The Global Peace Leadership Conference Africa 2024 gathered delegates from across Africa and the world to discuss strategies for fostering peace, development, and cooperation. The conference promoted an African Renaissance that leverages the continent’s heritage and values, empowering African leadership, enhancing intracontinental partnerships, and encouraging ethical global citizenship. Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon was a keynote speaker, highlighting the richness of Africa’s spiritual values and the importance of building a culture of peace around the model of an extended family.

Lee Hyo-Jin of The Korea Times covered the Global Peace Leadership Conference Indo-Pacific 2023 held in New Delhi, India on April 11-13, 2023. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the co-founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, delivered the keynote speech on April 13 to the many prominent national and regional experts, politicians, as well as spiritual and civil society leaders that gathered in person and online.

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NEW DELHI, India ― India is a land of spiritual heritage, with its dynamic history and culture dating back to the beginning of human civilization. The South Asian nation now has a population of more than 1.3 billion, earning the title of the largest democratic country in the world.

On the global stage, India is raising its presence as a bridging nation between various power states. Holding presidencies of both the G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this year, much attention is paid to how the country will position itself as the leader of emerging and developing nations.

The rising geopolitical position of India served as a perfect background for the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), a Washington D.C.-based non-profit group, to host its 2023 Global Peace Leadership Conference in New Delhi, the capital of India. The forum was co-hosted with the Indian Council for International Cooperation, Manav Rachna University and Yuvsatta, a local civic group for the youth.

The event, which took place from April 11 to 13 at Le Meridien New Dehli, was held under the theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Vision for Advancing Human Consciousness and Peace.” Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is a Sanskrit phrase that means “the world is one family,” a mantra that provides a basis for global cooperation in resolving shared challenges and conflicts.

The three-day event brought together thousands of guests and delegates including spiritual gurus, scholars, civic activists, politicians and students from various countries including India, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Kenya and Uganda.

Among some renowned guests were Markandey Rai, chairman of GPF India, Chidanand Saraswati, the president of the Parmath Niketan Ashram, a spiritual institution based in India, Marsudi Syuhud, vice general chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council and Daniel Juma, leader of GPF Kenya.

In his keynote speech, Hyunjin Preston Moon, the founder and chairman of GPF, highlighted the significance of hosting the conference in India, calling it “the cradle of ancient civilization in the heart of Asia.”

Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), delivers a keynote speech during the 2023 Global Peace Leadership Conference held at Le Meridien New Dehli, India, April 13. Courtesy of GPF

“The world is in crisis,” he said. “There is an alarming cacophony of conflicting ideas about society and the human condition, from the nature of the state to individual identity and gender relations. The result has been widespread political and social instability, uncertainty, and moral confusion.”

He added, “In the realm of geopolitics, we are witnessing the rise of assertive statist powers that are prepared to impose their will on their neighbors, reminiscent of the actions taken by totalitarian regimes of the last century that led to two World Wars and the Cold War.”

Moon then highlighted the growing presence of India as a power state, saying, “This vast region will play a central role in determining the future direction of humanity and the prospects for peace and prosperity in the region. The tides of history are shifting from the Atlantic sphere to the Indo-Pacific.”

Rai, chairman of GPF India and senior advisor of U.N.-Habitat, said that Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the innate spiritual tradition in India, resonates with the peacebuilding movements carried out by the foundation. The chairman also stressed the importance of non-violent mass movements rooted in universal values.

“The global peace foundation’s mission ― one family under God ― is a very simple, yet powerful message that can unite the whole world and that is why I joined the movement from the beginning,” he told The Korea Times, saying that he is one of the founding members of the GPF since its establishment in 2009.

Rai also said India and Korea share a special relationship dating back to the 13th century, as told in the tale of the marriage of Princess Suriratna from India with King Suro of the Gaya Kingdom.

The conference, which was divided into four tracks ― youth empowerment, transforming education for the future, value-based peacebuilding and environmental conservation ― offered the participants an opportunity to share ideas on feasible solutions to pending global issues.

In the youth empowerment session, dozens of students from across India gathered for lectures given by Pramod Sharma, founder of Yuvsatta (youth for peace), a non-government organization based in India, Sharleen Tomobe, program development coordinator at GPF and Wouter Lincklaen Arriens, founder of Transformation First Asia, a consulting firm based in Singapore.

Shin Jin, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Chungnam National University in Korea, participated in the value-based peacebuilding track.

Meanwhile, in the environment conservation track, participants examined some of the best practices on environmental stewardship in India including preservation efforts for the River Ganges River and the Clean India Mission, a government-led initiative to raise public awareness on cleanliness and personal hygiene.

The Global Peace Leadership Conference Indo-Pacific 2023 was held on April 11-13, 2023 in New Delhi, India. More than 1000 students, ambassadors, and peacebuilders both virtually and in-person convened under the conference theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Vision for Advancing Human Consciousness and Peace”. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon delivered the keynote speech on April 13 at the High Plenary.

The event was featured by TeenbattiNews.

2023 Global Peace Leadership Conference Indo Pacific

Keynote Address

Welcome & Greetings

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It is my great honor to be with you here in India, the cradle of an ancient spiritual civilization in the heart of Asia.

I want to thank my good friend Dr. Markandey Rai, chairman of GPF India, as well as our convening partners, the Indian Council for International Cooperation, Manav Rachna University, and Yuvsatta Youth for Peace, for organizing this important convening. So, give them all a round of applause.

I am also pleased to acknowledge the many important Indian spiritual teachers as well as key leaders from around the Indo-Pacific region, including Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Africa. Please give them all a round of applause.

Your participation is very meaningful as this vast region will play a central role in determining the future direction of humanity and the prospects for peace and prosperity in this region.

State of the World Today

Ladies and gentlemen, the world is in crisis.

The rise of “Woke” politics is challenging the traditional Judeo-Christian values and classic liberal views of the West and its institutions from within. There is an alarming cacophony of conflicting ideas about society and the human condition, from the nature of the state to individual identity and gender relations. The result has been widespread political and social instability, uncertainty, and moral confusion.

The liberal ideals of western democracies rooted in individual freedoms and “inalienable” rights are being undermined for the sake of collective conformity with almost religious fervor. Although the end of the Cold War revealed the evils of socialism and communism, a new secular Marxist worldview is taking hold in the West, uprooting its values, norms, traditions and institutions.

This unfortunate reality is eroding the common ground upon which society can stand as both progressive and traditional sides become more polarized, creating an untenable situation. This “Woke” orthodoxy is not content just to undermine the traditional values upon which Western democracy stands, sowing discord within. It seeks to export its ideas to other cultures such as those of India, East Asia, and traditional African societies and twist their values into its own distorted image.

In the realm of geopolitics, we are witnessing the rise of assertive statist powers that are prepared to impose their will on their neighbors, reminiscent of the actions taken by totalitarian regimes of the last century that led to two World Wars and the Cold War. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia was a shock to most in the West that had become complacent about Putin’s ambition to restore the territorial influence of the former Soviet Union. Heading into the second year of the war, there seems to be no end in sight for the near term as Ukraine seeks to regain its lost territories and Russia fortifies its positions.

Here in Asia, China has made it clear that it is prepared to violate Taiwanese sovereignty, even by force, under its “One China” policy. That is why so many experts are concerned by the war in Ukraine since many believe that Chinese authorities are studying that conflict and its implications for their invasion of Taiwan. The US has preempted that concern by showing its commitment to the island’s defense through the well-publicized visit of the former Speaker Nancy Pelosi last year and the recent meeting with the current Speaker McCarthy and Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen.

The threat to Taiwan and China’s intent on controlling the South China Sea, the world’s most vibrant trade route, through the creation of military island bases has raised alarm among all its neighbors in the Pacific. These provocative moves have led the US and its allies to join in a variety of new organizations. The Quad treaty of the US, Australia, India and Japan, advanced by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was considered the “Asian NATO” in response to the rising threat of China. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity of 2022 represented fourteen regional nations with a combined economic output of 40% of the world’s GDP as a counter to China’s efforts to economically influence the region.

These developments and President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Russia and the Middle East are beginning to solidify the emerging lines between the free world and the world under Chinese influence.

The Rise of the Indo-Pacific and the Need for Guiding Spiritual Principles

Ladies and gentlemen, the tides of history are shifting from the Atlantic sphere to the Indo-Pacific. 

In this geopolitical environment, any nation that cherishes the ideals of fundamental freedom and human rights would clearly be wise to align with the US and its democratic allies. For the threat that China poses is the rise of totalitarian statist regimes that challenges the ideal of liberty. It is important to note that, although China has adopted some aspects of a market system, it never relinquished its one-party communist rule or the Maoist revolution; and it never embraced democracy nor the ideals of liberty that form the foundation of the free world.

Given this threat to liberty, the confusion being spread by the “Woke” Left in all western democracies is even more alarming. At no time in human history should the West be clearer about its core values and whence its freedom and rights derive. Many of the activists living in the West, however, take them for granted, failing to recognize the hard-won religious and philosophical milestones, rooted in the Judeo-Christian ethic, that gave birth to them.

The formation of the United States of America in 1776, through its Declaration of Independence from the British empire, planted the seeds of those ideals with its pregnant second sentence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The foundational premise in those immortal words is that human freedom and rights come from the transcendent power of God, our Creator, and not any human authority or institution; and that they are “unalienable.” In our current global circumstances, there is an urgent need to clarify and uplift that time-honored universal spiritual principle. It is important that we understand which ideas will lead to a peaceful, harmonious future and which will dissolve social bonds, leading to chaos and anarchy.

What is important to note is that all democracies are not truly free, as was the case in ancient Greece and even the Roman Empire; nor are they immune from the tyranny of mob-rule. Such spiritual principles provide the much-needed compass to navigate through rapidly changing norms and guide humanity toward God’s original ideal, which I believe, is rooted first and foremost in families centered on the original, creative love of God. We do not have to look far to find evidence of these universal principles. 

We can find them in the great faith traditions that have preserved, taught, and practiced those time-honored traditions that point to the innate value of human life and the proper order in human relationships, especially in the family, as well as to virtues by which to live. Throughout history, God has inspired the founding of various faith and wisdom traditions to elevate human consciousness and cultivate ethical civilizations. 

It should be people of faith who lead the world to peace. I believe the vision that can unite and inspire humanity to transcend all the walls of division is none other than “One Family under God.” All faiths should cooperate and adopt this vision to build a world free of conflict, reflecting the highest spiritual ideals, rooted in universal principles and values that reflect God’s truth, righteousness, goodness and love for all humanity.

Only then will we be able to harness the power of faith to transform the world and build true everlasting peace and harmony for all. We can no longer afford to proclaim that we are all “One Family” while continuing to live in our separate boxes.

The Non-Violence Paradigm and its Korean and Indian Roots 

Ladies and gentlemen, my homeland of Korea and India share a special relationship in history that will have important implications for this century.

There is a historic connection between our two countries that goes back two millennia. In the first century CE an Indian princess, known here I believe as Suriratna, sailed to Korea, married King Suro and became the queen known to us Koreans as Heo Hwang-ok. There are memorials to her in both our countries. That marriage alliance tied our ancient civilizations and made clear that there were significant connections between our two countries at that time and ever since.

In the last century, the Korean Sam Il independence movement, launched in 1919 while the Paris Peace Conference was being held after World War I, influenced Indian independence by introducing the platform of mass non-violent protest rooted in universal spiritual truths. Two million Koreans on the peninsula, ten percent of the population, engaged in peaceful protest over two months, making it the largest demonstration of non-violent resistance up until that time.

It was in 1920 that Ghandhi then formulated satyagraha or “truth force” that became the governing philosophy behind the Indian non-violence movement. In 1929, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, a leading thought leader of Indian independence, met with Korean students in Japan and was deeply moved by the undying aspirations of the Korean people. He immortalized those aspirations in a famous quatrain called “Lamp in the East” describing Korea as one of the ancient sources of light in Asia, waiting to be relit “for the illumination of the East.”

The main impetus for independence movements in both Korea and India in the early 20th century relied on their own ancient spiritual traditions. In the case of Korea, it was motivated by Hongik Ingan that mandated the Korean people to “live for the benefit of all humanity;” and for India, it was vasudaiva kutumbakam that proclaimed that “The World is One Family.” As a result, both movements were not driven simply by resentment toward the colonial power. Certainly, they wanted to be free of foreign rule, but each had a greater vision of a peaceful and harmonious coexistence with their oppressors as well as their neighbors after independence.

Later, this approach became the inspiration for Martin Luther King Jr and the American Civil Rights movement. Dr. King applied the spiritual principle of non-violence to prick the conscience of a nation. He looked to America’s founding creed of equality to hold the nation to account for its moral failure in its treatment of black Americans. His historic “I Have a Dream” speech did not simply condemn the injustice but called all people to renew their commitment to those founding ideals.

Similarly, in South Africa, Nelson Mandela adopted the principles of non-violence rooted in universal truths while he was in prison for his attempt to violently overthrow the apartheid government. There in prison, he learned to forgive his oppressors and later worked with then President de Klerk, in the early 1990s upon his release, to dismantle the system of segregation. He became the first president of a multi-racial South Africa in 1994 and played a central role in reconciliation between the races, being globally recognized for his work and statesmanship. 

Due to our two countries’ important legacy in shaping the most significant movements for freedom, equality and human rights of the 20^th century, I believe that our destinies, those of Korea and India, are intertwined. We have an even greater role to play in this century, as the world stands on the precipice of war and chaos. Our unique spiritual heritage and history of non-violence place us in a unique position to champion peace in the Indo-Pacific region, here in the southern heart of Asia and the pan-Pacific rim to the east, and eventually the world. 

Let me share something else that our two nations have in common. Korea is a 5,000-year-old civilization. Yet, throughout our entire history, we never invaded any of our neighbors. We were attacked and invaded over 900 times throughout the course of our history, but we never attacked our neighbors. But, because of the spiritual principles of Hongik Ingan, we internalized that suffering to be able to love humanity because of the providential mandate in our founding to live for the benefit of mankind.  That is the power of spiritual principles, our unique spiritual heritage. Let us never forget that.

The Korean Dream and Launching of a New Era

Ladies and gentlemen, before we can open a new chapter in the story of this region, we must bring a close to the last vestige of the 20th century’s tragic legacies of colonialism and Cold War geopolitics that remain on the Korean peninsula.

It is deeply ironic that the nation which initiated the paradigm of non-violent mass protest rooted in universal truths remains divided to this day, unable to realize the aspirations of the Sam-Il movement from more than a century ago, when every other colonized people, as well as nations in the Soviet sphere of influence, were eventually able to achieve national sovereignty and unification. Thus, Korean reunification is of utmost importance in setting a new precedent for peace in Asia and the world.

I have developed a new vision for unification called the Korean Dream. Unlike past efforts, it draws upon the ancient Korean philosophical ideal of Hongik Ingan, which precedes the current ideological division by millennia, to tackle the present challenge. It was the impetus behind the high moral ideals of the independence movement and gave all Koreans a sense of providential purpose to create a model nation that could “benefit all mankind.” It challenges the divided peninsula to discard the foreign construct of division and recognize its common identity and destiny.

In order to do this, I plan on relaunching the paradigm of the Sam-Il movement to bring about unification. To that end, I have created Action for Korea United (AKU), a coalition of civil society activists, organizations, NGOs and associations that represents millions of South Koreans. To date, we have more than a thousand partners united in the largest grassroots movement for unification in the history of the two Koreas.

We plan to hold peace rallies in the South that will climax in 2025 with a massive event for unification that will highlight the 80th anniversary of Korean independence from Japanese rule. Dreamers are the ones who change the world. Imagine if tens of millions of Koreans on the peninsula and the diaspora as well as supporters from around the world gathered their collective voices to demand the peaceful unification of Korea. Surely, the metaphysical and physical wall that divides the peninsula will fall and a new era will dawn for the Korean people, the Indo-Pacific and the world.

I hope and trust that the spiritual and thought leaders here will recognize the moment and give your support for the Korean Dream. The rising prominence of India in this region is evidenced by its role in hosting the upcoming G-20 meeting, drawing upon the rich heritage of Indian spirituality to create the theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”  It is also noteworthy that India is convening the “C-20” of civil society counterparts to G20, giving substance to spiritual principles and values by promoting the essential value of service and the ethos of one family.

This is highly significant because of the clear recognition that politics, economics, and technology alone are inadequate to resolve the many challenges facing the world today. These challenges arise, at root, from a clash of fundamental worldviews that can only be effectively addressed by drawing on deep and ancient spiritual traditions and the universal truths they embody.

What is most important is that we recognize the universal principles that are manifested in these traditions. We are all essentially connected in the one human family, and we are one family because of our shared origin in the Creator God. Our inherent value and fundamental rights are endowed to us by God.  To encapsulate these truths in a way that all can easily grasp, I have long advocated a simple yet profound vision statement – One Family under God.

A Call to Action and New Delhi Declaration

Today, young leaders, spiritual leaders, scholars, and others from civil societies across the Indo-Pacific region have taken ownership over the vision of One Family under God.

You have concluded important discussions on its implementation in areas related to youth, education, values-based peacebuilding, and the environment. I look forward to the New Delhi Declaration you are issuing today that will outline specific initiatives that will give substance to the noble theme of this GPLC Indo-Pacific.

Today, I am announcing that the Global Peace Foundation and its partners will establish the Indo-Pacific Leadership Forum to further implement this movement fostering one global family, guided by traditions and values shared across all the cultures gathered here.  I have asked Dr. Markandey Rai to organize and lead this initiative and invite your contributions from across the nations of the Indo-Pacific.

The Leadership Forum will work in this region in a similar way to the Latin American Presidential Mission that I founded. Through it, public-minded former presidents work for the benefit of Latin America through promoting peace, cooperation among countries and spiritual and material development of the people.

I hope that each one of you will become peacebuilders in your respective spheres of influence and join with us in the great movement for global peace.

Let us all commit to become the moral and innovative leaders who invest our passion, energy and talent to serve the greatest good -for the benefit of all humanity, that together, step by step, we can finally realize the greatest dream of all, the dream of One Family under God!

Thank you, and may God bless you and your families.

“Offering the young hope and opportunities in a time of uncertain future is also one of the keys for addressing the pressing problem of identity-based conflict, driven by the violent extremism of religious and ethnic hatred. On this issue more than nearly any other, we need more than policies and programs. We need an overarching vision, a vision based on our common humanity, a vision that inspires meaning and purpose that can transcend the divisive ideologies of the extremists.” —Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon

Africa is a continent rich with resources, culture, and diversity. Many countries across Africa have experienced untold challenges and tragedy with the global pandemic only adding another layer of complexity… and opportunity according to many peacebuilding leaders.

Sharing their insights and optimism in an international virtual conference, African leaders from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Nigeria revealed how they are turning suffering into an opportunity for growth and adaptation in an ever-changing global landscape. Crisis and challenges are a natural occurrence that often highlights what is most important to our humanity. Whether it is a pandemic or natural disaster, we as humankind rush to the aid of the vulnerable and in need in our communities. We remember what is essential to each of us; basic human needs and rights that every person is granted as a human being.

The continent of Africa is a special place; a land lush with innovation and optimism. Countries within her borders have experienced untold human tragedy, natural disasters, and violent conflict as a result of an “us vs. them” mentality that instigates a vicious cycle of underdevelopment, poverty, environmental degradation, and social disorder as a result of various identities, many that are tribal or religious. However, her borders are also filled with untold possibilities and people that have retained an attitude of positivity and brotherhood. In recent years, leaders have been reaching across the aisle to band together under their shared identity and common aspirations as members of the human family first, beyond the boundaries of ethnicity, religion, and nationality.

The global pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption and has fundamentally altered the way we conduct peacebuilding. As the access to public spaces become limited, now more than ever, religious and community leaders play an essential role in bridging people. Conflict resolution programs have needed to seek out different methods, incorporating digital means that have opened up possibilities to an even greater scale, uniting the world like never before.

In many ways, the pandemic has forced programs to expand to an even bigger audience, allowing more people to participate in peacebuilding efforts online. This comes at an opportune time as we have seen an increase in the online radicalization of youth: a serious and growing global threat. This has renewed relevance in the wake of the pandemic, and there is growing evidence that the extremists are taking advantage of the fear and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic to radicalize and recruit youth online. While social media is being used by the extremists to spread radical content, it is also a very powerful tool to prevent conflict and extremism and promote greater understanding and tolerance. This is why African leaders are discussing how social media can be leveraged to prevent youth radicalization and how to empower youth to counter the disruptive impact of extremists’ messaging and become powerful agents for peace.

Read more about the Global Peace Leadership Africa Virtual Conference at www.globalpeace.org.

The original post appears on Global Peace Foundation. Global Peace Foundation is an international non-sectarian, non-partisan, nonprofit organization, which promotes an innovative, values-based approach to peacebuilding, guided by the vision of One Family under God.  GPF engages and organizes a global network of public and private-sector partners who develop community, national, and regional peace building models as the foundation for ethical and cohesive societies. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation.

“To tackle the obstacles before us that undermine peace and development we need, at every level – from the highest echelons of government to the smallest village community – leadership that is both moral and innovative.” —Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon (Global Peace Leadership Conference 2018)

Our world is changing rapidly and in unpredictable ways. The global pandemic has underscored the need for readiness in online access, quality of education, and wellbeing of students and teachers. The need for moral and innovative educational leadership has never been more pertinent as systems and schools explore ways for continued learning and engaging students in the current climate and towards the recovery.

In order to adapt to the current and post-pandemic environment as well as the buildup of automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, educators and administrators are having to rethink ways to prepare the next generation for the future. Thought leaders explored new trends, ideas, policies, models and notable practices underway internationally, nationally, and locally that prepares students for the future and to be successful in all aspects of their lives on a virtual conference hosted by Global Peace Foundation.

The conference especially highlighted exceptional models in Africa that have been making leaps in transforming education over the years, only increasing their efforts further after the global pandemic hit. Seeing the crisis as rather an opportunity for innovation. Online platforms are affecting how education is delivered and making it even more accessible for many. At the same time, the digital divide is also bringing into greater focus underserved communities, especially rural areas with inadequate infrastructure and absence of connectivity, challenges that confronted much of Africa before the pandemic struck, bringing it to the attention of key leaders and stakeholders in the African region.

Institutions of higher education have the physical and cyber infrastructure and educational expertise that could be deployed, and in the future, integrated into a holistic approach to education.

With all these opportunities, a major factor for success will remain within the home. The role of parents is more urgent than ever with the closure of schools and online learning reverting to the home. Soft skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving—and values such as kindness, compassion, and respect—are learned in the home and are the foundation upon which skills can be developed and applied for human progress.

The original post appears on Global Peace Foundation. Global Peace Foundation is an international non-sectarian, non-partisan, nonprofit organization, which promotes an innovative, values-based approach to peacebuilding, guided by the vision of One Family under God.  GPF engages and organizes a global network of public and private-sector partners who develop community, national, and regional peace building models as the foundation for ethical and cohesive societies. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation.

The following speech was delivered during the Global Peace Leadership Conference on August 1, 2018 in Kampala, Uganda by Dr. Junsook Moon, chairwoman of Global Peace Women, the women’s division of the Global Peace Foundation.

Peace Begins in the Home: Women-led Initiatives for Peace and Development

Dr. Junsook Moon, Chairwoman of the women’s division of Global Peace Foundation

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good morning, and welcome to the 2018 Global Peace Leadership Conference. This gathering is a historic and timely event for Africa and the world.

In this blessed country endowed with majestic natural beauty, called the Pearl of Africa, it is befitting that we have gathered under the theme, “Peace Begins in the Home: Women-Led Initiatives for Peace and Development.”

I want to thank the President and the government of Uganda for the warm hospitality and for making this convening possible. I am very inspired to be among many great leaders from around the world.

Introduction

Without exception, all of us long for peace in our homes, our nations and our world. Yet, this peace which all of us desire has eluded us for most of human history. Conflicts in the name of religion have killed millions upon millions. Ethnic bloodshed and genocides have plagued our beautiful lands for ages. Daily violence is perpetrated against women and children in every corner of society. We even face the threat of nuclear conflicts between nations, leaving us to question our very survival.

Nonetheless, we still strive to attain peace in our homes and nations. Such desire resides deep in our original DNA, and all of us, at different levels, have experienced the profound and fulfilling effect that peace brings to our soul and to our surroundings.

My husband, Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the founder of Global Peace Foundation, emphasizes that true peace can only come about when we recognize that we are all sons and daughters of one Heavenly Father. That is the common basis on which we can transcend the human trappings, whether they are racial, ethnic, national or even religious, which have caused hatred and division.

In support of this vision of One Family under God, Global Peace Women, since its founding in 2011, has been addressing the critical roles that women must play in building peaceful families, communities and nations.

Unique Value and Role of Women

Naturally, women are peace-builders, harmonizers and healers. This is because we are endowed by our Creator with innate qualities of empathy, grace and caring for others. This is most evident in motherhood, when a mother is completely committed to the wellbeing of her child, giving every ounce of her body and soul. With unconditional love, she makes any sacrifice for her child, no matter how great. A mother’s heart to empathize, to forgive and to embrace is driven by divine qualities that are beyond reason and calculus; it is pure love pouring down, effortlessly and eternally.

The father’s role is undoubtedly critical. However, women’s innate nurturing qualities allow them to impress upon her children, especially during all-important formative years, the value of unconditional love, human kindness and life. We, at Global Peace Women, seek to uplift those qualities and recognize that women have the most important responsibility of raising and educating children to become seekers of peace.

While women have assumed various duties beyond the immediate care of their families, we must remind ourselves that our intrinsic value is not determined by professional success or socio-political status. The true value of a woman, which is unique and irreplaceable, resides in the fact that she can bring new life into this world, infuse her children with genuine love, and allow them to experience the dignity and divinity of human life, beginning in the home and expanding into society and the world.

In my own motherhood journey of raising nine children, I became deeply and fundamentally moved by this realization. I must admit, as a young girl growing up in a traditional Confucius household and observing, for instance, my grandfather’s seemingly preferential treatment of my brother, I sometimes felt less important and lacking in some ways. Why was my brother getting more attention, (or more sweet treats than me), I remember wondering. Should I also have been born as a boy?

Yet, over the course of several years and eventually when I became a mother, I came to appreciate woman’s true value as God intended. Along with tremendous joy and inner fulfillment that comes from being a wife and a mother, with my genuine love and devotion, I was able to become the emotional center of my family. It is in this spirit that Global Peace Women initiated the “Peace Begins in the Home” international movement, recognizing home and family as the foundational bedrock to impart these essential values and principles.

Women’s Role and Contribution to Family and Society

Women leaders from around the world participate in the 2018 Global Peace Leadership Conference in Uganda

Read Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon’s full speech delivered at the Global Peace Leadership Conference in Kampala, Uganda under the theme, “Moral and Innovative Leadership: New Models for Peace and Development,” on August 1-2, 2018, where he highlights the groundbreaking peacebuilding initiatives taking place across Africa and the importance of raising young people of character and creativity to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges today.

“As African women, we are expected to be the chief molders of mind, character, and behavior at home and in the community. The success or otherwise of society therefore lies in the roles women play. Consequently, the presence or lack of peace will be laid on the doorstep of women and mothers.” Her Excellency Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, wife of the former President of Nigeria and Founder of I-CARE Women & Youth Initiative, was one of hundreds of women leaders, policy makers, NGO experts, educators, civil society leaders, business leaders, and artists from twelve countries who attended the 2018 Global Peace Leadership Conference hosted in Kampala, Uganda.

The women’s track, Peace Begins in the Home: Women-led Initiatives for Peace and Development, provided a wide range of approaches and models for comprehensive peacebuilding starting from the home and expanding to the world. Topics such as healthy relationship building, financial capacity building, and women’s participation in the decision making process were an integral part of the discussion on how women-led initiatives could play a crucial role in bringing sustainable development and peace in societies around the world.

Dr. Junsook Moon, Chairwoman of Global Peace Foundation women’s division, shared, “Naturally, women are peace-builders, harmonizers and healers. This is because we are endowed by our Creator with innate qualities of empathy, grace and caring for others. This is most evident in motherhood, when a mother is completely committed to the wellbeing of her child, giving every ounce of her body and soul.”

She continued, “While women have assumed various duties beyond the immediate care of their families, we must remind ourselves that our intrinsic value is not determined by professional success or socio-political status. The true value of a woman, which is unique and irreplaceable, resides in the fact that she can bring new life into this world, infuse her children with genuine love, and allow them to experience the dignity and divinity of human life, beginning in the home and expanding into society and the world.”

The Chairwoman highlighted the positive impact women make in society by tackling the fundamental issues that affect basic God-given human dignity and the value of all people. She also indicated that the tribes, faith communities, and government bodies must reinforce and support the values-based lessons taught from the family level through appropriate policies and assistance. Therefore, solutions that emphasize the value of family and women’s indispensable role in their homes and communities will make a lasting, positive impact on the world.

The original post appears on Global Peace Foundation. Global Peace Foundation is an international non-sectarian, non-partisan, nonprofit organization, which promotes an innovative, values-based approach to peacebuilding, guided by the vision of One Family under God.  GPF engages and organizes a global network of public and private-sector partners who develop community, national, and regional peace building models as the foundation for ethical and cohesive societies. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation.