H.E. Mr. Denis Antoine, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Mission of Grenada to the UN, Dr. Thomas Walsh, President, Universal Peace Federation, H.E. Sam Nam Yu, Former Minister of Ocean and Fisheries, South Korea, and Head of the Korean delegation, Distinguished UPF Ambassadors for Peace from Korea, Respected guests and participants, on behalf of myself and the staff of the UPF UN office I extend warm greetings and welcome to all of you. A special thanks to Ambassador Antoine for hosting this event. We are appreciative of the great work His Excellency is doing for his nation and for the United Nations at large. He is one of the most active Ambassadors in the UN, particularly with NGOs.
Mr. Ambassador, thank you for your partnership and wise leadership.
Dr. Walsh, welcome back from your successful trip to Vienna. Dr. Walsh made a special effort to arrive here last night to personally welcome all of you.
Distinguished Ambassadors for Peace,
I hope you enjoyed the morning tour of the UN and I wish you a more enjoyable time for the rest of your visit to the USA.
You are starting your tour today on May 13, and exactly 22 years ago on May 13, 1993, the Founders of UPF started a historical speaking tour to 33 cities in the USA. The main topic was about the importance of the family and the role of parents in creating peace in the family, the nation and the world. Father Moon spoke in the first 12 cities. Mother Moon covered 21 cities. Then her tour was extended to anther another 23 cities covering all fifty states.
Mother Moon spoke at the U.S. Capitol and the United Nations. Worldwide, she conducted 25 rallies in Japan, 40 in Korea, and another 40 in countries throughout the world.
Father Moon spoke at the UN in the beginning of this century and called for the establishment of a “Global Day of Parents.” I am glad to inform you that this has already been established by a UN General Assembly Resolution and is celebrated worldwide on the first day of June every year since 2012.
These efforts demonstrate some of the many valuable investments of the UPF Founders to empower the family.
On this 70th Anniversary of the UN, and as the UN is launching the Sustainable Development Goals, our hope is that the role of the family will be emphasized in accomplishing these goals.
Again, welcome to the UN and to the USA.
Kamsahamnida.