Korea’s leading magazine Shin Dong-A, published a ten page feature of GPC Atlanta 2012 in its New Year edition.The third section reported the historic launching of the Latin American Presidential Mission under the names of 19 former heads of state from Latin America. The January issue also ran the announcement of  Park Geun-hye’s presidential win, first woman president of the Republic of Korea.

See the original article in Korean.

Below is the unofficial English translation.

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.

GPC Atlanta 2012 Presents a New Paradigm for Global Peace

By Young Chul Choi ftdog@donga.com
Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Former Heads of State from North and South America Promote a Vision of Hemispheric Cooperation for Mutual Prosperity

During GPC Atlanta, 10 former Heads of State from 8 South American countries and delegations from 40-nations convened to launch a mission committed to a hemispheric Great Awakening in North and South America. An additional 8 former Heads of State from South America, who were not present, sent video messages of support. Together they launched a historic declaration, the Atlanta Declaration for Hemispheric Cooperation, resolving to use their past experience and leadership to work for the mutual prosperity of North and South America.

Based on its substantial Christian foundation, the American hemisphere has a common ethic.  However, North and South have walked disparate paths, harboring a protracted love-and-hate relationship. For example, the phrase ‘Down with American Imperialism’ became popular when anti-U.S. sentiments in South America peaked during the Falklands Wars, a territorial dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom (U.K.) when the U.S. sided with the U.K.

Over the past decade, vast numbers of Latin Americans have crossed the border into the United States to pursue the “American Dream”. Today, the Hispanic population in the U.S. has surpassed Blacks to become the largest minority. No longer can it be politically and economically disregarded. Resolving the discrimination and contempt towards the Hispanic population is critical to resolving the problem between North and South America.

The United States can no longer ignore the importance of Latin America. As the economic recession in the United States continues since the financial crisis in 2008, the fast-growing Latin American economic region could offer a way forward. Circumstances have prepared North and South America to redefine their relationship and secure peace and equality in the American hemisphere. In his keynote address at the GPC opening plenary, Dr. Moon called for a Hemispheric Great Awakening through North and South America based on a consensus of common spiritual values.   Dr. Moon noted, “North and South America have shared values that emerge from their common Christian heritage. Cooperation and unity should be based on these universal principles. This is how the western hemisphere can recover its moral authority and make positive impact around the world.”

Over the past two years, GPF in Latin America has promoted moral and innovative leadership and increased regional and hemispheric cooperation based on shared values. The results are reflected in two significant declarations, the Asuncion Declaration issued during the 2010 Global Peace Leadership Conference in Paraguay and the Brasilia Declaration pronounced in Brazil during the 2011 Global Peace Leadership Conference.  The Americas Summit commenced at The Carter Center and was integrated within GPC Atlanta. The summit sought to discover avenues for improved hemispheric relations based on shared values and common challenges for lasting peace and mutual prosperity for North and South America..

“the unity and integration of the Americas must be based on the recognition and respect of unique national and cultural identities, and that efforts should be directed at obtaining not personal advantages but a common advantage.” ~Atlanta Declaration for Hemispheric Cooperation The summit concluded with the establishment of the Latin American Presidential Mission. The declaration was published in the name of 19 former presidents. Built upon the recognition of the vision of “One Family Under God”, it affirms, “that the unity and integration of the Americas must be based on the recognition and respect of unique national and cultural identities, and that efforts should be directed at obtaining not personal advantages but a common advantage.”

Former Guatemalan president Vinicio Cerezo said, ”A leader has to have a special character, with thought and skill, but also deep moral conviction to follow a path marked by his principles.” He added, “In international relations and politics, the leader of each nation should not abandon his ethical values under any circumstances.”

 “The commitment of the United States is to the belief that fairness, not force should lie at the heart of our dealings with the nations of the world. If any agreement is to last, it must serve the best interest of both nations.” ~Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter

Dr. Jennifer McCoy, director of the Carter Center’s Americas Program, stressed ethics among nations quoting former President Jimmy Carter. “The commitment of the United States is to the belief that fairness, not force should lie at the heart of our dealings with the nations of the world. If any agreement is to last, it must serve the best interest of both nations.” Meanwhile, business leaders from around the world participated in the Global Peace Business Forum to discuss how trade and commerce can generate economic prosperity in North and South America, Africa, and the Iraq-Kurdish region. They agreed that the crisis of modern capitalism rooted in corruption and greed can be resolved through moral values and principles in business. Dr. Manu Chandaria, CEO of one of Africa’s largest businesses, Comcraft Group, received resounding applause when he said, “To offer economic opportunity to Africa is the realistic means to establishing world peace.”.

See all four sections of Shin Dong-A feature on GPC 2012.

The post "Hemispheric Cooperation for Mutual Prosperity" – Shin Dong-A feature report on the Americas Summit 2012 – part 3 appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

Moral and Innovative Leadership: Building Healthy Families, Ethical Societies, and a Global Culture of Peace

Carter Presidential Center, Atlanta, Georgia 

Your excellencies, honored guests, and distinguished participants from around the world. It is a distinct pleasure to welcome you from the four corners of the world here to the United States and to this fourth annual Global Peace Convention. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Georgia Senator Emanuel Jones, and Dr. Robert Schuller, for hosting and serving as Co-Chairman of this Convention. To the members of our Global Leadership Council, to the many distinguished Latin American Presidents, and to the dignitaries from 40 nations assembled here today: thank you for your visionary leadership and ownership of our mission of peace.

The Global Peace Convention

The Global Peace Convention started in Southeast Asia in 2009, in Manila, capital of the Philippines. We then moved to the continent of Africa, in Nairobi, Kenya, where president Kibaki was patron of the convention. Next, in 2011, we were in Northeast Asia, in my birthplace of Seoul, Korea; and finally this year we have arrived in the Western Hemisphere and my adopted home here in the United States. Thus, this convention brings together the fruits of those past conventions as well as of the numerous festivals, service and community development projects, character development programs, and partnerships that we have had the great fortune to initiate and develop with many of you in this room today.

The theme of this year’s Convention is “Moral and Innovative Leadership: Building Healthy Families, Ethical Societies and a Culture of Global Peace.” It is particularly fitting that this should be the theme for our gathering here in this great city of Atlanta, Georgia, a place rich with history, faith, and more importantly as a center of the civil rights movement. As a man of faith and student of history, I have always looked at that movement not just as a struggle for civil rights but as America’s “Great Awakening” of the 20th century – one of the great spiritual movements of American history which were the harbinger of transformations to come. Today we must rekindle that spirit and take it to a still higher level, laying out a path not only for American renewal but for a hemispheric and even global awakening that will offer a new perspective for peace and harmony in our time.

Where America’s True Strength Lies

Ladies and gentlemen, the United States may be the world’s sole remaining superpower, but we need to be clear about where America’s true strength lies. It is not in U.S. military might, greatly stretched in Iraq and now in Afghanistan. Nor is it in America’s geopolitical and economic dominance, now challenged by its debt crisis and questions about its leadership in the Middle East, Asia and the international community.

I believe that America’s true strength lies in its moral authority as a nation rooted in spiritual principles and values which has championed human rights and freedoms at home and abroad.  This is a nation with the aspiration to become “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”   It was this vision that inspired millions from all corners of the world regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion to make the long and perilous journey to a new nation filled with hope and opportunity. In order for the United States to exercise genuine global leadership in today’s more complex and fragmenting world, it must rekindle that position of true servant leadership, offering its inclusive national promise to the world.

Now more than ever, the United States must look to its unique founding ideals as the basis for a new Renaissance in the 21^st century rooted in universally accepted aspirations, principles and values.   Just as the European Renaissance gave rise to the Reformation and the Enlightenment and, thereby laid the groundwork for our modern world, a new global movement for change needs to arise, anchored in the past but bringing a fresh, new vision for the future.  This is a time for bold leadership, that is guided by a universal aspiration and tied to those time-tested principles and values that form the basis of our common humanity.

In the course of the last century, the United States has been the catalyst for positive global change, challenging European colonial imperialism, and creating international assemblies to foster peace through dialogue and reason.  The League of Nations after the First World War, and the United Nations after the Second World War, were created as a result.  During the Cold War era, American leadership, and faith in human rights and fundamental freedoms, paved the way for the eventual collapse of totalitarian, communist regimes around the world. The historical role of the United States in shaping, and then leading, the world to where we are today, is undisputed. The question then is what should be America’s role going forward, as we look to this new century and the challenges that it brings.

Three Thematic Challenges Facing America and the World

As a concerned citizen and peace advocate, I see three major themes that the U.S., needs to address as a global leader in the 21^st century, together with the world community. The first deals with the religious dimension of U.S. engagement in the Middle East and the contemporary challenge of sectarian-fueled extremism and violence. The second is near to my heart as a Korean-American, namely the resolution of the Korean conflict. The final theme addresses the need for greater hemispheric integration between the United States and its southern neighbors in this era of the Pan-Pacific rim.

The current approach to addressing terrorism over the last eleven years has embroiled the United States in the ever changing politics of the Muslim world where religion and tribal affiliations are  powerful socio-political realities. How does the United States meet the threat of Islamist extremism without alienating mainstream Muslims and igniting a wider conflict along religious lines? Moreover, the rise of a potential nuclear Iran with its regional ambitions, coupled with the instability of the Middle East, makes for a still more volatile situation.

Further complicating matters is North Korea’s link to the Iranian nuclear program and its role as the arms supplier to rogue regimes worldwide. Given these challenges, the resolution of the Korean conflict is of paramount global importance. What should U.S. and international policy be toward the Korean peninsula given the threats to regional stability, and international security?

Finally, there is the question of the future of the Americas. It is clear that the Hispanic community will be ever more influential in the domestic, social, political and economic life of the United States. Whether considering immigration, socio-economic opportunity, or regional trade and partnerships, it seems clear that the future of the US and the hemisphere as a whole lies with greater integration and cooperation. This becomes even more important given the rise of China as a significant competitor and growing force on the global stage.

A Nation Founded on Principles

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me repeat: to provide global leadership in meeting these challenges,  the United States must rekindle its founding ideals and find in them the inspiration for dealing with today’s realities. This nation was given birth through the declaration of certain universal transcendent principles and values that uplifted human dignity and freedoms. Those “self-evident truths” formed the foundation of a new nation in which a common commitment to shared ideals and values bound us together as “one nation under God.”

I have traveled widely around the world and gained a unique perspective that has enabled me to appreciate the distinctive genetic code of America’s greatness.  As a student of history I have often asked myself, “What is the essence of the American Dream?” I came to the conclusion that the American Dream is not about the democratic political process or the free market economic system. Processes and systems are external structures that succeed or fail depending on the spirit and values that infuse them. The secret of America’s success lies in the vitality of the spiritual principles and values that motivated the American experiment and were poured into the structures of the new nation.

They are conveyed in the Declaration of Independence, a secular document that nevertheless enshrines spiritual principles that form the basis of our modern notion of human rights.   Its ringing words declare : “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” They make clear that those rights and the human dignity, freedom, and responsibility that flow from them, are not granted by any human power or institution but come as our natural heritage from the Creator and, therefore, cannot rightfully be abridged or denied. They are a shield against tyranny and corruption. In this context, the First Amendment to the Constitution is of particular importance, guaranteeing freedom of expression and religion. In so doing it set a precedent that has made a global impact, protecting and promoting essential freedoms of conscience, worship, and speech everywhere.

It is in these core principles that America’s greatness lies. It was to them, for example, that Dr. Martin Luther King appealed in his powerful and charismatic speeches that transcended sectarian religious differences and spoke to the larger humanity of us all. He said that the civil rights movement was not just a struggle for African-American equality but the pursuit of a timeless ideal rooted in the fundamental principles that shaped America’s founding.

From One Nation under God to One World Family under God

This moment may prove to be a historic crossroads, for the United States, and for the world. The time is ripe for a new spiritual awakening that galvanizes the community of righteous and faithful citizens around universal principles and shared values, not just in the U.S. but throughout the Western hemisphere and the world. In other words, humanity needs a vision that is more powerful than the forces driving us apart. American founding ideals gave rise to the vision of One Nation under God – a nation where people of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds could live together and create the model of a unified world. The time is ripe for this model to be expanded to the global level — from the nation to the world.

A shared spiritual vision for humanity is the objective needed for these challenging times. Such a vision is found in the simple but profound idea that all human beings, everywhere, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion, are part of “One Family under God.” Political authority cannot mandate, nor can money buy, the virtues needed to resolve conflicts and build ethical societies. We need a new framework rooted in our shared spiritual aspirations and principles that give rise to the values needed to build peace.

Moral and Innovative Leadership

What do I mean by moral and innovative leadership? First, it has to promote a “greater good” that can benefit not only the individual but the larger society, nation and eventually the world. This is the moral orientation of the leadership I am describing. For it to come to fruition it has to be guided by a vision or aspiration and a clear set of irrevocable universal principles and values that could have the breadth and depth to encompass the diversity of the human family.

Secondly, it has to harness mankind’s natural creative need to advance and develop the human condition. This is the innovative component of leadership. As you all know, every culture has examples of extraordinary men and women who propelled humanity forward in the fields of philosophy, ethics, the sciences, athletics and the cultural arts, by freely exercising their God-given talents even to the point of challenging existing paradigms. Although many faced difficulties due to religious, societal and legal constraints of their time, it is fair to say that the modern world with its greater freedoms and advancements has benefited greatly due to the sacrifices of these innovators.

Three Thematic Challenges Addressed

Ladies and gentlemen:

When fundamental human aspirations are expressed in universal principles and given form through shared values; and when moral and innovative leaders rise up to give them practical substance; then we will see profound change in our societies, nations, and world, and the dawn of a new era of harmony and peace. In particular, this will provide the key to resolving the three challenges facing America and the world, that I laid out earlier.

Interfaith Cooperation Based on Universal Principles

In order to meet the threat of global religious conflict, a new type of interfaith movement must appear, much like the civil rights movement of the 1960s which addressed the injustices suffered by African-Americans through an appeal to universal principles and values. This era should be one where people of every faith come together on the foundation of such principles and values in a new Great Spiritual Awakening. The promise that America makes to its citizens through the First Amendment must be extended to all the world’s peoples through such an interfaith movement.

On that common foundation, people of faith must stand together to uphold those principles and resist the violent appeal of religious extremism. I want to recognize the representatives here of Nadhlatul Ulama from Indonesia, one of our major international interfaith partners. NU is the world’s largest Muslim civic organization from the world’s most populous Muslim country. NU promotes a moderate and peaceful vision of Islam that supports the Indonesian polity based on unity in diversity and respect for religious freedom. They act vigorously against Islamist extremists whose actions are contrary to Islam’s core principles and mission of peace.

Here in America, the Coalition for American Renewal is building a grassroots network among religious and civic leaders to revive the American founding spirit and apply it in practical social and educational initiatives nationwide. It is upholding First Amendment freedoms, particularly freedom of religion, which is the foundation for freedom of conscience. I also want to recognize the many other interfaith partners in this room from around the world, such as the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, who are building peace through track two diplomacy.

A Principled Approach to Korean Unification

With Korean unification, the Foundation has taken an innovative approach that has altered the framework of the debate. To start with, we challenged the idea that unification was impossible or could only be achieved over generations.   Our Global Peace Leadership Conferences put it on the table as an imminent possibility. Next, we took it out of the exclusive top-down realm of high international politics and made it a popular, bottom-up campaign that engaged ordinary Korean citizens. Through the Korea United campaign we have engaged a broad-based coalition of 400 grassroots civic organizations with an innovative values-based approach to Korean unification.

Finally, and most important, we shifted the debate away from the process to a focused discussion on the desired outcome – what sort of a nation, governed by what principles, should a united Korea be?  Thus, for the first time, a grassroots movement for Korean unification, based upon spiritual principles, has emerged. Ultimately, unification based on such principles is urgently needed to resolve the threat of North Korean nuclear arms and nuclear proliferation.

A Great Hemispheric Awakening for the 21^st Century

Work to promote greater integration within the western hemisphere, between the Americas, is already under way. Yesterday, eight former heads of state of Latin American countries, with the committed support of several others, met at the Carter Center to kick off the Americas Summit. This afternoon they will announce the founding of the Latin American Presidential Mission. Building on earlier meetings in Paraguay in 2010, and in Brazil last year, and the Asuncion and Brasilia Declarations that emerged from these meetings, they are developing a blueprint for the closer integration of the Latin American countries and a deeper connection between North and South America.

The project is not just about diplomacy or economics. At its core is the affirmation and propagation of our common spiritual roots and of the same “self-evident truths” that informed America’s founding. Upon such a foundation we can experience a Great Hemispheric Awakening and see the opening of a new era in the history of the Americas that will have a positive impact throughout the world. In particular the western hemisphere can establish societies that value human rights, freedoms, and responsibilities. These will stand as beacons for the aspirations of people everywhere and bulwarks against authoritarian regimes that deny those rights.

Worldwide Initiatives

Significant initiatives are also being undertaken with many dedicated partners in Africa and Asia. There are distinguished African leaders here today who have worked with GPF to forge national campaigns of social cohesion that have stemmed the post-election violence in Kenya. Also here are African religious and political leaders who convened recently at the United Nations in Nairobi for the Africa Conference on Volunteer Action for Peace and Development. There, 25 partners launched Africa’s own multi-national regional approach to a peace corps, engaging African youth in international service.

In Asia, young people are being engaged in development in rural villages such as the All Lights project that brings solar powered lighting to communities that are not on the electrical grid. This effort reaches out across Southeast Asian nations.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen: The demands of this moment in history are great, but so are the opportunities to forge a bright future for humanity. Now is the time to revive America’s founding vision and expand that dream onto a global stage through the universal vision of “One Family under God.” This should be the clarion call of our age.  In the words of my father, who committed his life to the cause of peace, the time has come “to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God’s cherished desire.”

The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world—from the strife and poverty of Africa, to the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula. As Americans and global citizens, let us make a solemn pledge to expand this dream to all people and lead the world to peace through the vision of “One Family under God.”  Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred, both at home and in the far corners of our world.

Join with me and all our partners, and dare to dream the greatest dream of all, that we can all live as One Family under God, and make that dream a reality.

Thank you for your support and engagement in this great work and may God bless you and your families.

Thank you.

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Dr. Moon coins the term “Korean Dream” in his keynote at the Global Peace Leadership Conference in 2012.

Global Peace Leadership Conference – Opening Plenary Keynote Address

August 18, 2012 – Seoul, Korea (Grand Hilton Hotel)

Your excellencies, honored guests, and distinguished participants from around the world. It is my great pleasure to welcome you here to this significant Global Peace Leadership Conference on a future vision for Korea and its relationship to world peace. Korea is the land of my birth, and each time I am here I feel more strongly the call of destiny to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the division of our homeland. Thank you for your participation here and your continuing support in this noble cause of peace.

Before I say more on this theme, let me first express my appreciation for those who have worked tirelessly to make this conference, and the Global Peace Festival that follows it, a reality. It is only through the commitment and sacrifice of “true owners,” who take personal responsibility for the cause, that the all too important work of peace can be advanced.

Korea Today and Need for a Vision

The theme of this conference is “The Vision for the Unification of the Korean Peninsula and Building a World of Peace.” The word “vision” was not chosen lightly. It has great significance. The situation of the Korean peninsula and the Korean people today is a tragic one. Although, after 1989, the Cold War ended everywhere else in the world, here it continues, with acts of military aggression and a looming nuclear threat. This circumstance threatens not only Koreans but the stability of the Northeast Asia region, and indeed, because of the involvement of major powers like China, the United States, Japan and Russia, the peace of the world.

Although the Korean people share 5,000 years of history and culture, for 60 years we have been divided from one another. Two opposing visions of how human beings should live together in society have faced each other across the 38^th parallel and today we can clearly see their fruits. The energy and creativity of the Korean people was given free rein in the South, bringing prosperity and freedom, and raising the country to be an important global presence. In the North, we see our relatives suffering poverty, famine and oppression.

Whether we consider Korea’s destiny, which cannot flourish to the full while we are a house divided, or whether we simply respond to the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the North, this situation cannot stand. And it is in this context that vision is essential. To end this bitter history of division the Korean people must come together centered upon a common vision for a united Korea. What will that vision be? This is the question that we, as Koreans, must address if we are to find a path to reconciliation and eventual unification.

Universal Principles and Values

If we step back and consider the global context, we see that what applies to Korea also applies to the world. We live at an inflection point in history, a time of rapid and historic change. Whether the impact of that change on the rest of this century is positive or negative depends on the choices we make today. Even as our world experiences greater integration through globalization and technology, there are countervailing forces of increasing social, cultural, ethnic, and religious fragmentation. These forces threaten to divide our world, creating conflict that undermines the peace and prosperity to which we aspire.

How can these forces of disintegration be addressed? Whether considering governmental institutions such as the UN, or the tools of advanced technology in this age of globalization, we must recognize that the most fundamental human problems cannot be solved by politics, diplomacy, economics, or science alone. What, then, is the compass that can help us navigate these historic changes to achieve a world of peace and prosperity? I submit to you that it is a shared spiritual vision for humanity based upon universal principles and values. And the essence of that vision must be rooted in the simple but profound idea that all human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, class, or gender, are part of “One Family under God.”

Sustainable solutions ultimately must address root causes and, thus, must include the intrinsic spiritual dimension of the human experience.  That spirituality is the basis of fundamental truths – the universal principles and values acknowledged by all people, regardless of their particular religious orientation.

Simply put, political authority cannot mandate, nor can money buy, the virtues needed to resolve conflicts and build ethical societies. Compassion, respect for others, empathy, forgiveness, integrity and other virtuous qualities essential for peace and harmony must be motivated by the human heart and spirit. Thus, we need to establish a new framework for peace that is rooted in our shared spiritual aspirations, principles and values, and that can form the common ground for cohesion within society and for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The Korean Dream

Korea is in a unique position to contribute to the development of that vision and the framework of shared principles and values built upon it. The guiding vision that we develop for a united Korea will help to shape the global vision needed to transcend the forces of division and conflict worldwide. That vision is what I call the Korean Dream.

For the Korean people to find and ‘own’ their unique identity, and for Korea to fulfill its historic destiny, that dream must be about much more than material prosperity. Prosperity without a vision corrodes the spirit, as we see today through the increasing divorce rate and the gradual erosion of traditional Korean values. Koreans are no strangers to the importance of such a vision. We have always been altruistic and big dreamers.

It is amazing to consider that as long ago as the third millennium B.C., over 4,000 years ago, our ancestors’ lives were already guided by the philosophy of “Hong Ik In Gan.” In other words, they sought to live “for the greater benefit (or welfare) of mankind.”

This remarkable philosophy, which you might think was something that could only emerge in modern times, has been a guiding and unifying thread throughout Korean history. It has been a source of moral and spiritual strength in Korea’s many periods of suffering, even up to the Japanese occupation. When the South Korean government was formed in 1949, the Ministry of Education made Hong Ik In Gan the basis of its curriculum for moral education. Even in North Korea they respect the Hong Ik In Gan philosophy, although, of course, they have distorted it by leaving out the key element of the idea, namely respect for hananim, the One, who is above all, or as we say in English, God. Nevertheless, this vision could even form a basis for relating to North Koreans and their culture in a way that transcends the political ideologies of communism and democracy.

The roots of this Korean Dream emerged from the mists of an ancient past. In contrast, the ‘American Dream’ is recent newcomer on the stage of history. Yet there is a profound connection between the two, a connection that can serve as a bridge between the many differences of eastern and western culture.

The Roots of the American Dream

During its remarkable rise in its relatively short history, the United States has been a magnet for immigrants, coming to share in the “American Dream.” As someone born in Korea who came to America as an immigrant, and as an avid student of history, I have often asked myself: What is the essence of that dream?

I came to understand that the American dream is not about getting rich. It is not even about the democratic political process or the free market economic system. Those systems would have been empty shells without the vitality of spiritual principles and values that animated the American people in their rejection of the oppressive English monarchy, and that they poured into the structures of the nation they created. These were the secret of America’s success.

They are the basis of our modern notion of human rights and freedoms, expressed in the Declaration of Independence — a secular document expressing spiritual principles — which is the vision statement of the United States of America. It declares that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thus, essential human rights are not granted by any human institution but by the Creator and, therefore, cannot rightfully be abridged or denied by any government.

Korea and America: Two Dreams, One Vision

Thus the Korean Dream and the American Dream, though separated in their origins by millennia and half a globe, share the same essence. They both understand that the rights and dignity of every human being are rooted in the source from which we all come – ‘Hananim’ for the Hong Ik In Gan philosophy, and ‘the Creator’ for the Declaration of Independence – making us all members of ‘One Family under God’ regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion.

Such a shared spiritual vision would not only nurture economic prosperity, but would strengthen democratic institutions, forming a bulwark against the authoritarian impulse at work in many parts of the world, and particularly in this Northeast Asia region. It would become the basis for a solution to economic inequalities, and create a substantial foundation for world peace.

The Korea United Campaign

On the foundation of this vision, GPFF has launched many practical initiatives in Korea to place the whole approach to uniting the two Koreas on a new footing. Korea United is a nationwide program engaging all Korean citizens, that challenges traditional approaches. Up to now the discussion of Korean unification has been restricted to high-level discourse among political and military leaders. Korea United is promoting a discussion in which every citizen can be engaged.

Korean unity has been seen as something that could only occur over a very long timeframe, perhaps generations. Korea United believes in preparing for unification in the short-term. Transition in authoritarian states can happen suddenly and unexpectedly as we saw with the transformation of the Soviet Union.

Finally, the question of the two Koreas has been framed as a confrontation of two systems and two ideologies – democracy and communism. Korea United is proposing an approach that can transcend the confrontation on the basis of a shared higher vision based on spiritual principles and values and rooted in Korea’s own historic philosophy of living for the benefit of mankind.

Dream Big Camp graduates appointed “U-Generation” members pose at the end of GPLC Seoul 2012.

In pursuit of these goals, GPFF is engaged in partnership with over 400 different civic organizations to promote a movement for Korean unity in which all citizens can be engaged. On May 3rd, the Unification Pledge Campaign was launched in the National Assembly Building. Citizens young and old are asked to think about what they will do for unification and to commit their practical support for it in time, resources, or money. The goal is to collect millions of signatures and to create an awareness that Korean unity is the responsibility of all Koreans and not just political leaders.

The Power of 1000 Won campaign encourages people to collect a little money every day. It is especially aimed at young people so that even elementary school students can collect money that they then donate for the construction of more bakeries in North Korea to help the many children of their own age there who are going hungry.

Earlier this year the youth arm of GPFF launched the Unification Project Contest which invited college students to submit their ideas about how they can help the unification process. 100,000 won in prizes will go to 350 winners and their ideas will then be circulated through social media to build engaged support among the young for unification, so that they become anointed as the “Unification” or “U-Generation.”

GPFF’s Global Work

The work of GPFF today in Korea stands on a strong foundation of achievement globally in just a few short years. We have worked with partners in government, business, the non-profit sector, and the faith community to develop model projects that help communities and nations move beyond conflict, and promote unity. These projects show how the vision that we are One Family under God can be given concrete reality.

In the wake of the violence in Kenya after the 2007 election we worked with both political leaders from both sides and with local communities in the Rift Valley to address the roots of the conflict. In 2010 GPFF held its annual convention in Nairobi with President Kibaki as its patron. Both he and Prime Minister Odinga, the rivals in the 2007 election, spoke there on the same platform, a visible symbol of their resolution to never allow such violence to mar Kenya’s politics again. GPFF also promoted closer connections between the Kenyan government and Korean development experts.

The Rivers of Peace Campaign has spearheaded several local clean up initiatives around the Bagmati River.

In Paraguay we sponsor a think tank that has guided the implementation of a self-sustaining economic and good governance plan for the Chaco region, the poorest part of the country. Now it is creating a national development plan that combines strong representative democracy with economic growth on the basis of fundamental spiritual principles and moral values.

In Brazil last year we convened a meeting of former Latin American heads of state who began work on a proposal for the greater integration of Latin American nations also founded on universal principles and values. They will continue their work this year at GPFF’s annual convention in Atlanta, in the United States.

Last year in Mongolia, GPFF launched a Northeast Asia Peace initiative that will look beyond the purely political framework for peace in Korea and promote a complementary approach based on cultural, sports, and educational exchanges.

We are also active in numerous grassroots projects and community initiatives through our national chapters around the world. We work especially to engage young people in their communities, developing leadership qualities and a spirit of ownership in them through social and environmental service projects, and through character education programs.

The Rivers of Peace initiative has mobilized thousands of young people as well as civic groups to clean up the polluted Nairobi River in Kenya, and Bagmati River in Nepal. GPFF also has character education programs in several countries. In Kenya and Paraguay the national governments cooperate on the initiative, while in the U.S. and other countries local governments are involved.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen: We stand at a crossroads in Korea’s history. The choices we make today will have great influence on the future not only of this region but for peace in the world.

Korea has a great destiny nurtured in suffering and the spiritual principles that run deep through our history. In 1929, during the dark days of occupation, Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel prizewinning Indian poet, wrote of Korea:

In the golden age of Asia
Korea was one of its lamp-bearers
and that lamp is waiting to be lighted once again
for the illumination in the East.

The time that he spoke of is now. Now is the moment for Korea to fulfill its destiny. Now is when Koreans must take up and own the Korean Dream.

I want to challenge the nation of Korea to take on the mantle of global moral leadership by championing the ideals of fundamental human rights and freedoms rooted in universal principles and values.

I especially want to challenge the new generation to take charge of Korea’s destiny as their fathers and grandfathers did after the Korean War. Become the “U-Generation” that brings the healing of the division that your forebears longed to see.

Let us not rest until the dawn of peace in Korea – a dawn that will cast a bright ray of hope to all the world’s peoples. May God bless you and your families. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining together in this noble undertaking.

The post “The Vision for the Unification of the Korean Peninsula and Building a World of Peace.” appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

“The Vision for the Unification of the Korean Peninsula and Building a World of Peace.”

The Global Peace Leadership Conference 2012 was held at Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul, Korea, August 18^th.

The conference convened scholars, government ministers, humanitarian and faith leaders, journalists and youth leaders to chart a course for the reunification of the Korean peninsula

Here is the first excerpt of seven posts from the keynote address of the conference Plenary.

The Korean Dream and The American Dream: Two Dreams, One Vision

The roots of this Korean Dream emerged from the mists of an ancient past. In contrast, the American Dream is a relative newcomer on

Participants of GPLC 2012 in Seoul, Korea signed the Unification Declaration, affirming the common principles and values of the Korean Dream and American Dream, and pledging to build One Family Under God on the Korean Peninsula and the world.

the stage of history. Yet there is a profound connection between the two, a connection that can serve as a bridge between the many differences of eastern and western cultures and philosophies.

During its remarkable rise in its relatively short history, the United States has been a magnet for immigrants, coming to share in the “American Dream.” As someone born in Korea who came to America as an immigrant, and as an avid student of history, I have often asked myself: What is the essence of that dream?

I came to understand that the American dream is not about getting rich. It is not even about the democratic political process or the free market economic system. Those systems would have been empty shells without the vitality of spiritual principles and values that motivated the American experiment and were poured into the structures of the new nation. This was the secret of America’s success.

These principles are the basis of our modern notion of human rights and freedoms, conveyed in the Declaration of Independence — a secular document expressing spiritual principles — which is the vision statement of the United States of America. It declares that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thus, essential human rights are not granted by any human institution but by the Creator and, therefore, cannot rightfully be abridged or denied by any government or human institution.

Thus, the Korean Dream and the American Dream, though separated in their origins by millennia and half a globe, share the same essence.

• They both understand that the rights and dignity of every human being are rooted in the Source from which we all come – ‘Haneunim’ for the Hong Ik In Gan philosophy, and ‘the Creator’ for the Declaration of Independence.

• They both conclude that we are all, members of ‘One Family under God’ regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.

Such a shared spiritual vision would not only nurture economic prosperity, but would strengthen democratic institutions, forming a bulwark against the authoritarian impulse at work in many parts of the world, and particularly in this Northeast Asia region. It would become the basis for a solution to economic inequalities, and create a substantial foundation for world peace.

A Light from the Land of the Morning Calm to the World

Korea can bring a light of peace to the world with its unification.

Ladies and gentlemen: We stand at a crossroads in Korea’s history. The choices we make today will have great impact on the future of this region and for peace in the world.

Korea has a great destiny nurtured by the spiritual principles of our heritage, and forged in the suffering of our history. In 1929, during the dark days of occupation, Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel prize-winning Indian poet, wrote of Korea:

In the golden age of Asia
Korea was one of its lamp-bearers
and that lamp is waiting to be lighted once again
for the illumination in the East.

The time that he spoke of is now. Now is the moment for Korea to fulfill its destiny not only for the illumination in the East but also the world. Now is the time for Koreans to embrace and own the Korean Dream.

As Koreans we must claim our true identity, rooted in the four principles of “Hong Ik In Gan.”Living for the benefit of mankind, bringing truth into the world, governing on the basis of principle, and governing with the bright light of a powerful vision.  These must first become the guiding principles of our society in the South, and then the foundation for a reunified Korea.

I want to challenge the nation of Korea to take on the mantle of global moral leadership by championing these ideals.  On this foundation, let us aspire to be an example to the world by creating a unified nation rooted in universal principles and values, where fundamental human rights and freedoms are guaranteed.

I especially want to challenge a new generation to take charge of Korea’s destiny as your fathers and grandfathers did after the Korean War. Become the “U-Generation” that can substantially bring about a transformation in this nation, so that it manifests its providential destiny, creating one united homeland.  Then Korea can rise as a beacon of hope for all humanity through the enlightened vision of One Family under God.

The Korean Dream

The ancient kingdom of Go(고, 古) Joseon, was established over 4,000 years ago. The dolmen is one of its signature remnants. It was built upon the philosophy of “hongik ingan,” a belief that Koreans were mean to live for the benefit of mankind.

Korea is in a unique position. The guiding vision that we develop for a united Korea can be a model for transcending the forces of division and conflict worldwide. That vision is what I call the Korean Dream.

For the Korean people to find and own their unique identity, and for Korea to fulfill its historic and providential destiny, that dream must be about much more than material prosperity. Prosperity without a vision corrodes the spirit, as we see today through the increasing divorce rate and the gradual erosion of traditional Korean values.

Koreans understand the importance of such a vision. We have always been altruistic people with big dreams. It is amazing that over 4,000 years ago, in Gojoseon, the original Korean nation, our ancestors’ lives were already guided by the philosophy of “Hong Ik In Gan.” (future hyperlink)

That philosophy also encompasses four principles:

1.  “Hong Ik In Gan.” (for the greater benefit of mankind);
2. “Jae Se I Hwa” (making the world truthful);
3. “I Do Yuh Chi” (governing the world by principles);
4.  “Gwang Myung I Se” (governing the world through enlightenment.)

Taken together, these four principles have molded the Korean character, and are the basis for the traditional Korean ideals of

respecting life and nature, living for others, and honoring the one, benevolent, and transcendent “Haneunim.”

The Korean national flower, mugunhwa, (無窮花). The flower’s significance comes from the Korean word mugung, “eternity”.

This remarkable philosophy has been a guiding and unifying thread throughout Korean history. It has been a source of moral and spiritual strength in Korea’s many periods of suffering. When the South Korean government was formed in 1948, the Ministry of Education made Hong Ik In Gan the basis of its curriculum for moral education. North Koreans as well respect this philosophy, although they have left out the most essential element, namely respect for Haneunim.

Nevertheless, this deeply ingrained perspective could form a basis for both Koreas to transcend the political and economic divide of communism and democracy and their respective national identities, as embodies in the North and South.

Framing the Debate of Unification

The GPLC brought leaders from all sectors to discuss alternative approaches to Korean Unification.

An effective approach to unification requires identifying and building upon those aspects and interests that we hold in common. Koreans share a unique homogenous identity, language, and a five-thousand-year cultural history, yet these have not been sufficient to prevent our division or to provide a path toward re-unification.

Likewise, both diplomatic and economic strategies have fallen short.  We can only conclude that an even greater measure must be called upon that identifies the essential common bond uniting all Koreans, and properly illuminates the way forward. Only then, can we proceed toward our rightful destiny as a United Korea.

The process for reunification should begin with a healthy debate on the attributes of a new united Korea, so that the outcome of reunification is clearly defined, and fully endorsed by the Korean people. That is why this conference is focused upon a vision and later a roadmap for reunification that is anchored in universal principles and values that speak to the very essence of what it means to be human. Such a vision can win the broad-based support of all the Korean people, both North and South.

A Holistic Approach to Peace on the Korean Peninsula

The Korean Peninsula
Credits to flickr, NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Today we face problems far more complex than those of the Cold War era. The conflict on the Korean peninsula remains as one of the most critical global flashpoints.

Yet policies that only promote diplomatic and economic engagement with the North, in hopes that exposure to democracy and the free market will encourage social transformation as it did in the Soviet Union, are naïve and ineffective. Today, we see that the fruit of past efforts to engage the North, both diplomatically and economically, has been an initial thawing of relations followed by greater mistrust and even military hostilities.

To tackle this problem effectively, a concerted collaborative grass-roots effort is needed first in the South and then the North. In conjunction, it should be supported by both states and the global community as the true wish of the Korean People to reclaim their national destiny as a united people in a united land. Furthermore, we should seek holistic solutions–beyond just diplomacy and economics—to include historical, social, political, cultural and spiritual dimensions. Finally, it must make the case that the act and outcome of unification is the safest and most effective means to peace and prosperity for the Korean people and the world.

Making the Vision of One Family Under God a Reality

Nairobi River Cleaning Project

The work of GPFF today in Korea stands on a strong foundation of achievement globally. We have worked with partners in government, business, the non-profit sector, and faith communities to develop model projects that help communities and nations move beyond conflict, and promote unity. These projects show how the vision of One Family under God can be given concrete reality.

For example, after Kenya’s post-election violence in 2007, we worked with political leaders from both sides and with local communities in the Rift Valley to address the roots of the conflict. As an indication of progress made, in 2010, both President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, the rivals in the 2007 election, spoke on the same platform at the GPFF annual convention in Nairobi.

Our national chapters around the world are also actively engaged in many grassroots projects and community initiatives. They especially work with young people on service projects and character education programs, helping them to develop leadership qualities and a spirit of ownership.

The Global Poomashi project, for example, sends Korean students overseas to work with local youth, and learn to respect other cultures. This project is currently operating in Kenya, Nepal, Mongolia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Through it young Koreans are expanding their horizons and learning that Korea can contribute greatly to the world.

Balanced and Sustainable Solutions to Conflict

Sustainable solutions ultimately must address root causes and, so must include the spiritual dimension of the human experience. A shared spiritual vision for humanity is the compass needed for these challenging times. Such a vision is found in the simple but profound idea that all human beings, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, faith, or class, are part of “One Family under God.”

Simply put, political authority cannot mandate, nor can money buy, the virtues needed to resolve conflicts and build ethical societies. We need a new framework for peace rooted in our shared spiritual aspirations, principles and values that can form the common ground for cohesion within society and for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

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This year celebrates the 236th Independence Day of the United States.

At the recent media conference in South America, the story of the the United States’ founding was shared. This story captures the essence of what makes America great. More than its political or economic system, what makes this nation great is its founding principles.

The Founding Fathers laid the keystone for this nation when they risked their lives and signed the Declaration of Independence. It articulated the spiritual principles and values that became the foundation of our modern notion of human rights and freedoms.

“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 United States set a bold precedent. They affirmed God as the source of all fundamental human rights that no human institutions could curtail, and acknowledged God as the center of the nation.  At a time when state-sponsored religions in Europe limited the freedom of worship, they opened the way for a religiously, racially, culturally diverse nation under God.

This is the legacy of the United States and the heart of the American Dream.

It is time to inherit the vision of the Founding Fathers and uplift America as one nation under God.

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