Roadmap for National Transformation: Liberty Prosperity and Integrity through Moral and Innovative Leadership

Opening plenary (left to right): H.E. Horacio Cartes, President of Paraguay; Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, Chairman of Global Peace Foundation; Hon. Lilian Samaniego, National Senator of Paraguay

More than 1,000 government, civil society and faith leaders from 40 nations assembled in Paraguay for a challenging debate and action agenda for national transformation in Paraguay, Latin America, and the developing world.

The first Global Peace Convention (GPC) hosted in Latin America, it is also the first to bring into focus the Global Peace Foundation’s comprehensive, values-based efforts to advance national renewal though grass-roots social development projects and political reform.

Paraguayan President Horatio Cartes, Vice President Juan Afara, Speaker of the Parliament Hugo Velazquez and fourteen former Latin American presidents joined GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon at the historic opening session.

In his introductory remarks, Dr. Jose Altamirano, the President of the Instituto de Desarrollo del Pensamiento Patria Soñada (IDPPS), a GPF supported research institute and co-sponsor of the Global Peace Convention, noted the movement away from “Madisonian” republican democracy toward a “Jeffersonian” direct democracy, and the critical need of an informed citizenry and moral leadership if democracy is to realize the promise of freedom and prosperity.

He said we all share the desire for good and aversion for bad, “but it is not okay to use any means to fulfill desires. To avoid justifications for misuse of freedom and authority, we need moral leadership. It is time to say ‘enough’, time to demand what is possible and doable within what is responsible.”

Paraguay’s progress in recent years “shows the foundational importance of principles and values, and their translation into initiatives that promote social transformation, leading to greater political and social stability.

Dr. Altamirano also warned that when religion becomes an end in itself, it can justify any crime by asserting divine approval. “So many wars are waged in the name of God, but are really caused by rage and resentment.”

Former Paraguayan President Wasmosy, a founding member of the Latin American Presidential Mission, outlines the vision of the Mission.

Former Paraguayan President Juan Carlos Wasmosy greeted the international participants on behalf of the Latin American Presidential Mission, a co-sponsor of the Convention and a project of the Global Peace Foundation to engage former democratically elected presidents of Latin America who are committed to social development and political reform in the region.

President Wasmosy, one of the founding members, gave a brief overview of the origins and vision of the Mission. He said the first occasion for former presidents to meet was at a 2010 Asunción conference sponsored by the IDPPS, which issued the Asunción Declaration at the conclusion. The Asunción Declaration affirmed the desire of Latin American leaders “to revive the civic values and virtues that reflect the better spiritual, democratic, and plural traditions of humanity.” A later 2011 assembly in Brazil’s National Congress in Brasilia further underscored the principles outlined in the Asunción Declaration, and during this conference former presidents decided to establish a Latin American Presidential Mission. The mission was formally inaugurated in Atlanta, USA at the 2012 Global Peace Convention.

President Wasmosy also credited GPF Chairman Dr. Moon for emphasizing “the mentality of moral and innovative leadership, which should work for benefit of whole society and world, and be guided by universal values that can embrace the diversity of human family.”

Challenges and opportunities

In his keynote address, GPF Chairman Dr. Moon said that while many developing nations today are experiencing economic growth and greater democratization, they also face challenges of instability, inequitable development, and governments tainted by corruption. “How these challenges are met will have great significance for global peace and prosperity,” he said.

He also placed special emphasis on the demographic profile of much of the developing world which he contrasted with the aging populations, low birthrates, and dissolving families of the developing world.

Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, Chairman of the Global Peace Foundation addresses the sixth Global Peace Foundation

“Youth present a great opportunity for the growing economies of the developing world,” Dr. Moon declared. “Yet those energies need to be properly harnessed, and that is the challenge. It calls for education both in productive skills and in moral and civic virtues. That, in turn, requires tackling poverty and its cultural impact. The negative behaviors that poverty produces undermine social stability and thus impede progress toward equitable and sustainable prosperity.”

In his address he reflected on the social costs of material prosperity in many developed countries and said many nations are looking for alternatives to the Western development approach—“new  models of national transformation that can stimulate economic development and material prosperity without having to compromise spiritual and moral traditions or their roots in strong family values.”

Crediting the host nation’s progress in recent years, Dr. Moon said Paraguay “shows the foundational importance of principles and values, and their translation into initiatives that promote social transformation, leading to greater political and social stability. This in turn opens the door for sustainable economic development.”

The GPF chairman also related many of GPF’s social service, education, and economic initiatives in Paraguay that were guided by a vision of national renewal.

Asunción Mayor Arnaldo Samaniego, former President of the Democratic Party of Korea Lee Ki Taek, and Global Peace Foundation International President James Flynn also presented greetings to the assembly.

Following the opening session, former heads of state from Latin America—Presidents Juan Carlos Wasmosy, Luis Macchi, and Raul Cubas from Paraguay; Luis Alberto LaCalle and Jorge Batlle from Uruguay; Eduardo Duhalde from Argentina; Gustavo Noboa from Ecuador; Carlos Mesa and Jaime Paz Zamora from Bolivia;  Hipolito Mejia from the Dominican Republic; Rafael Calderon and Laura Chinchilla from Costa Rica; and Alvaro Colom and Vinicio Cerezo from Guatamala—joined in an extraordinary open forum moderated by Olinda Salguero, Executive Director of the Esquipulas Foundation for the Integration of Central America.

This historic gathering of former Heads of State touched upon many pressing challenges of ongoing poverty, organized crime, and political corruption in the region. But the former presidents continually spoke of the promise of youth.

Fourteen formers heads of state, joined by the sitting president and vice president of Paraguay, and representatives of the Global Peace Foundation, the Latin American Presidential Mission and think-tank IDPPS for a historic moment for Latin America.

”Latin America is the youngest continent,” observed former Guatemalan President Colom, reflecting the perspective of many of the presidents. “We should enable our youth to define their future. Latin American youth is our greatest treasure and if we don’t protect them from dictatorship and wars this region will go backward.”

The three-day Global Peace Convention includes panels in areas of interfaith cooperation, business as an agent of peace; community development and family strengthening; media’s role in promoting ethical societies; women and leadership; service and volunteerism; and developing a culture of peace through sports.

The Global Peace Convention concludes on November 21, with a Global Peace Awards gala honoring individuals in the areas of Interfaith, Family, Service and Scholarship.

The original article can be found at globalpeace.org

The post WORLD LEADERS CONVENE IN ASUNCIÓN FOR SIXTH GLOBAL PEACE CONVENTION appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

This year’s Global Peace Convention will be hosted in Paraguay. The Global Peace Foundation recently published an article explaining the significance of Paraguay as the host of the upcoming convention themed ” “Roadmap for National Transformation: Liberty, Prosperity and Integrity through Moral and Innovative Leadership.”

Pantheon of the Heroes, Asuncion, Paraguay

An emerging democracy in the heart of South America, Paraguay is introducing transformational political and social reforms that reflect a renewed commitment to the principles, values and traditions of Latin America’s diverse peoples.

To most observers, Paraguay seems an unlikely prospect to lead a movement in Latin America toward effective governance, transparency and broad-based social reform. In the shadow of powerful Brazil and Argentina, Paraguay has long numbered among South America’s poorest and most unequal nations.

About the size of Japan with a population of just 6.5 million, Paraguay shares with much of Latin America a troubled history of authoritarian rule, rampant corruption and extreme wealth disparity. Repression reached its nadir during the 35-year regime of Gen. Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989), one of the longest-ruling dictators of the twentieth century, until his ouster in a military coup.

Free elections in May 1993 marked a turning point, but independent assessments by Transparency International and other watchdogs caution that major reforms must be implemented to ensure civil liberties, equitable economic development, and independence of the judiciary.

Thus it appeared in 2007 when Global Peace Foundation (GPF) founder Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon first visited the country and addressed the National Congress on the need for ethics and values to inform the political process.

The Global Peace Foundation hosted city-wide social impact projects in Asunción (above) prior to the Global Peace Festival, which drew some 30,000 young people to celebrate Paraguay’s cultural heritage.

Impressed by the receptivity of his message among the broad spectrum of national leaders, Dr. Moon decided to organize a Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, the first of many that would become a signature peace initiative of GPF.

“The idea was to celebrate a culture of heart and service,” says Thomas Field, the festival co-chair, GPF Paraguay founding director, and current GPF Latin America regional director. “This was a chance for young people to see their country, their culture, in a different, more optimistic light and uphold values of faith and family that are important to the Paraguayan people.”

To lead up to the festival GPF organized city-wide social impact projects for two months. On July 3, 2008 several thousand school-children from 70 city schools joined a city-wide service and beautification project co-sponsored by the City of Asunción, the first of its kind in the country.

The festival on July 5 drew some 30,000 young people and was remarkable in planting a vision of a truly inclusive, ethical and harmonious society. “Before we are Paraguayans, or Americans, or Koreans; before we are Christian, Muslim or Jew, we must understand our fundamental identity as one family under God,” Dr. Moon said.

The way of the vaqueros

Prior to the festival the GPF chairman went on a tour of the Chaco, a vast, arid region that comprises all of northern Paraguay and extends into Argentina and Bolivia. Moved by the simplicity of life and depth of heart of the Chaco people, he determined to organize a cattle drive in the manner of traditional Chaco ranchers, and invited the sons and daughters of the top families in Paraguay.

“These are the future leaders of Paraguay,” he later said. “But they had never visited these poor regions. I deliberately got rid of the good tents, nice food and also the showering facilities. We ate and slept with the same schedules as the cowboys called vaqueros who run these cattle drives.

“About three days into the cattle drive, I gave my food and candy away to the women of a local village. The women who received food from usreciprocated by cooking two of the four chickens they were raising in their yard for us. Seeing these poor families give half the food they possessed moved all of us.

GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon emphasized the importance of shared valued values for national renewal in meetings with Paraguayan leaders. Dr. Moon meets here with Congressman Ariel Oviedo.

“It created a greater impact than any speech,” Moon continued. “During a Global Peace Leadership Conference that was held before the festival, I shared what had happened in this village to all the leaders of Paraguay. I said to them, if this is the true spirit of Paraguay, then Paraguay will become a great nation. The peace movement that I am carrying out is this kind of work.”

Following the festival, the Global Peace Foundation established its first national branch and began a systematic examination of the conditions and requirements to bring about genuine national transformation in Paraguay. Many such conditions were already in place.

•  Paraguay has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America, rated third in growth in 2010 and in 2013, with 13 percent growth, the fastest growing economy in the world.
• Paraguay has had eight consecutive years of fiscal surpluses, allowing the country to decrease its public external debt from more than 50 percent of GDP to less than 10 percent.
•  Paraguay’s economy is well-diversified, with about 25 percent of its GDP coming from its industrial sector, 20 percent from agriculture and 60 percent from services. . Paraguay has the strongest monetary stability in Latin America, without sharp devaluations of currency or freezing of capital.
• After construction of the Itaipu Dam, among the world’s largest hydroelectric facilities and a joint project with Brazil, Paraguay has cheap and abundant electrical power and has become the largest electricity exporter in the world.
• Paraguay’s land is rich in natural resources, abundant minerals and raw materials essential for industry and energy, and major waterways for transporting goods from the interior.

GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon emphasized the importance of shared valued values for national renewal in meetings with Paraguayan leaders. Dr. Moon meets here with Congressman Ariel Oviedo. More important than resources and economic factors, however, was the need to build social consensus around essential principles and values that can be the foundation for political reform and national transformation.

The Global Peace Foundation established its first national branch and began a systematic examination of the conditions and requirements to bring about genuine national transformation in Paraguay.

Above: The Itaipu Dam, among the world’s largest hydroelectric facilities and a joint project with Brazil. Below: A farm in rural Paraguay. Paraguay is among the world’s largest exporters of soy beans and has abundant raw materials and waterways to facilitate development. (Photos Courtesy of Rachel Codas)

“Peace and prosperity cannot be secured in this world without nations that exemplify integrity, good governance, and responsibility, together with respect for the dignity of human beings, fundamental human rights, and the prosperity and the fundamental needs of all its peoples,” the GPF Chairman told a business forum in Asunción on June 17, 2014.

A roadmap for transformation

In 2008 the Global Peace Foundation initiated work on several fronts, including the expansion of character education in primary and secondary schools; the establishment of a women’s division—later to become Global Peace Women—to advance the role and dignity of women and affirm the fundamental importance of the family in transmitting values; and economic development and relief projects in Alto Paraguay, the poorest state in Paraguay.

Most significant, GPF founded a research foundation, the Instituto de Desarrollo del Pensamiento Patria Sonada (IDPPS), with the express purpose of fashioning a roadmap for transforming Paraguay’s political institutions and establishing and upholding a social contract between the government, civil society institutions and the Paraguayan people.

“How do you make a new nation?” says Field. “You need founding fathers—a Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Hamilton—so we looked for those statesmen who are patriots, who are moral references, who could collaborate in the process of national transformation.”

Field first approached former Paraguay Supreme Court Justice Dr. José Altimirano, a jurist with a reputation for integrity. Recently retired, Altimirano called the meeting with Field “serendipity,” and he agreed to head the newly established Institute. Altimirano and Field then enlisted former ministers of education, agriculture, planning, and environment; a former president of the central bank; former chief of the armed forces, and other private and public sector leaders to collaborate on a blueprint for national development.

The founding charter defined the Institute’s members to be “the architects who establish the future society of Paraguay founded upon universally relevant ethical and moral principles and values” and to make “significant contributions to forming a great nation built upon healthy families, a thriving civil society characterized by good government, and an educational system with high levels of civic and social excellence.”

Asunción Declaration

Field says the idea of the Institute was the inspiration of the GPF chairman. “One of first things we did was organize an international conference, ‘Challenges, Threats and Opportunities for Development in Latin America,’ ” Field remembered. At the conclusion of the conference, participants ratified the Asunción Declaration, a milestone that affirmed the desire of Latin American leaders “to work–beyond religious, political, social, and ethnic differences for the unity of Latin America.”

The Declaration outlined the need to “revive the civic values and virtues that reflect the better spiritual, democratic, and plural traditions of humanity in this continent,” and “promote education in ethical principles and universal values that can empower children and young adults to become better human beings and good citizens.”

Then on May 6, 2011, the IDPPS organized a celebration of Paraguay’s bicentennial in Asunción at which 3 former presidents, 3 former vice presidents, the president of the Constitution Convention of 1992, 4 former presidents and current president of the National Congress, 6 former presidents of the Supreme Court, and other national leaders of modern Paraguay solemnly renewed their commitment to the democratic process.

This convening and a later 2011 assembly in Brazil’s National Congress in Brasilia affirmed the principles outlined in the Asunción Declaration and significantly provided a forum for former heads of state from throughout Latin America to put aside political differences to advance political reform, regional development, and broader hemispheric cooperation.

The Asunción Declaration affirmed the desire of Latin American leaders “to revive the civic values and virtues that reflect the better spiritual, democratic, and plural traditions of humanity.”

Left: Former Supreme Court Justice and President of the Paraguay Instituto de Desarrollo del Pensamiento Patria Sonada Dr. José Altamirano addresses a business forum in Asunción; right: former presidents and other leaders of modern Paraguay commit to work beyond religious, political, social, and ethnic differences for the unity of Latin America at an IDPPS-sponsored bi-centennial celebration.

The IDPPS also made an agreement with key national leaders to work on a roadmap for the development of the Chaco, including research and analysis of all projects for the last 20 years as well as weather, soil, and other topographical data.

From 2009 GPF had been active in the town of Puerto Casado, the largest community and capital of Alto Paraguay, providing basic assistance in health, education, and housing, later establishing sustainable projects including a fish farm, communal vegetable farm, and bakery. Residents of the town thus got jobs in rotation and a basic income, important following the closing of a tannery that sustained the town previously.

“If it weren’t for the projects initiated by GPF it would have been the end of Puerto Casado,” says Alto Paraguay Governor Marlene Ocampos, the country’s only female governor. “Thanks to those efforts the town can breathe again. GPF came to give food to the people who had nothing to eat. GPF went to schools and gave opportunity to study all the way to university. In terms of health care it did a lot of work, and even helped to bury the dead.”

IDPPS also assisted local officials in Puerto Casado to establish an efficient and accountable administration that directed the support received from the national government to the benefit of the community, rather than into the pockets of local politicians and businessmen.

 Political shockwaves

Above: GPF provides emergency relief in the Chaco following the flooding in 2013. GPF has supported health, education, and housing, as well as sustainable projects that provide a livelihood for residents. Below: GPF supports character education as part of a comprehensive approach to national renewal.

Alto Paraguay, the largest, poorest, least-populated and arguably most corrupt of Paraguay’s departments, or states. A native of Puerto Casado, Ocampos has spent 20 years as a government health worker, visiting families, coordinating medical evacuations and assisting in disaster relief in a nearly inaccessible region with no paved roads and limited electrical power. Ocampos later coordinated GPF’s social projects in the state that sought to empower local people with sustainable livlihoods.

Her integrity, compassion and competency in delivering essential aid won the trust and affection of the largely indigenous Guarani people, who encouraged her to campaign for governor.

“It was never in my plan to run for governor,” Ocampos says. “People would say the government was full of corruption and had the hope that maybe I would run for governor. I was very afraid, but for me it was a just cause.”

Against the odds of a political machinery that operated by bribes, graft, intimidation and, in her case, threats against her life, Ocampos won the governorship in August 2013—a watershed event in Paraguayan politics. Although she had no experience of running a state administration, she drew upon the expertise of IDPPS, who helped her set up efficient and transparent administration.
Ocampos’ election created shockwaves throughout the country and set a precedent for a new paradigm of leadership that rejected the exploitation of public office for personal gain. Former Congressman and Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies Dr. Bernardino Cano Radil said that the reforms in Alto Paraguay had caused a “crack” in how things have worked in Paraguayan politics.
Field agrees. “Marlene Ocampos has done more in the first 10 months than others have done in 10 years, or ever. Working with IDPPS, the department set a goal of zero corruption in public administration. And I can say right now with confidence she has attained that goal. Her administration has set up a website that lists all salaries, expenditures, and bids for public projects.”

In 2013 Ocampos, a political novice, launched an unlikely populist campaign for the governorship of “If it weren’t for the projects initiated by GPF it would have been the end ofPuerto Casado,” —Alto Paraguay Governor Marlene Ocampos

 An environment for investment

In June 2014, Korean government and business leaders met with their Paraguayan counterparts in Asunción at an IDPPS symposium, “Towards an Alliance between Paraguay and Korea,” which drew lessons from South Korea’s postwar economic transformation, including the many troubling social problems that have arisen in the wake of breakneck development.

Caption: Global Peace Women-Paraguay honored eight women leaders in areas of education, social service, health care, and faith-based social action at the sixth annual Awards Ceremony, “Women for the Sake of Others,” in Asunción on June 18, 2014. Right: Alto Paraguay Governor Marlene Ocampos (left) presents an award to Sister Maria de las Mercedes Calle Diaz for her service work in the Chaco.

Addressing the symposium, GPF Chairman Dr. Moon told the leaders that Paraguay can provide economic development and material prosperity to all its people “without compromising the spiritual and moral traditions of this nation and its roots in strong family values. A clear national vision, rooted in fundamental spiritual principles and shared moral values, is the essential starting point for national transformation. A solid moral foundation is the basis for building a just society, which is the prerequisite for successful long-term economic growth.”

Underscoring both the nascent partnership between the two nations and the emergence of Paraguay as a viable international investment opportunity, the national government and the Korean-based Il-Sung Construction Company held a ground-breaking ceremony in June 2014 to build an 80 kilometer highway, the first international contract awarded for a domestic infrastructure project of this sort.

In an interview with the Korean Economic Daily, Dr. Moon emphasized that Paraguay’s markets are no longer “dangerous” and now present a stable environment for development. But he warned that if Korean companies only look for short term gains, this could become “exploitative capital,” which is dangerous. “The way to lower risk,” he said, “is to think strategically from a long-term perspective about how to coexist with the local society.”

To accomplish this, the report concluded, “Dr. Moon has been working with Paraguay’s political leaders to end illiteracy, provide education on the values of democracy, and invest in other social welfare activities. At the same time, Dr. Moon has been working to mitigate conflict through activities such as bringing the children of influential leaders to explore regions of extreme poverty in northeast Paraguay.”

 Toward national transformation

“How did GPF succeed?” says Field. “By social work—providing clothing medical supplies, blankets, dentists, doctors—through education of youth with support from the Ministry of Education, and by securing the support of Paraguay’s professional classes. But most importantly, by being clear about priorities. First principles and values—you could say the ‘spiritual foundation’ of a nation—bring stability, direction, and confidence that the future is not in the hands of a privileged elite but in the hands of free people. That is the path of Paraguay’s transformation, and that is what GPF is committed to advancing.”

.“A clear national vision, rooted in fundamental spiritual principles and shared moral values, is the essential starting point for national transformation.” —GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon

Left: GPF Latin America Director Thomas Field invites participants at the 2013 Global Peace Convention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to the Convention in Asunción in November 2014. Right: Carlos G. Fernández Valdovinos of the Central Bank of Paraguay presents a positive assessment of Paraguay’s economic opportunities at a forum, “Towards an Alliance between Paraguay and Korea,” in Asunción on June 17, 2014.

To register for the Global Peace Convention 2014 visit www.globalpeace.org.

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Opening Plenary Keynote Address, Global Peace Leadership Conference 2014, Seoul, Korea
Grand Hilton Hotel
September 29, 2014

Dr. Hyun Jin Moon addresses global leaders and experts convened at the Global Peace Leadership Conference 2014 in Seoul, Korea.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

I would like to thank you all for your time and leadership contribution at this Global Peace Leadership Conference on the theme of “Vision, Principles, and Values for a Unified Korea.” We are gathered at a truly important inflection point in the proud history of the Korean people and our shared quest to realize a unified homeland.

I would like to thank our partners Dr. Se Il Park of the Unification Arrangement Committee and Honorary Professor at Seoul National University, and Lee Gapsan and other leaders of Action for Korea United.
From the political sphere, I am happy to recognize the Members of the National Assembly who are joining us today, the Honorable Sung Tae Kim, the Honorable Myung Chul Cho, and the Honorable Young Kyo Seo and the many other political figures who are with us here.

We are also very pleased to welcome the representatives of six great faith traditions in Korea.

I wish to thank the Co-Chairmen of the Organizing Committee, Honorable Lee Maan Eee and Venerable Young Dam, Dr. Kwak Tae Hwan, Dr. Jin Shin and the many supporting scholars who have joined us.
Our esteemed international guests include Dr. Edwin Feulner, founder of the prestigious Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C., Dr. Victor Cha, Korea Chair of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dr. Robert and Mrs. Donna Schuller of the Coalition for American Renewal, Dr. Feng Zhu from Nanjing University, as well as key leaders of the Korean diaspora from Japan, China and the US.

Let us give them and the entire Organizing Committee a warm round of applause.

Unification Takes Center Stage
In the three years since the Global Peace Foundation held its annual convention here in Seoul, the landscape regarding Korean unification has changed dramatically. Back then, many South Koreans had little interest in the issue. They thought it would happen in a far distant future, if it happened at all.

But we continued forward, confident that the long cherished idea of Korean unification would become a pressing issue much sooner than most people expected. And that is exactly what happened. Kim Jong Il died suddenly and his son, Kim Jong Un, quickly showed himself to be both inexperienced and unpredictable. The resulting instability in the North presents a significant threat to the Korean peninsula and to the region leading many to see unification as the only path to resolve the present uncertainties.

Consequently, South Korean government policy is now to actively pursue peaceful unification by seeking to engage the North through a number of channels, as President Park expressed in her Dresden Declaration earlier this year. These include proposed infrastructure projects, as well as cultural exchanges with the North Korean people.

In policy discussions within South Korea there is now much greater focus on the potential benefits that will flow from peaceful unification. As South Korea’s ambassador to the United States told a recent CSIS conference in Washington, DC, “Unification is no longer a question of if but when.” How to prepare for it, therefore, has become a matter of urgent discussion.

Vision and Principles: Unification and the Korean Dream

A Vision for a Unified Korea. Dr. Hyun Jin Moon’s newest book in Korean.

The focus of this conference, namely the vision, principles and values that will undergird and guide a unified Korea, is an essential part of the preparation for unification, yet it has not been sufficiently discussed. You might call it the missing dimension of unification. To awaken Koreans to the importance of this dimension in preparing for a historic transformation, I wrote the book, “The Korean Dream,” and organized this conference, the latest in a series we have held over the past five years in Korea, Mongolia and the United States.

A tremendous amount of work is already underway in government and think tanks to prepare for the challenges that might arise on the road to unification. However, true peace can never be built upon economic and political effort alone, nor through piecemeal social interaction and cultural exchange. These are all parts of a process that need to be framed within a vision that defines the end goal and directs them towards it.

That is what the Korean Dream is about. It answers the key questions about ends. Unification will create a new nation, rich with new possibilities. What sort of nation should it be? What principles and what values should guide and sustain it?

And make no mistake; these are questions that must be addressed now, as the course of history is presenting Koreans today with a unique opportunity. We have the chance to end the division of Korea because the geopolitical circumstances that created two Koreas have dramatically changed. A divided homeland was never the desire of the Korean people. At the end of World War II in 1945 they wanted to enjoy the freedom of an independent and united nation.

The geopolitics of the Cold War thwarted that desire and imposed on Koreans this division that has lasted for 66 years. However, the Cold War ended a quarter of a century ago. The Soviet Union no longer exists and the alliance structure that once supported the North Korean state is gone.

As a result, North Korea has become increasingly isolated and economically dysfunctional. China, its longtime supporter has grown increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang’s intransigence over its nuclear weapons and economic modernization. There is no longer anything special about the former “special relationship” between the two countries.

Because of these changes we Koreans now stand in a position to take control of our own destiny and finally realize the aspirations for the nation that fired the minds and hearts of the 1945 generation. To grasp this opportunity we need to move forward with a clear vision of the future based upon the principles and values that have shaped Korean identity and defined Korea’s destiny.

What Is the Korean Dream?
As I point out in the book, to prepare for the future we need to look to the past. The roots of Korean identity lie with Korea’s founding, in the story of Dangun, the legendary founder of Gojoseon and the principles upon which the nation was built. These were Hongik-Ingan, Ido-yeochi, Kwangmyung-ise, and Jaesae-ihwa.

The founding spirit can be summarized by the core principle of Hongik-Ingan with its remarkable exhortation that the Korean nation and people should live for the “benefit of all humanity.” This ideal was to be implemented through the other three principles. Thus, Dangun aspired to govern the world with “morality and truth” (Ido-yeochi), thereby “enlightening the world with truth” (Kwangmyung-ise) and thus “creating a world of truth” (Jaesae-ihwa).

These principles run like a thread through Korean history, especially Hongik-Ingan . They were the compass that guided Koreans through suffering and tribulation and helped them to digest it. They were the seeds of a national spiritual consciousness that was forged through the historical experiences of the Korean people and then brought to bear on every aspect of practical life.

These principles and the spiritual consciousness they produced became embedded in the Korean psyche and a part of our cultural heritage through the extended family tradition. In such a family, a child grows up supported within a rich web of relationships, embraced by grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and others. In that environment he or she learns the moral virtues and responsibilities of every type of relationship from the people who love them most.
This is the foundation of an ethical society through which virtue is nurtured and passed on through the generations. As I explain in the book, the family is the place where moral education to raise future citizens takes place and it does so at a level of intimacy that develops the most deeply rooted moral qualities. Here principles are transformed into practice and become the values we live by.

These are the elements of the Korean Dream. Together they have shaped the unique Korean identity, an identity we have to recover in order to shape our own future and fulfill our destiny. For unification will be about much more than ending the 66 years of political and ideological division. It will present the Korean people, North and South, with the opportunity to reconnect with the long arc of Korean history and bend it forward toward a future in which not only will Korea be united but it will also become a powerful voice for peace in the world.

By formulating a guiding vision, the Korean Dream is changing the way people think about unification. It is creating consensus where before there was division. It is a bitter irony that over the past half century Koreans have been locked into the box of ideological conflict even though the argument did not begin with us. The Korean Dream offers a way out of the box through its broad perspective. It offers a new alternative so that Korean people can think of the possibility of creating a nation rooted in their unique history and traditions.

Winners of the 2012 Need U Idea Korean unification competition. Since then the competition has expanded to include university, high school and middle school students.

Up until now South Koreans have been divided along ideological, political, and religious lines in their approach to unification and their conception of Korea’s future. Today, however, this vision is inspiring cooperation, for the first time, between liberals and conservatives, and among religious groups, civic leaders, and political parties.

It is also building a bridge of common identity connecting us to the North Korean people. Unification is first and foremost the joining together of a separated people. For South Koreans it is a moral imperative to bring an end to the oppression and deprivation suffered by our North Korean cousins, who are the same race, speak the same language, and share the same history and culture as we do.

The power of popular movements guided by a moral vision to bring profound social and national transformation is something I highlight in my book. The twentieth century offered many examples.

The Global Peace Foundation was instrumental in creating Action for Korea United in 2012. AKU is a broad coalition of nearly 400 civic groups, representing a wide range of religious, political, humanitarian, and human rights organizations engaged with North Korean issues. Through AKU, consensus on the vision and principles that should guide unification is taking shape and the activities of many diverse organizations are being coordinated. It is a civil society movement of citizens wanting to make a difference, in contrast to top-down, government initiated projects. As such it offers an ideal partner for public-private cooperation.

Action for Korea United will be reaching out to every corner of our nation from Pusan to the Han River and beyond the 38th parallel to our cousins in the North. AKU is also issuing a clarion call to connect our nation with the Korean diaspora throughout the world.

The Korean Dream and World Peace
The Korean Dream does not end with the unification of the Korean peninsula. Rooted as it is in the Hongik-Ingan ideal of living for the benefit of humanity, its vision reaches out from the nation to the world.

One of the leaders of Korea’s independence movement, Baekbom Kim Gu, whom I mention in my book, captured the sentiment of the patriots of that time when he wrote, “I wish my nation would be a nation that doesn’t just imitate others, but rather it be a nation that is the source of a new and higher culture, that it can become the goal and an example [for others]. And thus true world peace could come from our nation;”

This is the destiny towards which our history is directing us. Unification is the next significant step toward realizing that destiny. To achieve it, we must revive those core ideals that still burn deep within the Korean consciousness. The time is ripe today to do this, while we Koreans are reflecting deeply on who we have become, in the wake of the Saewol ferry tragedy.

The situation of the world today cries out for leadership and models of peace. A Korea united through the vision of the Korean Dream would exemplify the sort of leadership that the patriotic leaders of the Independence movement aspired to.

A Vision that Can End Identity-Based Conflict
When the Cold War ended there was great hope that a world of peace would ensue. Instead, as the global ideological rivalry of the two superpowers came to an end, the geopolitical constraints it had exercised disappeared as well. Conflicts sprang up everywhere based on tribal, ethnic, and most of all religious, differences. Such identity-based conflicts present the greatest threat to world peace today.

Military force alone can never resolve this type of threat. The resolution must begin with a vision based upon universal principles and values that upholds our common humanity, transcending the narrow forms of identity that produce conflict. That vision must then be made into a reality by a movement of people who become its owners, then create initiatives and establish institutions that give it substance and form.

A vision that can encapsulate our shared principles and common identity can be found in the affirmation that we are all members of One Family under God. Based on evidence of success that the Global Peace Foundation has already demonstrated in hot spots in East and West Africa and Southeast Asia, it is my firm conviction that the vision of One Family under God can transcend identity-based conflict and provide the principled foundation for creating a world of peace. I am further convinced that a united Korea guided by the Korean Dream can become the leading global advocate for this vision.

A united Korea committed to universal principles and values that uphold human rights and freedoms will exercise tremendous moral authority through its example. The influence such principles can have on history is demonstrated by the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

The principles it enunciates, that “all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” remain as a timeless inspiration for peoples everywhere seeking to secure fundamental rights and freedoms. A united Korea would offer similar inspiration, and most especially with the nations of the developing world today.

Korea and the Developing World
The developing world is likely to exercise a growing influence over the global future. Western models of development are now being questioned, after the 2007-2008 global financial crisis was precipitated by western financial institutions. Countries in the developing world are open to new leadership and new models of development and Korea is ideally placed to provide both.

More importantly, many of these nations are looking for a path to a prosperous future that does not strip away their traditional spiritual and cultural values. They often find more in common with the values nurtured within the Korean extended family model than those promoted by the more extreme secular liberal ideas coming out of the West. This makes Korea a natural partner for them.

Dr. Altamirano, director of the Paraguayan think-tank Institute for the Development of Thought, addresses participants of its first symposium on Korea-Paraguay relations.

The Foundations of National Transformation
The Global Peace Foundation has been active throughout the developing world establishing model projects that address major challenges such as identity-based conflict and give practical expression to the vision of One Family under God.

We have been particularly active in Paraguay, developing a model for national transformation and connecting it with Korea. The annual Global Peace Convention will be held there this year and has attracted 18 former Latin American heads of state to examine the model and its application throughout the region.

Our work in Paraguay began with projects to promote the principles and values that are the necessary foundation for a well-functioning, free-market democracy. This created greater social and political stability particularly in addressing the problem of corruption.

I then brought Korean infrastructure experts and investors to Paraguay to partner in a comprehensive development strategy. Once its infrastructure is sufficiently developed, Paraguay is perfectly placed to enter the global economy as a hub nation for regional development. Korea will be the key partner in this process.

This will not only open the door to new markets in the Latin American region. It will also place Korea in a key leadership role there in bringing about economic development as well as promoting the social and political transformation needed to sustain that development. Based on such a track record, Korea could play a similar role in other regions of the developing world.

And most importantly for our focus here today, the experience of lifting up an underdeveloped nation to become a part of the global economy will be invaluable in meeting the post-unification challenges of transforming North Korea into a free, just and prosperous country that that can function in the modern world. All of this shows that Korea is poised to lead in the world but first we have to resolve the painful legacy of the past and heal the division at home.

Conclusion and Call to Action
Today, Korea stands at a crossroads facing a historic choice. What is at stake is the future of the Korean people for generations to come. We can accept the current state of a divided peninsula with the ever-present possibility of another fratricidal war. Or we can determine a new path driven by our destiny to create a unified homeland and to “broadly benefit all humanity.”

This is a moment of decision. In contrast to our position during the 20th century, the future of our peninsula today lies in our own hands. Change will come through a vision that captures the imagination of the Korean people and builds consensus for a bottom-up process of national transformation. The Korean Dream is that vision and our pathway to the future, while the vision of One Family under God represents our global mission in building a world of everlasting peace in accordance with the Hongik Ingan ideal.

I wrote this book to fire the imagination of Koreans everywhere with hope and a dream. It is my deepest desire that the Korean people reads and owns the content of my book “The Korean Dream.”
As I stand here before you, I am strengthened in my resolve to bring about the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula because I see the broad swath of Korean society, ranging from political, religious, social, civic and NGO leadership that is essential in building a bottom-up grassroots movement.

Today we are making history as we put aside our different interests and come together as Koreans, united by the Korean Dream. You represent the Korean people who are an essential component to the unification process. Through your leadership, you should awaken the collective consciousness of the Korean people to become the masters of our destiny in this century and to bring an end to the horrible legacies of the last century where our people were unable – by circumstance and other factors – to determine our collective future.

In the words of Genghis Khan, “If one person has a dream, it is just a dream, but if all people share that dream, it becomes a reality.”

Let us be bold enough to be the masters of our destiny and forge a bright future for Korea, for Northeast Asia, and for the world.

Thank you, and may God bless you and your families. May God also bless the suffering people of North Korea, and our efforts for unification.

Thank you.

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Experts Present National Parallels and Lessons for Prosperity at Groundbreaking Symposium in Asuncion

Business and government leaders at a symposium highlighting Korea’s development model for Paraguay.

Leading Korean government ministers and private sector leaders said Korea’s postwar model of development holds essential lessons for Paraguay, a nation, like Korea, in the shadow of large and powerful neighbors. Speakers from Korea and Paraguay addressed a landmark International Symposium, “Towards an Alliance between Paraguay and Korea,” in Asunción on June 17, 2014.

Welcoming government and business leaders and film and print media from Korea, Director of Paraguay Institute for Development of Thought Dr. Jose Altamirano encouraged Paraguayan leaders to learn from Korea’s example, a small nation that was devastated by war and crushing poverty, yet has risen in just 50 years to become a prosperous society and world economic power.

Dr. Altamirano noted favorable global economic factors for domestic growth but said, “We are tripping on the same stones. So many projects are left midway. With scarce resources, why not take advantage of a good example?”

Hak Lae Son, former president of Korea Expressway Corporation and the Korea Rail Network Authority (above), and Cho Woo Hyun, former vice minister of Korea’s Ministry of Construction and Transportation, discuss the relevance of Korea’s experience to the development challenges of Paraguay.

Hak Lae Son, former president of Korea Expressway Corporation and the Korea Rail Network Authority, told the forum that with technology developed in Korea, engineers are not only constructing roads and railroads in Korea but in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.

He said the 1968 highway project connecting Seoul, to Busan, Korea’s second largest city, was “a historical project that cost one fourth of the budget of Korean government at that time but has been a foundation for Korea’s economic development.”

Son said that the economy and technology for the highway construction project at that time was much inferior to that in Paraguay today, but it succeeded because of “the dedication of national attention and care.” He called the expansion of infrastructure such as roads, ports and railroads “essential for national competitiveness.” 

Former vice minister of Korea’s Ministry of Construction and Transportation and chief of Incheon International Airport Cho Woo Hyun noted that Paraguay has one of the world’s largest hydroelectric power plants, as well as extensive lands for the development of agro and livestock industries.

But he also said it was essential to improve competitiveness by upgrading transportation capacity and reducing the costs of logistics. Expanding highways, railroads, and airport service, he noted, “will not only make all the territory of Paraguay a one-day life zone but also improve the efficiency of its economy and contribute to industrial development.”

The 1968 highway project connecting Seoul, to Busan, Korea’s second largest city, was “a historical project that cost one fourth of the budget of Korean government at that time but has been a foundation for Korea’s economic development.”

Carlos G. Fernández Valdovinos of the Central Bank of Paraguay presented a detailed analysis of challenges and opportunities facing Paraguay in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis in 80 years. Over the past decade, policy frameworks and economic fundamentals have been strengthened, he pointed out. “Government finances are sound, inflation is low, banks are strong, buffers are large, and a flexible exchange rate regime allows financial the sector to be prepared for external pressures.”

Carlos G. Fernández Valdovinos of the Central Bank of Paraguay (above)and José Molinas Vega, Paraguay’s Minister of Planning for Economic and Social Development, emphasize economic data that support a model for growth and development in Paraguay.

Positive outlook

Mr. Valdovinos also noted recent statutory reforms in taxation and fiscal management. “Paraguay experienced eight consecutive years of fiscal surpluses,” he told the forum. “This had allowed the country to decrease its public external debt from more than 50 percent of GDP to less than 10 percent, the lowest percentage among peers.”

Paraguay’s Minister of Planning for Economic and Social Development, José Molinas Vega, gave an upbeat assessment of Paraguay’s economic performance in recent years. Athough Paraguay is a relatively small country, “it is the first exporter of electric energy to a worldwide level, second exporter of stevia, third biggest merchant fleet after USA and China, fourth biggest soy exporter, and eighth biggest meat exporter.”

Mr. Vega moreover, presented realistic projections for development and noted that from 2003 to 2013 poverty had diminished by 50 percent. He argued that Paraguay can eliminate extreme poverty, increase life expectancy, reduce maternal and infant mortality, graduate 95 percent of Paraguay youth and elevate at least one university into world-class center of learning—all by the target date of 2030. Paraguay offers a young workforce, he said, quality raw materials, fertile soil, a strategic location, and cheap and abundant electric energy.

“We would like to use the advantages our workforce offers,” he concluded, “and for that, we are aware that we need to improve infrastructure. We need energy transmission lines, roads and waterways to connect with the world.”

Human potential

Global Peace Foundation Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon expressed his deep respect for Paraguay and his recognition of often unremarked internal qualities that can decisively shape a nation’s destiny. He explained how the Korea development model is an example for Paraguay.

“I have ridden with your cowboys, debated with your political and business leaders, and eaten together with humble families in the Chaco.  The more time I spend here, the more my heart is moved by your people. I am convinced that this country . . . has a unique role to play in this region, for this continent and the entire hemisphere. 

“This region has abundant minerals and raw materials essential for industry and energy. The most important resource, however, lies with the great human potential of the Paraguayan people.  I observed the beauty of the Paraguayan people on the 2008 cattle drive across the Chaco.  Here, traditional and spiritual values, faith in God, and trust in family are still very much alive and a part of your people’s daily lives.  This is a key reason why this nation can become a model for national transformation.

Global Peace Foundation chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon emphasizes the importance of character and vision as the foundation for national transformation. The Global Peace Foundation was a co-sponsor of the symposium.“

A clear national vision, rooted in fundamental spiritual principles and shared moral values, is the essential starting point for national transformation. A solid moral foundation is the basis for building a just society, which is the prerequisite for successful long-term economic growth. 

“Paraguay can provide economic development and material prosperity to all its people without compromising the spiritual and moral traditions of this nation and its roots in strong family values.”

The International Symposium, “Towards an Alliance between Paraguay and Korea,” was hosted by the Institute for Development of Thought and Global Peace Foundation Paraguay.

Ground-breaking for a road construction project in Paraguay by the Korean Il Sung Construction company, the first Korea-Paraguay development initiative, is scheduled for June 18, and a railroad feasibility study by the Korea Rail Network Authority has been completed and presented to the Paraguayan Ministry of National Development and is under review.

Original article from: http://www.globalpeace.org/newsapp/korea-development-model-an-example-for-paraguay

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(left to right) Opening panelists for the CCI Forum: Jose Altamirano, Director of IDPPS, Lilian Samaniego, Paraguay Senator, Alfredo Jaegli, President of the Paraguay National Congress, Luis Scaso, OEI representative, and Hermelinda Alvarenga, vice-minister of Higher Education.

Dr. Moon has emphasized character education as a crucial part of educating the whole child. The following is a report on the work of Global Peace Foundation and its partners to implement character education in Paraguay.

Since 2008, Paraguay’s Ministry of Education and Culture, in partnership with Global Peace Foundation has placed added emphasis on character competency education.  With the belief and understanding that is commonly held by organizations including the YMCA and the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, that academic competencies are not enough to equip students with the tools necessary for a successful future, additional  curriculum has been introduced. This includes areas that focus on character and leadership skills such as communication, mediation and service.

In early June of this year, Phase I of the Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) program was successfully completed. During this initial phase over seven hundred teachers were trained and educated in the CCI curriculum.

On June 17th, following the conclusion of Phase I, newly trained educators, students, teachers and administrators, convened for a forum on “”Character Formation of Paraguayan Youth”” at the National Congress of Paraguay, a sponsor of the forum. Global Peace Foundation, Ministry of Education and Culture, the Office of Congresswoman Lilian Samaniego, Together for Education and the Organization of Inter4American States (OEI) at the Congress of Paraguay were additional sponsors.

What was meant to be a modest gathering of educators, students and legislators, turned into a full house.  500 plus individuals, from all 17 states of Paraguay, gathered to share their experience and input on how their schools have been changed through the character education curriculum.  They also voiced their hope for continued implementation of the curriculum. This unexpected turnout forced organizers to “bring hundreds more chairs” to accommodate those who found themselves “standing at the rear and on the steps of congress.”

The forum was opened by the President of the Congress, followed by the unveiling of Phase II of CCI by GPF’s CCI Director, Juan Carlos Tominaga. Phase II will focus on nurturing creativity and building a transformative school culture. Ministry of Education officers, principals and teachers expressed their enthusiasm for the next phase of CCI.

As can be seen with the enthusiastic turnout at the CCI Forum in Paraguay, the curriculum is showing the importance of educating the whole child, both their minds and hearts to secure the success of future generations.

– To view the original article visit: www.globalpeace.org.

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June 12, 2013| Asuncion, Paraguay

Global Peace Foundation Chairman Hyun Jin Preston
Moon addresses a conference on Governance, Ethics, and Development in Asunción.

Stressing their shared moral and spiritual roots, Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon called for closer cooperation between the nations of North and South America, in Asuncion, Paraguay, on June 11 2013. “Leaders in both the U.S. and in Latin America need to understand the import and opportunity that can be found in the mutual relationships of the Americas,” he told participants at the international conference on “Government, Ethics, and Development.”

The one-day conference was sponsored by Instituto de Desarrollo del Pensamiento Patria Soñada, a GPF-supported research institute in Asunción, and

Global Peace Foundation Paraguay, with support of the Latin American Presidential Mission, Esquipulas Foundation of Guatemala, the Leadership Conference of Uruguay, and others. The conference included the participation of former Presidents Juan Carlos Wasmosy of Paraguay, Vinicio Cerezo and Alvaro Colom of Guatemala, Ernesto Samper of Colombia, and Carlos Mesa of Bolivia.

The program presented sessions of the challenge of consolidating democracy in Latin America; economic investment to advance stable democratic governance and social development; the tension between democracy and populism; and economic investment to moderate conflict and instability.

“Enduring relationships that yield good results must be based upon ethical principles and shared values, for these provide the foundation that fosters mutual respect, collaborative efforts, and shared benefits.”

He stressed the need to seriously and comprehensively address issues such as security and social inequity in the country. “Many people are looking to Paraguay after years of international isolation,” Dr. Altamirano said, “and for the first time this forces the country to think strategically.” Dr. Jose Altamirano, Director of Instituto de Desarrollo del Pensamiento Patria Soñada, said that the incoming government will need to emphasize effectiveness and efficiency as an “inevitable direction, because otherwise efforts disperse.”

Above: Former Heads on State from four Latin American
countries addressed the conference, which drew participation
from government leaders, scholars, and business professionals.

In his remarks, Dr. Moon also recalled his experience among the Paraguayan people, especially fireside talks at camps on a cattle drive through Alto Paraguay amid some of the poorest towns and indigenous communities. “Paraguay’s history reflects the heart of a peace-loving, inclusive people who, unlike other nations in the Americas, embraced the native population, even adopting their language of Guarani as part of the national heritage,” he said.

The GPF Chairman further underscored the importance of the founding of the Latin American Presidential Mission, comprised of nearly 20 former Heads of State, at the Global Peace Convention in Atlanta in December 2012. He said the Presidential Mission is committed to strengthening relations between the North, Central and South America and the Caribbean as well as promoting a hemispheric spiritual awakening centered on universal principles and values.

“Leaders in both the U.S. and in Latin America need to understand the import and opportunity that can be found in the mutual relationships of the Americas,” Dr. Moon said. “Most importantly, enduring relationships that yield good results must be based upon ethical principles and shared values, for these provide the foundation that fosters mutual respect, collaborative efforts, and shared benefits.”

Visit: www.globalpeace.org for the full story.

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Tuesday, June 11, 2013| Asunción- Paraguay

Dr. Moon calls on political, business, media and civil society leaders to spark a hemispheric movement for peace.

Esteemed former presidents, dignitaries and ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor to greet you in this beautiful land of Paraguay—a nation which holds a special place in my heart—and to share a few words with this prominent gathering of national and international political, social, religious and business leaders.

It would take too long to mention each of you by name, but I would like to give special recognition to the former presidents who took the time out of their busy schedules to be with us today as special representatives of this distinguished and august group of leaders:

Let us express our appreciation to Presidents Juan Carlos Wasmosy of Paraguay, Vinicio Cerezo and Alvaro Colom of Guatemala, Ernesto Samper of Colombia, and Carlos Mesa of Bolivia for joining us here today.

Paraguay’s Time to Shine

Since my last visit here a year ago, “much water has flowed under the bridge,” as the popular Spanish saying goes. Despite serious difficulties, the interim government held general elections for a new president and administration on April 21^st, which was acknowledged by numerous international observers as a fully legitimate and properly conducted election. This is a time for Paraguay to shine.

Today, there is a duly elected government that will soon come into office, peacefully and with unquestioned legitimacy. I see this as a great moral and political victory for the people of Paraguay, clear evidence that true republican ideals and the first principles of a well-functioning democracy can take hold in this region.

Now, however, Paraguayans must look ahead and build upon their achievements by developing a proactive road map to unleash intrinsic social and economic opportunities. Paraguay has always had great potential, yet, was unable to harness that potential due to the political challenges it has faced in the early years. But, with the precedent of the recent elections, it stands on a new footing of legitimacy that is gaining recognition from the international community. I believe this is a time for Paraguay to shine.

Differing Heritages of North and South America

Today’s conference on “Governance, Ethics and Development” is of great and timely significance for Paraguay, this region and the entire hemisphere. As we in the West know, the American hemisphere’s unique contribution to modern global history would not have been possible without the paradigm shifts in worldviews brought forth by the Renaissance and Reformation in Europe.

Many who made the long voyage across the Atlantic came with hopes of a new beginning filled with opportunities in this new land. Yet, over the course of several centuries, the stories of North America and South America and Latin America unfolded very differently with real qualitative and quantitative consequences for their people, although they were all of primarily Christian and European descent.

The fundamental difference lay in their heritage. North America was shaped by the British legacy, which paved the way for the first constitutional government, and the recognition of “fundamental rights” of all Englishmen.

On the other hand, the Central and Southern regions of the Americas were largely influenced by the more feudal political-religious traditions of the Iberian Peninsula that remained a bastion and champion of old Europe.

Thus, the impulses for fundamental reform and changes that the Renaissance and Reformation brought to Great Britain did not materialize in Spain and Portugal.

Naturally, this had a great impact on the relative developments and history of the aforementioned regions and their respective national revolutions for independence from their European progenitors.

Therefore, although the South American revolutions in the 19^th century strove to establish regional political blocs similar to that in North America, they were unable to do so.

Latin America fragmented into many independent autonomous nation states that were still heavily influenced by the old systems and traditions of the Iberian Peninsula.

Even today, Latin America struggles with this legacy, since relatively small elites control the political, social, religious and economic lives of their nations, thus creating the circumstances of discontent in which radical ideals such as communism and liberation theology have emerged and taken root. Whereas many developing democracies around the world have dealt with the inequities of feudal societies, Latin America still faces that challenge.

That is why I am so excited about the transformations taking place here in Paraguay.

The “Womb” of Latin America’s Rebirth

Ever since I first visited this nation, I have always believed that Paraguay, given its geographic centrality as well as its unique historic and cultural roots, could and would be the metaphoric “womb” of a rebirth of Latin America.

Its history reflects the heart of a peace-loving, inclusive people who, unlike other nations in the Americas, embraced the native population, even adopting their language of “Guarani” as part of the national heritage.  But of all and most importantly, Paraguayans have always recognized and honored God in their families, communities, and in the life of their nation.

It was for this reason that I held the first Global Peace Festival here in Paraguay in 2008 during a period of immense internal political strife for this country.

I emphasized the importance of moral and innovative leadership and the need to set the proper precedents for this young republic to continue on a path toward the fulfillment of its great potential.

Dr. Moon and fellow cowboys sit around the fire during a cattle drive in 2008 across the Chaco region of Paraguay.

I still remember the one and a half hour debate I had with then President Nicanor Duarte on the importance of vision, principles and values and the need to set the proper legacy of a peaceful democratic transition in order for this fragile democracy to survive.

I also recall my speech at the National Congress where I once again I emphasized the points I made to the president as well as challenged the Congress to build a new country centered upon universal spiritual principles and values, and the vision of “One Family under God.”

My fondest memories come from my direct experiences with the Paraguayan people. I am told that the cattle drive I conducted with a group of young Paraguayan elites through the Chaco that same year is still talked about today.

I remember well the fireside talks I had with those young men as we camped each night on our journey through Alto Paraguay amid some of the poorest towns and indigenous communities.

I also vividly recall the transformation in them as we rode into the town of Maria Auxilidora and had the privilege to be offered a humble, yet delicious meal by its inhabitants. Many of those young men had never had such an experience, and I witnessed the social divide that had separated the rich and poor of this nation for centuries disintegrate in the face of our common humanity.

There, I saw the greatness of the Paraguayan people and the bright future for this nation if it was encouraged to dream big, to think big and to act big.

Upon my return to Asuncion after the cattle drive, I had the opportunity to speak to 30,000 young people at the first Global Peace Festival in Olympia Stadium.

There, I challenged them to dream the greatest dream of all and to build “One Family under God” and to take ownership for the future destiny of their nation. To my delight, the response was overwhelming.

I specifically recall the immense excitement, energy and sense of hope that shaped that evening events. The whole nation was being energized to take charge of its destiny and its effects were palpable.

GPF in Paraguay

In 2009, we launched the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) in Paraguay. Since then, GPF has been advancing character education programs in schools throughout the country in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

We organize youth volunteers to do social service work such as plant trees, clean parks, and paint schools. In addition, we are promoting the advancement of women through our annual “Living for the Sake of Others” award as well as other programs which allow women to contribute directly to their communities.

In the town of Puerto Casado, GPF has worked unceasingly to provide relief to the townspeople in the form of medical and dental care, educational programs, donations of food, clothing, blankets, school and sports equipment and so much more.

Shortly thereafter, we established the Association for the Development of the Chaco, which has set up a communal vegetable farm, a major fish farm, and a bakery, providing jobs on a rotational basis to hundreds of people in Alto Paraguay and helping to improve their diet. All these efforts were to create a stable way of life for the people of Alto Paraguay, that they could take pride in and responsibility for.

Next, in 2010, recognizing the need for a think-tank which could help to make a road-map for Paraguay’s future development, I encouraged the founding of the “Institute for the Development of Thought: Patria Sonada (IDPPS) under the able leadership of the Honorable Dr. Jose Altamirano.

The Presidential Mission is committed to strengthening relations between the North, Central and South America and the Caribbean as well as promoting a hemispheric spiritual awakening centered on universal principles and values.The Institute has achieved a great deal in a short time, especially through its work on a development model for the vast, poverty-stricken Chaco region based on mobilizing public and private partnerships.

In addition, besides a number of local conferences, seminars and workshops, IDPPS has successfully carried out or partnered in three major Global Peace Leadership Conferences – in Asuncion in 2010, in Brasilia in 2011, and in Atlanta, in 2012. Each of these conferences also had the invaluable support of the Esquipulas Foundation of Guatemala, led by our illustrious former President Vinicio Cerezo, and the National Leadership Conference of Uruguay.

The Latin American Presidential Mission

At the Global Peace Convention in Atlanta last year, GPF, in alliance with these three prestigious institutions, launched the Latin American Presidential Mission, comprised of nearly, I wrote 20, but I guess it’s 19 former Heads of State.

The Atlanta Declaration 2012 launched the Latin American Presidential Mission to promote hemispheric cooperation with North and South America under the names of 19 former heads of state.

The Presidential Mission is committed to strengthening relations between the North, Central and South America and the Caribbean as well as promoting a hemispheric spiritual awakening centered on universal principles and values.

Another focus areas of the Latin American Presidential Mission is trade and investment, and on this trip I have brought with me a group of Korean investors to see firsthand the enormous opportunities that are now opening up for this country and region.

Could you please rise, our Korean business group. Please, give them a round of applause.

That’s not all, we also brought along because the story of Paraguay needs to be brought around the world. So that they can report about the transformations that are happening in this region of the world, so distant from Asia, yet so close in terms of their experiences. Could we also have the journalists from the Korean media stand up.

Finally, the most important area of focus for the Latin American Presidential Mission is in the area of education, given the enormous untapped potential of Latin American youth.

A huge part of that task involves a broad form of educational initiatives targeting moral and civic development as much as practical skills and knowledge.

With proper education that emphasizes vision, principles and moral values, a new generation of leaders will set a new paradigm of leadership far removed from the continent’s feudal systems and traditions and its subsequent problems with corruption.

As President Carlos Antonio Lopez, the first president of Paraguay, said, “Schools are the best monuments that we can offer to freedom.” In other words, education should be fundamental and total, transforming the cultural and historic underpinnings of the region’s challenges and providing equal opportunity for all.

I’m sure that if Paraguay manifests this kind of ethical and moral revival, the construction of a new Republic that gives legal certainty, opportunity and security to all its citizens as well as foreign investors will lead to a tremendous blessing of peace and prosperity for this nation.

Entrepreneurs will pour in to invest long term, and the doors will open wide to improvements in infrastructure, better ways of production, new emerging industries and expanded uses of Paraguay’s abundant and diverse energy resources and reserves.

All of this in turn will allow this landlocked country to reach out beyond its borders and connect to the larger world, not only its close neighbors within the MERCOSUR alliance, but also, looking towards the Pacific to the alliance recently formed by Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico, and beyond, to countries as far away as Korea and the rest of East Asia.

A Spiritual Movement in Paraguay and the Americas

What I have shared with you today comes straight from my heart.

I love this country and wish to see it prosper. I hope you will think big and never give up your dreams.

You have overcome many obstacles throughout your history, including devastating wars in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Many used to think that Paraguay was the “basket-case” of Latin America.

They even believed that this nation would revert to totalitarianism due to recent political challenges. Yet, here you are. You have overcome great adversity and are still standing tall, poised to grasp the future with all the hunger and hope of an undying champion.

In conclusion, let me say that the vision of “One Family under God” can inspire and motivate a spiritual movement of renewal here in Paraguay and throughout the Americas.

My hope is that this conference will serve as a catalyst to spark that movement to life. I challenge each and every one of you, especially our esteemed presidents with us here today, to take up the mantle of moral and innovative leadership and to build a legacy of the highest ideals, for our communities, nations, and the entire human family.

I urge you all to join with me in this great endeavor, and work in you respective fields to secure that bright future for Paraguay, and all of your countries in Latin America,  throughout the region and this hemisphere.

Thank you very much for your commitment and may God bless each of you and your families.

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