, distinguished delegates from throughout the world, now more than ever, the world needs you. Our family is absolutely and wholeheartedly committed to this cause, and we will do our utmost to stand side by side with each and every one of you and your families, to create one peaceful world under God.
It was always my father’s tradition to deliver the Founder’s Address at the start of a major conference. That task is now taken up by my mother, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. Since my dear father’s passing in September of 2012, my mother has led the way in carrying forward the development of our worldwide movement. I have witnessed her stoic and unwavering efforts to reconcile, reorganize, restore and recalibrate all the organizations of our worldwide movement in order to build a world of lasting peace.
As you can imagine, her responsibilities are overwhelming. As a result, she has asked me to assist her in a variety of capacities as she leads our global movement and prepares for the second commemoration ceremony. Therefore, she has asked me to deliver the Founder’s Address today on her behalf.
We are eternally grateful for our mother who has walked through and survived this incredible path of service and true love with our father. She has been an unconditional source of love, healing, and encouragement, and a tower of strength for our movement; a true shining example of "living for the sake of others." I am sorry to be the one to deliver this speech this morning, as I could never do it justice, like my mother could. So please excuse the reader, and please take her words into your hearts and let them inspire the great change that is possible when we come together as one united family under God.
With this in mind, let me now deliver the Founder’s Address that she asked me to share with you today.
For the text of the Founder's Address, click here. For more information about the World Summit, click here.