Brazil—On May 14, 2022, the Universal Peace Federation held a meeting of Ambassadors for Peace in commemoration of the International Day of Peace.
The strategic organizing principle of UPF is to establish a foundation for the ongoing work to create families, societies, nations and a world of universal and lasting peace. Held online through the Zoom platform, the event was attended by 370 people from all over South America.
The moderator of the event was Dr. André Rocha, secretary of UPF Brazil. For the opening prayer, Dr. Simão Ferabolli, general secretary of UPF-South America and president of the UPF in Brazil, offered words of gratitude about the event and for those who are always working towards the realization of Heavenly Father’s will.
Next, Rev. Dong Mo Shin, president of UPF-South America, gave welcoming remarks. He quoted the philosophy that is present in most of Rev. Moon’s speeches: “All great human lives begin in the Family,” “the Family is the School of Love and Peace,” and this is the initial desire planned and created by God since the first human ancestors. He also cited that Ambassadors for Peace have the great mission to become a model of True Family.
Dr. Simão Ferabolli then thanked the others for their participation on such a special day. He talked about what he believes to be the deepest causes of all family problems in today’s society: the need to know God more deeply; the need to increase our spirituality; the need to develop the ability to love and live for others; learning how to control our desires and emotions; seeking control through our mind; and, lastly, learning about the purpose and goal of human existence.
Councilman Roberto dos Santos, from Campo Grande, who has a graduate degree in theology, talked about how the family, in which a man and a woman are the main pillars, has been attacked in favor of “modernity.” Focusing on the words of the Bible, he showed that for the building of a blessed and prosperous family, God’s presence is necessary.
Deputy Rose, founder of the Women’s Police Station in São Paulo, mentioned the difficulties of working with families torn apart by problems between husband and wife, and how this affects society. She talked about the duty of the Ambassadors for Peace to rebuild the family pattern and help other families to get back on their feet.
Dr. Marcelo Medeiros, business coach, talked about the fact that many beliefs and values are formed in childhood, in the family, and that many times, people grow up with problems due to a lack of basic structures in their own families. Knowing that we are responsible for educating our sons and daughters, we must always remember to change the paradigms of the past and think about a healthier education for each one.
Dr. Luciano de Queiroz, Luziânia councilman in Goiás, cited the main roles of the family, where the woman has the duty to be “a haven of tenderness, warmth and care, and the man has on his shoulders the grace of a father” as a responsibility to give support and security to the family and care for it to grow and develop well in a society. He mentioned that families need to be taken care of, and that it is everyone’s responsibility.
Dr. Maribel Barreto, a psycho-pedagogist from Bahia, spoke about “the Family as a means to a conscious and peaceful society” and exemplified Rev. Moon and Dr. Moon as builders of a peaceful society which they have been working on for more than 50 years in public service. She said that this only happens because of their unity, which resulted in the creation of institutions like UPF. She also mentioned that to build healthy families, it is necessary to have values, and as an example she cited the Divine Principle.
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