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S. Abe: Address to Rally of Hope VII
Written by Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister (2006-2007, 2012-2020), Japan
Sunday, September 12, 2021
Address to Rally of Hope VII
September 12, 2021
It is an honor for me to speak together with my good friend, former US president Donald Trump, at this Rally of Hope hosted by UPF in the presence of heads of state, parliamentarians and religious leaders from 150 countries, addressing today’s problems and engaging in dialogue on how to create a better world.
My expectations are high that Think Tank 2022, which is set to be launched on this occasion, will play a significant role.
Today, in honoring Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and all of you, I would like to express my profound thanks for your tireless efforts through UPF in resolving disputes in the world, especially in relation to the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.
While the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were held amid the ongoing pandemic, they have become a special historical event and were safely concluded amid much hope and inspiration. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone around the world for their support.
Despite numerous hurdles, including an unprecedented one-year delay, with no athletes allowed to go outside of the athletes’ village and the games held without spectators, seeing the athletes who attended the opening gave the world much-needed strength and inspiration. I think we lit a path for the future.
Sharing such inspirational moments transcending ideology, religion, ethnicity, nation and race enabled the world to once again realize the bond that unites humankind.
Globally, people are experiencing anxiety over the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently experiencing an abnormal situation where people are trying to decide whether totalitarian states or democratic states are superior. Human bonds can never be formed by force. Inspiration and sympathy must be voluntary, and the bond between people should be based on freedom and democracy.
Some countries, including totalitarian and hegemonic regimes, are attempting to bring about change by force. Political maneuvering of this type should stop.
Thanks to my advocacy for a free and open Indo-Pacific, this strategy has been adopted by the US, Europe and the world at large.
For a free and open Indo-Pacific strategy, however, the Taiwan Strait must remain peaceful and stable. Thus, the need for more solidarity between countries that share the values of freedom and democracy—such as Japan, the United States, Taiwan and South Korea—is more pressing than ever.
I appreciate UPF’s focus and emphasis on family values. As stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the family is “the natural and fundamental group unit of society.” Let us beware of so-called social revolutionary movements with narrow-minded values.
History has always been moved by great passion for an ideal throughout the ages. An ideal always finds itself confronted by barriers. Obviously, a fight will ensue. It is passionate fighters that have changed and moved history.
We will need passionate leaders if we are to achieve solidarity between countries sharing freedom and democracy, maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and achieve peaceful reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
These Rallies of Hope will give us much strength; of that I am confident.
Thank you very much.
H.E. Shinzo Abe was the prime minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020.
To go to the Dialogue and Alliance: Toward a Unified World of Peace, Part Two, click here.