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P. Jha: Address to World Summit 2020
Written by Hon. Parmanand Jha, Former Vice President, Nepal
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Address to World Summit 2020, Seoul, Korea, February 3-8, 2020
Dear Mother Moon, founder of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP), Honored Guests, and all youth and students from around the world.
It is a great honor for me to be invited here today to the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace World Assembly. I feel very encouraged to see so many youth and students gathered here with us.
I was deeply moved by Mother Moon’s message from the scholarship awarding ceremony. Mother Moon, thank you for giving scholarships to many students to develop leaders for the next generation.
This Assembly is to commemorate the 100th birthday of Father Moon. When I was vice president of Nepal, I visited Korea to meet Father Moon and led a delegation of 17 Nepalese. I was so inspired by his vision and love toward all humanity, including Nepal.
When he embraced me, I felt as if he were my own father. After that meeting, I have been continuing my support of the Universal Peace Federation in Nepal to accomplish Father and Mother Moon’s vision of world peace.
In my country, Nepal, the number of young people under 25 years of age is more than half of the population. Youth play an important role in the development of the country. But the youth and students in Nepal, and everywhere, need to receive more character education, to experience community service activities, and to be part of international intercultural exchanges.
Sadly, young people around the world are leaning more and more towards individualism. This means that the number of youths engaged in social, national and world-level issues is getting smaller and smaller. I feel the most essential element for the development of a nation and the world is that young people develop a mind of public-awareness and deep love for their own country and world. This begins in the family.
The activities of Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) in Nepal are wonderful and include character education in many schools, service activities and disaster relief programs after the devastating earthquake years ago. My son is a medical doctor, and he also participated in medical service camps organized by UPF and YSP. He had a good experience and is working for YSP as a Youth Ambassador for Peace. I appreciate so much the activities of YSP.
I listened to the report of the IAYSP forum held yesterday from my son. My son was one of the panelists. I am very impressed by the efforts of the youth and students in their concern for the environmental issues, in their support for disaster relief in Africa, and in promoting character education among young people by making networks of youth leaders and Ambassadors for Peace.
The active participation of young people in so many programs is very encouraging. This will surely lead to the betterment of the society, the nation and the world. Even though I’m getting older, I would like to continue to support the activities of the YSP in Nepal whenever possible.
It is indeed a very hopeful sign seeing youth and students from around the world here today. Through your continued efforts in international exchange, social contribution, and character education, I have hope for the advancement of peace globally.
Mother Moon, let me close by once again thanking you personally from the bottom of my heart for carrying on Father Moon’s legacy and even expanding on it in so many areas. I’m especially delighted by your tireless efforts and selfless devotion to invest in our young people, the future leaders. This is, without a doubt, our greatest hope.
Thank you very much.
Namaste to you all!
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To go to the World Summit 2020 Schedule page, click here.