The Korean term uri (“우리”) is indicative of a sense of oneness or family with others. Koreans in the North and South probably use the word uri millions of times throughout their lives. Uri (“우리”) is found left and right, in nearly every circumstance in Korean society— uri Nara, uri jeep, uri omma (Our Nation, our home, our mother). Each time the word uri is used, it expresses a shared connectedness as part of the Korean extended family.

Korea is referred to as “our nation” by Koreans.

A closer look at the meaning of “uri” serves as a powerful reminder that Koreans are meant to live together, as one family.

In the grammatical sense, uri is the informal first person plural pronoun in the Korean language. It is dominantly used for possessives and literally translated as “us”, “our” or “we”. However, uri is also commonly used in place of the possessive “my”. Uri is a ubiquitous Korean concept signifying community and unity.

What is particularly interesting about this Korean word is that even when talking to someone who is clearly not part of your immediate family, Koreans still use this linguistic terminology as if you are.

In the western world, it would be regarded as somewhat odd if a stranger referred to her mom as “our mother.” There is something here that goes much deeper into the mindset of the Korean culture.

It’s interesting to contrast this concept of the Korean uri with the Western understanding of the relationship between the self and a larger whole. According to Maday and Szalay (cited in Kim & Choi, 1994), it was found that the first associations with the word “me” were “family” and “love” for Koreans. In contrast, the first word associated with the word “me” was “I, person individual” for Americans.

Volunteers taking their “grandmother” out for a walk on the town.

The differences that emerge out of these first cultural concepts are striking. Koreans view themselves as blending into their family, whereas people in the United States or other Western countries fundamentally view themselves as separate from others, including that of their family. Here we see the influence of individualism of the Western world underlying the all-important “self” above all else.

This concept of boundaries also seems to relate directly to the Korean sense of personal space. Whether it is an elder Korean women rushing to cut in line in a crowded supermarket or when you squished together on public transportation, the sense of personal space in Korea seems virtually non-existent. Where this offends or discomfits most Westerners in Korea, Koreans themselves have no concept of invading another’s space, because it is understood that space belongs to everyone.

In the book, The Conceptual Self in Context: Culture Experience Self Understanding, the authors explore how one’s sense of self is rooted in the larger society’s values and principles.

The Korean way of relating to others includes an assumption that “what is good for the group is also good for the self, which by definition is ‘a part’ of the group” (Koenig, 2010). There is specific research from the 1990s supporting the notion that Koreans have a strong emphasis on others and family, suggesting that “rather than being conceived and experienced as separate entities, selves are lived as relational parts of a greater whole”. This would explain why there is such a strong sense of a common group in Korean society.

An abstract depiction of “uri jeep“, our home, in downtown Seoul, and the logo for “Woori Bank”, our bank, in the background.

This consciousness of the collective self that is embodied in the word “uri” is most aptly expressed in the Korean extended family. In traditions such as the annual autumn celebration of “Chuseok,” where families gather together to honor their ancestors, family members are reminded that their lives benefit not just the current generation, but of generations past, present and future, and not just their immediate family, but their extended family, spanning to their clans, nation and even the world.

It is this collective consciousness that has enabled the Korean people to weather some of the hardest times in their history, including the Korean War. In tough times, the Korean people stuck together, relying on each other because life literally depended upon it.

As the Korean people stand at another crossroads in their history, the word “uri” serves as a reminder we possess a common destiny, and that each one of us, and every family, has a part to play in building a nation that would benefit not only our immediate family, but our world family.

Last updated 2018/09/25

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The Role of Family in Peace

Original post from March 12, 2015. Updated on April 5, 2018.

Family metaphors are frequently used to express a remarkable closeness or intimacy between people. Sayings such as, “he’s like a brother to me” or, “they’re like family” signifies a unique bond that people often feel no need to explain. Familial relationships are undoubtedly important – to individuals, to families themselves and then to their respective communities. We might then infer that as the core units that make up society, each and every family is equally important to the health of nations and, subsequently, the whole world.

Dr. Jun Sook Moon reads to children at a family shelter in Korea.

Families have been the “default” mode of human organization throughout history. The reason for this is both simple and self-evident. It is because life begins in the family. When we are born into this world, what constitutes our world is the family – in infancy, childhood and into adulthood. It is not too much to say that the people we become is largely due to the relationships we experience in our family. Who each of us is, where we come from, starts in the family.

Moreover, life continues because families do. We would do best to remember the inimitable role that the family plays in the health of individuals, the strength of our communities and happiness of society. Many or most countries measure progress and prosperity in terms of GDP and recently there have been attempts to objectively measure happiness. Yet, these indices fail to connect the health and prosperity of individuals and society with its roots in the family.

Perhaps one of the reasons for this is the same reason thinkers from Plato to Max Weber have lamented the strength of familial and kinship ties. In their view, societies notable for strong familial and kinship ties also tend towards things like cronyism, corruption and nepotism, where families act for the good of only their own.

In fact, it is rare to see people treat others as one would treat one’s own family. Many even debate the possibility of true altruism. Skeptics view altruism as simply another way to benefit one’s group since service is usually based on some sense of shared identity – a common religion, a sense of ethnic, national, political or economic ties. It is what makes charity to those who are completely different from oneself so exceptional.

Whatever the case, as humans we base our relationships on some notion of identity. While the concept of “identity-based conflict” is still fairly new, it is in fact the age-old drama of the human family. We fight for our family against other families, tribes and nations. We fight against the other. We try to protect the businesses and interests of some against others. We even die to protect some against others.

For this and so many other reasons, we must be forced to re-examine our very identity and nature.

And it is for this reason that the Global Peace Foundation starts first with an all-encompassing vision of “One Family Under God.” It is this kind of inclusive framework that starts from what we already instinctively know – a sense of what family should or could be – and work to extend out that instinctive, emotional bond outwards towards others. It is in this space of imagining ourselves as part of a greater human family that we can begin to imagine a world of peace and shared prosperity. From there, we work to “activate” our highest shared values and aspirations – love, kindness, service, benevolence, integrity, etc. as the ultimate expressions of a global human family.

By focusing on people rather than interventions – our solutions become holistic because people are able to account for the dynamic interactions of everyday life in a way that interventions never could. Instead of a focus on tasks, we encourage and empower people to “own” the vision and make it a reality in his or her own unique way. Through the years, we have developed a process framework to do this on the local level and then to connect and share lessons and best practices with a wide, multi-sectoral network of moral, innovative leaders.

Why Korea?

On the Korean peninsula, we see a fascinating case in which one people, or family, has been divided – by time, space, ideology, economic and social systems – for now over 70 years. In fact, today, there are debates as to whether Koreans in the North and the South can be considered one people because of all of their differences.

We believe that this becomes as a microcosm of the global family in that, as some view North and South Koreans as completely separate, we see differences between peoples – in terms of language, culture, custom, religion, traditions – to assume that we are too different to be together. And yet, time and time again, there will always be interaction after interaction that tells us, as in the prophetic words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Together we must learn to live as brothers or together we will be forced to perish as fools.”

Even apart from the human rights issues and nuclear crisis in the North and social, economic and political crises in the South, Koreans and their friends have an opportunity to demonstrate a process of civil-society led nation-building in such a way that provides lessons for the entire global community. The process has already essentially started with the over 900 civil society organizations currently working as part of the Action for Korea United initiative in Korea.

We turn next to the global community to engage in this process to support and learn the lessons of building peace and social cohesion and with it, inspirations for global development and shared prosperity.

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There is no equivalent for the word han in the English language.  Attempted translations include “resentment” or “grief”, but they don’t quite encompass the entirety of the word’s meaning.

Yet, it is a central concept to Korean culture and history.

In his book, Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon describes han as a spiritual process. He writes:

“Han is a process of spiritual growth whereby a person seeks to digest an injustice or injury internally rather than react in an angry vengeful manner. Through wrestling with difficult emotions the person can attain a deeper understanding of the human condition and a new level of spiritual maturity. Han should not end with the wrestling but should give birth to the inner realization to forgive, love, and embrace those who have done us wrong.”

In his book, Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon describes the Korean term han as a process of spiritual growth.

Dr. Moon’s explanation of han as a process of taking injustice and transforming it into truth, justice and innovation, brings to life a thread that runs deep through Korean history.

The blockbuster drama associated with the rise of the Korean Wave, “Dae Jang Geun,” is a colorful illustration of the theme of han in Korean consciousness. The popular TV drama follows the life of Jang Geum, orphaned daughter of a palace guard and a royal cook, wrongly ousted from the king’s court. From the start, her story is pitiful. She finds herself in the palace kitchen, only to be framed and exiled into slavery. A woman who becomes her close friend and mentor in the royal kitchen is also kicked out, and eventually dies from injuries acquired during interrogation.

Jang Geum returns to the court initially to seek vengeance for her mentor’s death. However, the viewer witnesses her transformation in the midst of palace intrigue and power play, tortured and almost assassinated, to rise above all these tragedies.

This orphaned girl becomes a catalyst for ethics, service and sacrifice in a court that is filled with corruption, selfishness and betrayal. Eventually she is granted the highest position ever granted to a woman in the Jeosun period court.

Dae Jang Geum is a dramatized version of one individual, but it epitomizes the story of the Korean people. They have found a unique manner to process these externally imposed circumstances, to exert their personal sovereignty without diminishing their God-given dignity.

“Dae Jang Geum,” Jewel in the Palace, is a popular Korean drama that colorfully illustrates the theme of han in Korean consciousness. Credit: Young Future

In fact, the spiritual roots of Koreans have grown deeper through their suffering. During their greatest challenges, they sought clarity from their spiritual heritage and found strength in their conviction that by rising above the suffering they are paving the way, not only for their own people, but for the world.

One can stipulate that han is not unique to Korea. Every people has their story of injustice, of loss, and oppression. And every people has their peace visionaries like Dr. King and Ghandi, who have articulated a process of non-violent social change. Instead of revenge, it’s the choice to turn the other cheek, return evil with good, hate for love. This practice of stirring the conscience of the perpetrator opens the way of true liberation, love and progress.

Han has traditionally been passed down from generation to generation within the Korean family. But the recent breakdown of the extended family and the migration away from traditional values has faded the presence of han as a noble process of one’s spiritual growth.

It is up to every generation to look to their predecessors to inherit and build upon these honorable qualities.

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Dr. Soon Ok Kang, Secretary-General of Global Peace Women delivers congratulatory remarks on behalf of GPW Chairwoman Dr. Jun Sook Moon

The 7th Annual “Living for the Sake of Others Awards” honoring the selfless service of Paraguayan women was hosted at the National Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay on April 28, 2015. This year, nine women who have served the Paraguayan people in various fields such as education and empowerment of indigenous populations, service and volunteerism, national leadership and culture and arts were recognized.

Dr. Soon Ok Kang, newly appointed Secretary-General of Global Peace Women delivered the following congratulatory message on behalf of Dr. Jun Sook Moon on the auspicious occasion.

Esteemed dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen,

Bienvenidos!   Thank you.

Being here always warms my heart.  Paraguay is a nation built on a strong foundation of faith and family.  I have been moved by the bright and enthusiastic spirit of your people and it is no surprise that Paraguay was rated the “Happiest nation in the World” three years in row.  You have opened your doors to my husband and I and welcomed us in as family. To us, Paraguay is our second home.

Welcome to the 7th Annual Global Peace Foundation “Living for the Sake of Others” Awards Ceremony being held here in the Bicameral Room of the National Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay. It is always such an honor to meet with such distinguished women leaders. You are my heroes! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to take part in this significant event.

Front Row (left to right) : Recipients of the Living for the Sake of Others Awards – Gloria Concepción Criccione Pineda, Singer, Maria Juana Guainer de Carema, Town Mayor of Ybycuí, IX Paraguarí Department, Mirna Orrego Social Action Volunteer for indigenous communities of Carmelo Peralta Disctrict, Alto Paraguay, Feliciana Estela Acosta de Riquelme, President of the Lions Club, Asunción Kaaguy – Rory, Mari A Juana Guainer De Carema, Indigenous Guaraní Community, Department of Boquerón, Sister Amelia Fernández García, Religious Order of the Sacred Family of Burdeos, María Evangelista Troche Soler de Gallegos, President of the Town Women Network in Paraguay and Town Councilor to Asunción, Former Mayor of Asunción, María Dolores Galli de Florentín, President of the Santa Lucía Association, Maria Eliza G. de Samaniego, President of the Corazones Solidarios Foundation

Before I begin, I would like to recognize the hard work of the members, staff and supporters of GPW Paraguay. You have built a significant foundation over these past 7 years through the tradition of this special award. Without leaders like you GPW Paraguay could not have produced the many outstanding achievements that it has.

I would also like to give a very special recognition to my dear friends, Senator Lilian Samaniego and Governor Marlene Ocampos, both of whom have been members and supporters of the Global Peace family for many years and who truly exemplify the ideal of “Living for the Sake of Others?” Don’t you agree?

To the 9 exemplary women being awarded tonight – My heartfelt congratulations! Your untiring dedication to the people of Paraguay truly expresses the ideal of Living for the Sake of Others.

I know that Paraguay’s growing strength and bright future is built upon the efforts of the multitude of selfless women like yourselves working every day to realize true peace.

I am very moved by the story of Paraguay’s women, who played such an important role during the War of the Triple Alliance, fighting and sacrificing for their nation.

These hard-working women labored the land with their hands and with their bodies and gave birth to many loyal sons and daughters. But they did more than that to reconstruct this nation. These women who were wives and mothers and sisters took upon the task of educating the future of this nation, instilling in them the essential values of the importance of family, love for the nation, and perseverance in front of adversity.

I understand it was these women who rebuilt the culture, and maintained Paraguay’s proud identity, including its continued use of the Guaraní language. As mothers, wives, sisters, friends… this story truly shows the beautiful spirit that is rooted in your culture. It’s woman leaders like all of you here who are truly setting the precedent of living for the sake of others.

Four years ago, at the launch of Global Peace Women, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation said:

“The original nature and experience of women strengthen social activities and are essential to realizing the dream of establishing One Family under God.”

What are the aspects of the original nature of women that contribute to global peace?

Current research by numerous neuroscientists, psychologists, and sociologists support the conclusion that, in general, women have a greater capacity for empathy, compassion and the understanding of others’ hearts.

These qualities motivate women to aid in reconciliation and find resourceful, innovative ways to support the overall well-being of their families, the wider community and the world. These qualities foster the culture of living for the sake of others, which is essential to building world peace.

There are many examples of women who have transformed their communities and impacted our world. Their stories are a testament of women who have been driven by their original heart to seek global peace. If these virtues can be established as a public ethic in contemporary society, we can build beautiful, healthy communities and find creative new approaches to the many critical issues that remain unresolved.

A packed Bicameral Hall at Paraguay’s National Congress Building honor nine outstanding women.

Where does the original nature and experience of women most support the building of world peace?

It is in the family. We know that the family is the fundamental social unit and encapsulates the most intimate bonds of the human experience. Global peace will be built in expanding stages upon healthy, peaceful families.

The family is where we learn the most concrete lessons about living for the sake of others. Within the healthy family, most important is what is learned from the unconditional love of the mother.  A mother’s empathy and intuition toward her husband and children are the most important elements of family cohesion. They help sustain physical and mental health. The mother nurtures and educates her children to build trust among themselves, find meaning in life, develop good character, experience being loved and learning to give love in return.

Healthy, vibrant families prepare individuals to become productive and responsible members of society. All the fundamental relationships exist within the family: mother and father, husband and wife, brother and sister, sons and daughters, and the extended family. These relationships teach us how to relate to our diverse human family.

That is why Global Peace Women’s first task is to uplift the inherent qualities and true value of women, and empower them in their important role in the family to advance the vision of One Family under God. Global Peace Women recently introduced its motto, “Peace begins in the home.” We believe that a peaceful world first begins with building peaceful homes, and recognize that women are the driving force in that endeavor.

Events such as today’s award ceremony, affirm that the nation of Paraguay is making great strides to advance important goals such as: empowering women to proactively transform themselves and their families; fostering healthy and happy families; articulating the innate value of femininity; recognizing the indispensable leadership of women in the family and society; networking with local and global women leaders; and spreading the culture of service.

The work of GPW Paraguay has been impressive. Last year alone, the international women’s plenary held during the Global Peace Convention here in Asuncion, convened over 1,000 women from around the region. In addition, throughout the year, GPW Paraguay hosted numerous workshops and forums, and supported multiple different social service projects. GPW Paraguay has distinguished itself and I hope you continue to set new precedents for future chapters.

Your efforts are opening new pathways that can inspire women around the world. Through connecting our international efforts with your local efforts, we can generate more creative and impactful programs and activities to improve the lives of our families, communities and world.

We have witnessed the capability and nobility of Paraguayan women, and are honored to recognize nine of you tonight for giving your hearts to secure this nation’s bright future.

Ladies and gentlemen, our world needs our continued commitment and effort, but most importantly, it needs our love. I hope that we can join together in advancing this noble cause to build One Family under God.

Muchas gracias y felicitaciones.

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At the onset of winter, families and communities around Korea still practice kim-jang, or kimchee making. This yearly activity animates the virtue of “hong-ik-ingan” inherent in Korean culture. (Photo Credit: Victoria Choi)

Every autumn, when the leaves change from green to brilliant crimson and gold, and the winds begin to cool, families around the Korean peninsula begin the yearly tradition of kim-jang, or ‘the making and sharing of kimchi’.

From the coast to the midlands, from the countryside to the cities, families harvest and pickle nappa cabbage and make Korea’s most beloved dish, Kimchee.

Every family and region has their specific concoction of spicy pickle sauce.  On the southern coasts, they use homemade fish sauce and locally caught mackerel. In the heartlands, they mix in seasonal vegetables, herbs and fruits.

And while there are plenty of store-bought varieties of kimchee available today, families continue to gather in this age-old tradition; not only in Korea but also in communities around the world.

During this season, the concept of poomashi, or ‘sharing the work together’, comes alive.

Children and grandchildren return home to help their parents in kim-jang. In local villages and even cities, neighbors make their rounds bringing their own rubber gloves and boots to neighbor’s kim-jang sessions.

The Global Peace Leadership Exchange hosted by the Global Peace Foundation in 2012 fostered international connections between global peacemakers.  In this photo, Malaysian delegates experience “poomashi,” or sharing work together, during a kimchee making session.

The cold autumn air makes their breath visible, as they wash and salt the heads of cabbage, catching up with each other, laughing and crying together, and sharing in hot radish soup at the end of each day.

There is an unspoken understanding that together, they can make a mountain of work enjoyable.

Some mothers will pickle up to 300 heads of cabbage, enough for the entire year and always some to share.

This yearly ritual is for many families and communities a time to rebuild familial ties with each other. Today, even in the cities, families will still gather to make kimchee together. In small apartments, three generations will get together to make and share in their mother’s special, one-of-a-kind kimchee.

Global Youth Exchange, formerly called Global Poomashi, sends Korean youth abroad to serve developing regions.

This sense of extended family and community is something that has tied the Korean people together for centuries. Going out of the way to help each other, and knowing that somehow the good will be reciprocated, is a concept that is still alive and well in Korea today.

It can even be said to have sparked Korea’s economic miracle in the last century, and it continues on in the international relief efforts of KOICA. Recent Global Youth Exchange programs, previously named Global Poomashi, sends Korean exchange students abroad for community development projects.

Perhaps it is one manifestation of the principles of “Hong-ik Ingan”, or ‘to live for the benefit of humanity’, passed down through the millennia with the Korean people.

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Nearly 40% of the Korean diaspora lives in China. A large concentration resides in Yanbian, making up 32 percent of the prefecture’s total population.  The autonomy the region enjoys as a whole is also closely linked to the large Korean population. Korean is recognized as one of the official languages.  The majority of those who moved to the region from Korea arrived between 1845-1945, around the time of the Japanese colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula. Most of these residents have rarely, if ever, traveled to Korea.

Top to bottom: Bulgaksa Buddhist Temple, Daereungwon Tomb complex, Cheonseongdae observatory and Wolji Pon.

In March 2015, the Global Peace Foundation-Korea, the Korean International Trade Association (KITA) and the China-Korea Hanmaeum Association hosted a history and cultural education tour of Korea for 40 of these ethic Koreans from the Yanbian region.

The tour was appropriately themed “나를 찾아 떠나는 여행” or Traveling in search of one’s self, borrowing from the title of a best-selling novel by the same name. Over the course of two days and one night, participants traveled their ancestral homes through the Gyongju region of South Korea.

The group followed the footsteps of their ancestors. They visited the Daereungwon Tombs, burial grounds of the Silla Dynasty royal family; Cheomseongdae, built in the 7th century, claims to be the oldest astronomical observatory in East Asia; Wolji Pond, a man-made garden pond in Donggung Palace; and Bulguksa, whose impressive stairwells lead up to the heart of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

Local tour volunteers took extra care to explain the significance and historical background of each stop to this group of long-lost brethren. The program also included lectures by historians and experts. Historian Lee Jae Hee walked the groups through the history of the Three Kingdoms and United Kingdoms.

Korea International Trade Association chairman, Kim Young Sun, noted the significance of Koreans in China coming back to learn and experience their history and culture.

At the conclusion of the tour, Global Peace Foundation Korea President, Mr. In Taek Seo called on participants to take an active role in reuniting their homeland. Many participants expressed support for the Global Peace Foundation’s approach to Korean unification that focuses on shared principles stemming from the ancient Korean philosophy of “Hong-ik Ingan”, living for the benefit of humanity. They also had spirited discussions on the role that the Korean Diaspora in China could play in securing unification.

The Global Peace Foundation – Korea plans to continue similar programs to engage the Korean Diaspora scattered around the world in the unique mission and spirit of Hong-ik Ingan.

For the original story visit: www.globalpeace.org 

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Imagine a society where everyone was related to each other as one big family. What would that look like? There are many good cultural examples around the globe that hint at what that might be like. Korea is one place where this notion of human interconnectedness can be found.

Korean traditional family.(Photo Credit: Burton_Holmes_Lectures)

Despite being a very homogenous society, Korea is one of the few places in the world where there is diverse co-existence of many faith traditions.  With the help of moral ethics stemming in Confucianism and other spiritual practices, traditional Korea has found a way to uplift the important role of the family above all else.

Historically during the Yi Choson Dynasty, the last and longest-lived imperial dynasty of Korea in 1392 to 1910, Confucianism became the dominant belief system. Confucianism helped to draw out many of the age old spiritual practices of Korea, placing the highest importance on family ties and filial piety. Conversely, Japanese Confucianism placed more emphasis on the historical ruler-subject relationship. During this era it left a huge mark on contemporary Korean society as a whole, shaping the moral system, the way of life, social relations between old and young, high culture, and is even the basis for much of the legal system. Even today, it is deeply embedded in the way Koreans think, behave and even speak.

In this Confucian understanding, social positions and familial relationships are set. Things in nature are not created equal, and thus each has their own part to play in the delicate web of life. Jae Jong Song, author of The Korean Language: Structure, Use and Context, wrote that, “just as things have their place in nature, people have their place in society. People’s perception of their position in such groups is ultimately their group identity; Koreans have a very strong sense of group identity.”  He also stated that, “social harmony can be achieved by stable social relationships. Knowing one’s place in social groupings is therefore, crucial for social harmony and stability”.

Although Korea modern society is unfortunately moving away from these ideals, the virtues of respect and honor has been practiced for thousands of years and can been seen in the way age and gender have been represented in society. Age, or seniority, has been one of the most important Confucian precepts of how one relates to each other. Young expected to respect the old, as they would to their own parents. In turn, elders are also expected to be respectful to those senior to them, including honoring ancestors who have already passed on.

The Korean language or, hangul, also has designated familial terms for each member of the family in how they address each other. Kinship terms are used to address family members, and are even used to address those who may not necessarily be related to you by blood. The terms halaboji ‘grandfather’, halmoni ‘grandmother’, ahjoshi ‘uncle’ and ahjumoni ‘aunt’ are commonly used. There are also words for a boy addressing his older brother hyung or older sister nuna and separate ones for a girl addressing her older brother oppa or older sister onni. The list goes on. In Korean, the word uri also has a distinct social and cultural meaning in including someone in your family.

The notion of “world peace” seems so farfetched, it is often disregarded by many as a real possibility. Although no society in today’s world is perfect, there are still some valuable lessons we can discover and learn from. Living in a world where people are constantly seeking value and recognition to find their identity, perhaps we can take a cue from traditional Korean society in realizing we are born with an important role in our immediate families, as a son, a daughter, a sister, a brother which directly impacts how we live out our lives on a larger scale.

Seeing everyone as family under one creator can transform the way we do business, raise our families, form government policies, teach education in schools, and beyond. By highlighting these glimmering pieces of peace and hope, we will make a great mountain of positive social change. Can you imagine if the global community practiced such virtuous, harmonious ways of relating to one another?

Source- “The Korean Language: Structure, Use and Context, Jae Jung Song 2006”

From “Culture and society: age, gender and chulwsin

The post We are All Related appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

(Updated on Jan. 15, 2021)

On Martin Luther King Jr. day, the United States celebrates the man, his legacy and his call for a worldwide brotherhood of man. Dr. King understood the importance of working together beyond differences and demonstrated non-violent social action driven by love and peace.

In his final book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, he describes the challenge we face as a world community in ways that are still relevant today:

“We have inherited a large house, a great “world house” in which we have to live together—black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Moslem and Hindu—a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.”

Even though he wrote these words in 1968, the message itself is timeless. Today, we continue to grapple with how to live together, figuring out the tougher topics of equality, fundamental values and rights, and unity amidst diversity.

The challenges the world community currently faces requires more, not less cooperation and collaboration from all the members of our diverse human family. Each and every culture and faith tradition has sought to encapsulate and pass down universal principles and shared values such as treating others with respect and kindness. Yet many times these have been distorted or misunderstood to be guidelines for only those within the identity lines of one’s own faith. There is an urgent need to acknowledge universal principles and moral guidelines to revolutionize the fate of our common “world house”.  

In short, we must realize – and soon – that we are deeply interconnected as one global family.  As Dr. King warned so prophetically:

“Together we must learn to live as brothers or together we will be forced to perish as fools.”

Credit to DIBP Images

Throughout history, we have seen examples of inspired leadership in the lives of such figures as Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Rev. Martin Luther King., Jr. Each found inner resources to bear the weight of injustice. Each advanced a moral vision that overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles and then brought reconciliation through love and the spirit of forgiveness.

Gandhi’s march to the sea, King’s nonviolent civil disobedience, were innovative expressions of the transcendent vision expressed in America’s founding Declaration, that “All men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” These examples demonstrate that there are important universal truths, ideas that are not exclusive to one religion, nation, race, or culture. Peace needs such leaders who are driven by a vision to embrace all humanity and willingly commit their lives in pursuit of this vision.

Let us make this next year one where we can see through the lens that Martin Luther King once did – seeing the world in a familial vision and developing innovative new pathways to greater peace and prosperity. If we are all living in the “world house” together, we have to find a way to work together and to do it joyfully. To go one step further, inside this “world house”, lives a great big family, where are all connected as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, grandfathers and grandmothers.

To achieve lasting peace, this vision of “One Family Under God” cannot simply stay as a vision. It must be lived out in the everyday as a living, breathing reality.  It takes each and every one of us to believe, understand and practice this mindset of love and kindness to all. With the right kind of role models and moral, innovative leaders, communities, nations and the world can change right before our eyes. 

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

 

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I have also had the privilege to work with many wonderful Japanese volunteers who carry the trademark traits of hard work and commitment. Japan has invested its people and resources into its global family.

Some in the international community observe that Japan has the role of a mother to the other nations of the world. If that is true, then this nation should play a leading role in creating a culture of multi-ethnic coexistence that affirms that we are all one family with a shared spiritual heritage and shared destiny.

This is also an important domestic priority. For most of Japan’s history, it has had relatively little influence from other peoples and religions.But today the situation is very different. More than two million foreign residents live permanently in Japan, and the number is growing all time.

Already Japan has taken steps in this direction to realize the culture of peace. During my travels to the developing regions of the world, I have seen Japanese financial and technical aid playing a vital role in building up these countries. I have also had the privilege to work with many wonderful Japanese volunteers who carry the trademark traits of hard work and commitment. Japan has invested its people and resources into its global family.

Japan has recently faced many trials, including the most recent natural disasters. The world’s response shows that her investment in the world is not unnoticed. The world came to her aid, just as she invested in it.

I pray that Japan continues to become a model nation that spreads the culture of peace throughout the world.

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Our world is going through a period of dramatic transition.  Particularly this year, many governments are holding decisive elections: Kenya, South Korea, the United States, to name a few.

Moral and effective leadership is not defined by one’s religion, nationality, ideology or even political affiliation. Good leadership is determined by the principles and values by which one lives.  Let us keep this in heart as each of us steps up as global citizens.

The deciding factor at such times is “moral and innovative leadership.”

Transcript:

“I submit to you that the deciding factor at such times is always moral and innovative leadership, on every level.

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. To come to fruition, it has to be guided by a vision and a clear set of irrevocable universal principles and values that 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 the 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.”

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