The 2025 International Forum on One Korea received significant national attention and was featured prominently across Korea’s media networks. Many stories highlighted the forum’s vision for a free and unified Korea, coinciding with the historic commemoration of the 80th Liberation Day.

Hosted in Seoul, the Forum convened policymakers, scholars, civil society leaders, and youth to advance the Korean Dream and chart a path toward peaceful reunification. Complementing the forum, the 2025 Korean Dream Hangang Festa—held at Ttukseom Hangang Park—brought together thousands for a cultural celebration featuring music, performances, and messages of hope from global voices. These twin events inspired a new generation and underscored the growing momentum for a unified Korea.

The Korea Times: Address by Global Peace Foundation Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon at banquet marking Korea’s 80th Liberation Day

MK News: 드론쇼와 함께 한 ‘2025 코리안드림 한강대축제’

Joongang: 광복절 기념 ‘코리안드림 한강대축제’ 성료 [출처:중앙일보]

Economist: 시민 3만 명, 광복절 저녁 드론쇼에 ‘코리안드림’ 띄우다

Munhwa: 하늘 위 1200대 드론, 통일 염원 그렸다

News 1: ‘코리안드림 한강대축제’ 대규모 불꽃쇼

News 1: 광복 80주년 기념한 ‘코리안드림 한강대축제’

Asia Today: 80주년 광복절 기념 ‘2025 코리안드림 한강대축제’ 개최

Herald Economy: ‘케데헌’ 까치호랑이, 한강 하늘서 ‘통일’ 외치자, 3만명 열광·환호·합창[함영훈의 멋·맛·쉼]

Sports Trends: 시민 3만 명, 드론쇼에 ‘코리안드림’ 띄우다

Newsis: 2025 코리안드림 한강대축제 드론쇼

Yonhap News: [K스토리] 광복 80년, ‘코리안드림’으로 하나 된 축제

Dong-A News: 광복 80주년 3만 시민 한강서 ‘통일’ 외쳤다‘2025 코리안드림 한강대축제’ 개최… ‘케데헌 까치호랑이’ 드론쇼 밤하늘 수놓아

Asia Today: [전문] 문현진 글로벌피스재단 세계의장, ‘광복80주년기념만찬’ 기조연설문

Asia Today: 문현진 글로벌피스재단 의장 “통일부 대신 비정부기관…일관된 방향성 중요”

Munhwa: “통일은 제2의 ‘한강의 기적’… 젊은이들에 큰 기회될 것”

World Daily: 한강 밤하늘에 드론 1200대 떴다…“통일은 통합의 지평”

Nate News: 한강 밤하늘에 드론 1200대 떴다…”통일은 통합의 지평”

Nate News: ‘케데헌’ 까치호랑이, 한강 하늘서 ‘통일’ 외치자, 3만명 열광·환호·합창[함영훈의 멋·맛·쉼]

Chosun: 뚝섬 한강서 드론 1200대 투입 ‘2025 코리안드림 한강대축제’

“It is a moral imperative that we work, in whatever capacity we are able, to realize unification that embodies the aspirations of the 1919 independence movement and the hope of 1945—bringing closure to a division that has lingered from the last century.” —Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon

A participant shares her personal experience as the “next Korean miracle” begins to take shape at the International Forum on One Korea.

Have you ever witnessed a miracle?

I’m at the International Forum for One Korea.

If I counted, I would have to use two hands, maybe three to keep track of the number of times I heard that Korea is the place of miracles.

One in particular mentioned is the “Miracle of the Han River.”

In 50 years, from the end of the Korean War to the early 2000s, Korea went through unprecedented economic growth, technological development, and improvements in life expectancy and child mortality. By 2010, Korea entered the ranks of G20 nations. Today it is ranked number 13 among the economies of the world and is the only nation that has turned from an aid-recipient to an aid-giving nation.

My first time in Korea was a year after the Seoul Olympics in 1989. It was starkly different. Many of the skyscrapers that you see in Seoul today were either not even imagined or in the process of being built. The streets felt empty after the flurry of Olympic hype. I remember people selling leftover merch at subway entrances.

Today, I sat in one of the newer edifices, one of many that now line the Han River, hearing the call for the next Korean miracle.

Poetically, the forum was held in Yeido, an island nestled in the middle of the Han River and a financial and governing hub of Korea. Would I call it the start of the next Han River miracle?

Hon. Myung Su Lee commented on this serendipity, adding his observation that the Han River flows powerfully and peacefully because the waters run in the same direction.

What the Korean Dream movement, what Action for Korea United is doing, what Dr. Moon sparked when he wrote out the Korean Dream, is to set a point that allows us to look towards and move together.

I saw the power of a shared vision at work during the economic panel at the conference. As the panel of economists and scholars from diverse perspectives and approaches grappled with how possibly economic cooperation could contribute to reunification and regional peace, words were repeated—unity, humanity, peace, and vision. The situation in Korea is hard, the issues are complicated—the human rights crisis in North Korea, nuclear proliferation, the fraying social fabric, dropping birth rates and soaring unemployment in the South, but I learned that in crisis, you start by asking, “Where do we want to go?”

Dr. Moon outlined the “challenges,” that are set before Korea today: resolving the division of their homeland and rediscovering and reconnecting to their identity and destiny. It makes sense to start with fixing eyes upon a vision that speaks across time, that has propelled the Korean miracles to date. Dr. Moon is calling for such a sea change—but it takes each of us—yes, I’m getting behind the Korean Dream as well, to go in the same direction.

Korea is the land of miracles.

Hon. Seung Joo Baek, President of the War Memorial of Korea, listed a few:

• Regaining sovereignty at the close of World War II

• The unparalleled economic growth over the last 50 years,

• And the Miracle of democratization.

I think I am witnessing the next Korean Miracle—Miracle of the Han 2.0?—unfolding before my eyes. If the waters can flow together.

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

“The impact of the principled reunification of the Korean people, artificially divided for way too long, will be enormously significant. Not only will it benefit the peninsula and the East Asia region through greater peace, stability, and prosperity. It will be a light to the world, showing how even the most extreme division and conflict can be overcome.” -Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon (2021 Global Peace Convention, Keynote Address)

The dream of a unified Korea is a moral and human calling shared by people across the world. From the halls of Japan’s National Diet to youth forums in Tanzania and Indonesia, a growing international chorus is calling for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula. This global wave is not driven by governments but by students, activists, and citizens who believe that the division of Korea is not just a regional issue, but a human one.

Korea’s division after World War II left deep scars that still affect millions of families. But the movement to reunite the peninsula is now powered by a vision that transcends geopolitics—the belief that all people deserve peace, freedom, and dignity.

At the heart of global efforts for reunification lies the Korean Dream—a vision that draws on Korea’s ancient spiritual heritage to inspire a peaceful, values-based unification. This dream envisions a Korea rooted in its founding ideal of “Hongik Ingan”—to live for the benefit of all humanity—and positions reunification not as a political outcome, but as a moral awakening with global relevance. Supporting Korean reunification, then, becomes a step toward a more principled, peaceful world.

Around the globe, young people and civil society are making this dream their own, breathing new life into the call for peaceful reunification.

In Tanzania, the Korean Dream inspired a surge of grassroots engagement. Students, faith leaders, and youth organizations united under the One Korea Global Campaign, collecting thousands of signatures and sharing messages of solidarity. Through virtual conversations with Korean students and signature drives, Tanzanians reaffirmed a simple truth: peace in Korea is peace for the world.

As one Tanzanian student leader said, “We believe the reunification of Korea will be a symbol of hope for divided peoples everywhere.” Their efforts exemplify how shared values—not shared borders—are what truly connect us.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, over 200 youth leaders from 25 countries gathered for the Japan Young Leaders Assembly, advocating for peace and reunification. The forum featured North Korean defectors, international scholars, and activists who encouraged youth to become “peace creators” in their own communities.

What stood out was the power of story—young leaders using digital media, art, and public speaking to share the message of reunification. Their participation showed that global youth are not bystanders but stakeholders in shaping a more peaceful East Asia.

One speaker noted, “This isn’t just about Korea—it’s about how the world handles division, conflict, and reconciliation.”

In Indonesia, 600 youth came together to reflect on Korea’s March 1st Movement—an early 20th-century struggle for independence that resonates with Indonesia’s own anti-colonial history. The virtual gathering wove together narratives of national identity, peace, and interfaith cooperation.

Indonesian speakers highlighted how principles like Pancasila—the country’s philosophical foundation—align with the Korean Dream’s emphasis on unity and human dignity. This cross-cultural connection deepens global empathy and commitment to Korea’s peaceful future.

Reunification is not just a Korean dream—it’s a global hope. From Africa to Asia and beyond, young people are answering the call for peace with clarity and conviction. Their message is clear: unity is possible when we act with courage, compassion, and shared purpose.

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

The Korea Times published some of Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon’s comments on the current political situation in South Korea following the declaration of martial law and the subsequent impeachment of the current South Korean president. What follows are some key highlights from the article, which can be read in full here.

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“South Korean people really need a wake-up call,” he said.

Moon claimed that South Korea is unprepared for the figurative coming winter due to the deep political polarization within the country.

“Those civilized well-functioning modern democratic republics are based on the Constitution run by ethical and moral people making objective decisions that benefit the country, not by hyper-partisan interest groups,” he said.

“A key weakness of the system of democracy was the tyranny of the majority. This is one of the reasons why the U.S. system has the Senate, an upper body, and the electoral college for the national elections. So, it is not pure democracy, very much like the Roman Republic where there are several stages of electoral processes. There, you have so-called people who are more well-educated that make big decisions for the sake of the nation.”

He added that recent developments in South Korea’s politics are highly concerning for this reason.

“It really disturbs me,” he said.

“There are questions whether the rule of law stands here and whether there is a judicial process. The are foundations of any democratic state, especially for a constitutional democracy. Not only Korean people are now questioning it, but also our allies around the world are, especially the U.S. Where is the future of South Korea?”

Moon urged that the unification of South and North Korea, along with his organization’s Korean Dream Movement, could provide a solution to the country’s current crisis.

“Unification is such a significant opportunity. It is a jackpot,” Moon said.

“It will bring all the necessary components to allow the South Korean economy to continue to grow. All Korean people, especially the young, will have opportunities for prosperity that their parents had never had.”

He also presented his economic projections, outlining the potential benefits if the two Koreas were to unify.

“Imagine you have an additional 25 million people added to the Korean economy, not including the diaspora,” he said.

“If unification happens, most of the diaspora around the world will come back to Korea as well. The population will be 80 million, 90 million. We are going to have a boost in terms of not only the domestic consumption market but also a tremendous amount of talent and capital.”

South Korea is now classified as a super-aged society, grappling with a record-low birthrate of just 0.72 last year.

Moon added that a unified Korea would attract a significant influx of foreign investment aimed at rebuilding its northern territory.

“A vast majority of funding for rebuilding North Korea will actually come from private sources. There is $30 trillion worth of capital looking for investment around the world. Most of our allies will support financially the unification of the two Koreas because the North poses a great security threat across the world.”

According to the Global Peace Foundation, the Korean Dream Movement is rooted in the revival of the spirit of “Hongik Ingan” — a principle that means “to broadly benefit humanity.” This was the founding ideal of the first Korean kingdom, Gojoseon. In the vision of a reunified Korea, it represents the creation of a powerful and prosperous nation with a positive influence on the global stage.

On September 28, 2024, the Korean Dream Grand March 2024 became the largest ever civil society gathering organized at Imjingak Peace Park, which is located near the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea.

The Grand March and the International Forum on One Korea were both part of the ongoing Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign, which seeks to galvanize worldwide attention and support for the cause of a peaceful, free, and united One Korea. The culminating event of the campaign is planned for the 80th commemoration of the National Day of Liberation of Korea on August 15, 2025.

English and Korean media coverage of the events, which were held in commemoration of Korea’s Foundation Day, can be found in the links below:

Panel: North Korean policy should be centered on unification, not denuclearization

Citizens rally for Korean unification, show solidarity with Koreans in the North

Citizens rally near DMZ in support of Korean unification

Experts call for placing human rights at center of NK policy

Gov’t, civic groups, defectors unite for unification of 2 Koreas, global peace

Korean-language media coverage of the events:

[2024 코리안드림 통일실천대행진] “한반도 통일, 천만 시민의 꿈으로 만들자”

[원코리아 포럼] 한반도 평화·통일 ‘게임 체인저’…코리안 드림 외치다

[원코리아 포럼] “통일 위한 국제사회 지지…해외 동포 역할 절실”

[2024 코리안드림 통일실천대행진] 문현진 “우리가 코리안드림·평화통일의 주인…홍익인간 정신으로 통일 이루자”

[K스토리] 코리안드림천만캠페인 조직위 “시민의 힘으로 통일 이뤄야”

“북한은 감옥같아… 北 주민 의식주 넘어선 표현의 자유 누려야”

“통일을 시민의 힘으로”… 분단철책 에워싼 ‘3만여명의 굳센 염원’

2024 코리안드림 통일실천대행진 성료

[원코리아 포럼] “진실작전 통해 북한주민 변화 이끌어야”

[코리안드림 통일실천대행진]시민·탈북민 등 3만명 “통일 만세”…‘염원의 빛’ 드론 퍼포먼스로 대미

[원코리아 포럼] 문현진 의장 “국민 모두 ‘코리안 드림’ 주인”

[친절한 예인씨] 한반도의 평화와 통일을 위해! 2024 코리안드림 통일실천대행진 개최! #통일을실천하는사람들 | 행복한 아침 1457 회

“북한 주민, 외부 세계 많이 알아…진실 전파 더 노력해야”

[원코리아 포럼] “진실작전 통해 북한주민 변화 이끌어야”

Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon’s vision-driven approach to the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula has inspired a cross-sectoral, global movement to advance human rights, economic growth, and a model of national transformation. The newly inaugurated Alliance for Korea United (AKU) Washington has joined the growing number of coalitions inspired by Dr. Moon. The alliance is comprised of Korean and Korean diaspora organizations and individuals advancing the cause for a united Korea that fulfills the historic ideals and aspirations of the Korean people.

AKU partners closely with the Global Peace Foundation as a sponsor and partner for international forums and conferences that advance a comprehensive approach to Korean reunification. Through forums, education programs, policy initiatives, and community engagement projects, AKU Washington and GPF work to build consensus and momentum in support of a unified Korea, to strengthen the long-standing partnership between ROK and USA, and to deepen the bonds of friendship connecting the Korean and American peoples.

Most recently, AKU-Washington organized a special commemoration for the newly established “North Korean Defectors’ Day” on July 14, 2024. More than 100 delegates were joined by ten North Korean defectors in Washington D.C. to kick off a fundraising campaign to build a memorial facility for North Korean residents. Organizers said that the memorial would be a space for remembrance, prayer, and meditation… a record of the North Korean regime’s atrocities and an opportunity for education for the next generation.

One North Korean defector shared his experience visiting the Holocaust Museum in the U.S. capitol, comparing it with the horror he experienced in North Korea. He said that the establishment of a memorial space would serve as an opportunity to record the North Korean regime’s anti-human rights atrocities and educate the next generation. The cost of land purchase and construction is expected to be 1 million dollars (1.38 billion won).

An ambassador of the U.S. State Department special envoy for North Korean human rights attended the event. She said that the project would create an opportunity to commemorate the North Korean people and publicize the reality of the peninsula as an important part of the process of responsibility, truth, and reconciliation. She encouraged the Korean diaspora and North Korean defector community to work together. She fortified the U.S. government’s support for the North Korean defector community and the importance of shedding light on the extreme human rights violations and abuses of the Kim Jong-un regime.

A respected researcher at the Woodrow Wilson Center also presented at the forum, criticizing the claims by the North Korean regime that the country’s chronic famine was due to bad weather, climate change, and international sanctions against North Korea. He called out the regime’s frivolous spending of billions of dollars on nuclear and ballistic missile programs and imports of more than 600 million dollars in luxury goods. The researcher pointed out that this is due to a deliberate mass starvation policy that does not use the 200-400 million dollars needed to resolve the annual food shortage of 1.36 million tons.

Speakers praised the establishment of the first North Korean Defectors’ Day, calling it a “fatal blow” to the Kim regime. A former high-ranking official of the North Korean Workers’ Party who attended the event said that the number of North Korean residents who view South Korea as an object of envy is increasing, making it more difficult for the Kim regime to maintain its long-term system. He elaborated saying that Kim Jong-un would suffer a fatal blow, and hope would arise for the people who yearn for freedom.

The president of AKU Washington called the newly established day far greater than a simple memorial day saying that it would send a valuable message and be described as a historic event for future generations.

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

On October 3, Korea’s Foundation Day, more than 20,000 people gathered in Yeouido with groups waving red placards declaring, “Unification is our strength,” and blue placards with the phrase “Unification through people power” written across them.

In the morning, the sky was overcast with clouds, but later in the afternoon, the sun appeared. As we walked along the Han River, enjoying the smell of the grass, we came to Yeouido Park. We saw the Korean flag stretched across the sky as we entered the cultural center where the 2023 Korean Dream Unification Festival was held.

Praying for reunification in the spirit of Taekwondo

Around 2 p.m., we could hear loud shouts in the distance. It was the sounds of more than 1,000 demonstrators from the ‘Taekwondo Ship Taekwondo Hero Corps’ participating in a Taekwondo-themed flash mob event (flash mob: a crowd that gathers at a location and performs coordinated shows for a short period before dispersing). The crowd performed spinning kicks. They incorporated exciting songs along with Taekwondo’s signature movements. The whole show was a colorful spectacle.

The audience roared as they enjoyed the 20-minute Taekwondo demonstration. Periodically, international travelers thrilled with the performance shouted, gave a thumbs-up, and exclaimed, “Wonderful!”

Lee Young-man, an office worker at the event, shared, “This was my first time watching a Taekwondo demonstration, and it was exciting – not stiff or solemn,” he said, adding, “I hope that the spirit of Taekwondo will unite the North and South and that our wish for unification will be fulfilled as soon as possible.”

In addition to the Taekwondo flash mob, there were K-POP cover dances, competitions, a photo and video archives exhibition of the Korean Dream movement, and the Eurasian Peace Fellowship pavilion.

A Citizens’ Organizing Committee member for the Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign for the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Korea observed, “Unlike the older generations, Korean youth tend to think that unification is unnecessary. It is a problem that the younger generation does not recognize the importance of unification. As such, we planned a program that would appeal to the youth and draw their interest while teaching the importance and necessity of unification.”

Kim Byung-chan, the host of the 2023 Korean Dream Unification Action Festa, opened by playing the national anthem to announce the event’s start. As the national anthem played, flags with the phrase “Korean Dream” and the Korean flag fluttered across the sky. The event commemorated the 4,355th anniversary of Korea’s founding, making it all the more meaningful.

The Korean Dream is the Second Samil Movement

The event was organized as part of the Korean Dream, a new movement to contribute to world peace based on the Hongik Ingan spirit, a running thread throughout the nation’s history and culture. The goal is to create a unified nation that can contribute to world peace.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government organized the event with a committee of eight unification and civil society organizations. The committee included Action for Korea United, Korea Senior Citizens Association, Korea Veterans Association, Korea Federation of Arts and Cultural Organizations, Ten Thousand Mountain Families Committee, Scent of Reflection, Korea Federation of Free Associations, and the Korean Federation of Unification Leaders.

The 2025 Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign is a citizen-led effort to achieve peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula in 2025, the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.

A hundred years earlier, two million Koreans demonstrated to the world the legitimacy of their efforts for independence through the Samil Movement. Likewise, the Campaign aims to develop a “Second Samil Movement” based on the Korean Dream again to demonstrate the legitimacy of the Korean Peninsula’s reunification and draw the international community’s sympathy and support.

To this end, the organizers plan to mobilize 100,000 citizens this year, followed by 1 million in 2024 and 10 million in 2025. In addition, by 2025, plans are underway to conduct a 10 million citizens walking campaign, the Korean Dream Volunteer Festival, and the August 15^th Grand Festival to engage the participation of the 8.5 million overseas Koreans.

A variety of events will be held to unite the country. Along with the domestic campaign, the organizers are also conducting an international campaign to raise global awareness of the massive unification movement.

The “Korean Dream Expedition” launched in March and traveled to more than 85 cities in 29 countries for 137 days, spreading the vision of the Korean Dream.

The 2023 Korean Dream Unification Action Festa culminated with a keynote address by Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, Chairman of the Global Peace Foundation. As Moon took the podium, he repeatedly shouted, “Aju! Aju!” Aju combines the Chinese characters a (我), meaning ‘I,’ and ju (主), meaning ‘owner.’

Instead of reading a prepared speech, Dr. Moon walked among the event participants, interacting with them, making eye contact, and inviting them to say “Aju.” In promoting the idea of Aju, Dr. Moon encouraged citizens to see that – rather than relying on governments or political leaders – a new Korean nation would only be realized when individual citizens desired unification enough to take up their initiatives to support it.

“Ten years ago, when we said we would build a grassroots unification movement centered on citizens, Korea was divided between the left and the right, even along religious lines such as Christianity and Buddhism. At the time, they said that a grassroots unification movement was impossible under these circumstances. But today, so many people have gathered here. So many people have come together today – across differences – and this is powerful evidence that our dream of unification can be realized. The most important thing in the unification movement is the spirit of ownership. Let’s chant “Aju,” which means I am the owner. Aju!”

Unification with the spirit of Aju and the spirit of Hongik Ingan

Dr. Moon intertwined the spirit of Aju with the spirit of Hongik Ingan, the founding ideal of the Korean nation to “benefit all humanity,” and emphasized that we should start with ourselves and let others know the value of unification.

He emphasized the spirit of Hongik Ingan, a national identity and providential mandate that can unite all Koreans, including North Koreans. Dr. Moon observed, “The most important thing in this grassroots movement for unification is the ownership over the Korean Dream vision by the Korean people themselves. If you become the owner and through whatever foundation you have, you spread this message and wake other Koreans up, then this will grow like wildfire.”

Dr. Moon delivered his speech in English and emphasized the importance of global solidarity. He said, “If I were to speak only in Korean about Korean Unification, how can we have foreigners listen, and how can we inspire foreigners to help us be a part of this movement? The Korean Dream is not just a dream to inspire Koreans; it can inspire the entire world.”

In response to the idea that we should “teach children about the importance of the Unification,” Mr. Cho Young-hwan, a citizen who attended, said, “I’m a history teacher, so I heard that this is an event that tells the growing generation the meaning of the unification of the Korean Peninsula. I drove in the rain early in the morning to attend the event. While attending the event, I vowed to realize the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula with my children.”

The 2023 Korean Dream Unification Action Festa was held on October 3, 2023,  at the Yeouido Park Cultural Courtyard in Seoul, October 7 at KBS Changwon Hall in Gyeongnam; October 9 at the Hanbitop Square in Daejeon; October 14^th at the Busan Station Square, Busan, Korea, Oryunmun Square, 14^th at the Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, 5-18 Minjungwang, in Gwangju;  October 22nd at  Deokjin Park in  Jeonju; and on October 28^th at the Orong Outdoor Music Center in Daegu.

The organizers estimate that more than 100,000 people attended the events nationwide. One representative commented, “This event confirmed the potential of the Korean Dream and the unification movement. We are grateful for the citizens’ active participation throughout all the events.”

The following is an unofficial translation of excerpts from the special, which was written by Hye-Yeon Jung. This section was focused on the 2023 International Forum on One Korea held in Seoul, Korea.

North Korea’s nuclear tests and the possibility of a new Cold War have raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula to an unprecedented level. The hegemonic rivalry between the U.S. and China continues with the Trump Administration’s March 2018 trade war with China, which began with the Trump Administration in March 2018. Still, the policies have continued to impact relations well into the Biden Administration.

In the meantime, North Korea and Russia held a summit on September 12th and began close military cooperation. The Russian-Ukrainian war, which broke out in February 2022, only added to the geopolitical divides. This has resulted in the stance that “The fervor for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula, both domestically and internationally, has stalled.”

In response, the Global Peace Foundation (GFP), Action for Korea United (AKU), and the One Korea Foundation held the 2023 One Korea International Forum on One Korea on October 2nd, 2023.  The AKU Professors Association, Alliance for Korea United USA, Blue Banner, and the Asia Research Institute supported and participated in the forum. The International Forum on One Korea was founded in July 2016 at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. The first forum was held in July 2016 as an international forum on trade and the Korean Peninsula, and it has since been held for eight consecutive years, a total of 15 times.

The forum has also continued to make policy recommendations, including arguing that the top priority for policy on the Korean Peninsula should be revised to prioritize peaceful reunification over a singular focus on denuclearization. The forum was held in the Fairmont Ambassador Hotel Grand Ballroom in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, where experts convened to discuss these and other opinions.

The experts focused mainly on the Camp David Summit. This Summit was attended by President Seok Yul Yoon, U.S. President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on August 18, 2023, at Camp David, the U.S. presidential residence near Washington, DC. During the Summit, they declared, “We support a free, peaceful, and unified Korean Peninsula.” Forum participants highlighted the significance of this declaration and the need for a strategic roadmap for a unified Korean Peninsula. They also covered issues related to the reunification of the Korean Peninsula, such as peace, security, and a unified economy. An event organizer noted, “It is significant that this forum was held after the Camp David Summit.”

In the first session, the GPF Chairman, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, the GPF International President, Jim Flynn, National Assembly Speaker Jin Pyo Kim, National Assembly Member Myoung Su Lee, and National Assembly Member Dong Su Seok delivered opening remarks.

Others at the forum included Mr. Jin Pyo Kim, Speaker of the National Assembly; Mr. Myoung Su Lee, Member of the National Assembly; Mr. Dong Hyeon Seok, Secretary General of the ROK Peaceful Unification Advisory Council; Mr. Edwin Feulner, founder and former president of Heritage Foundation; Seung Ju Paik, Chairman of the War Memorial Association (former Deputy Secretary of Defense); Four-star General (Ret.) John Harold Tilelli Jr. (Chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation), and more than 100 others. The five-hour forum was highlighted by notable and keynote speeches. You can watch the event on YouTube’s “Action for Korea United” channel.

The forum was held under the theme “Free and Unified Korea: A Catalyst for Regional and Global Peace and Development.”

Realizing Korean Identity: A Providential Mandate

In his opening remarks, Chairman Chung Hwan Kim observed, “We must discuss a new direction for peace in Northeast Asia and the world based on the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. President Jim Flynn emphasized, “This forum is held amid this incredibly complex international situation, including the North Korean nuclear issue, which points to the critical importance of this forum.”

In his congratulatory remarks, Chairman Jin Pyo Kim noted, “In the past, President Dae-Jung Kim emphasized that our destiny depends on diplomacy and international cooperation so that peace can be established on the Korean Peninsula.”

Representative Myoung Su Lee said, “I hope that through discussions at this forum, we can solve our international security challenges while simultaneously creating the opportunity to advance a new flow of history.” He said, “The Korean Dream is the only alternative to achieving both peace on the Korean Peninsula and global peace.”

Mr. Dong Hyeon Seok, Secretary General of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, declared, “To realize the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula, we need the support and cooperation of not only the governments of North and South Korea but also the international community. In the private sector, we also require the efforts and enthusiasm of scholars, experts, and civil society activists.”

In his video congratulatory remarks, Edwin Feulner, founder of the Heritage Foundation, said, “In an increasingly turbulent international political situation, this forum is very significant.”

Following the opening ceremony, in the Plenary Session, Mr. Seung Ju Baek, Chairman of the War Memorial Association of Korea, observed, “We need to be wary of discussing the obstacles to unification,” he said. “There are some who raise concerns that: “If unification happens, we will be worse off” or “it will lead to instability,” “Unification will be difficult because neighboring countries oppose it” And, “It will cost a lot of money in the process of unification.” These ideas have led to an anti-unification sentiment. We must and can overcome this focus on the obstacles to unification,” he said. “This forum and the AKU Movement will play a crucial role in dispelling this narrative.”

‘Korean Dream’ is the Key to Realizing Korean Unification

Next, GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon delivered the keynote speech. In it, he said, “Koreans today have two major, interconnected challenges. One is the re-unification of our traditional homeland. The second challenge is for free Koreans to rediscover their Korean identity and reconnect with the destiny we are called to achieve.” He explained that the second challenge was the “precondition for overcoming the first challenge.” [Noting that Koreans are part of one family,] he asked, “How can we enjoy the blessings of prosperity when our brothers and sisters suffer?”

Dr. Moon also spoke about how he came to start the Korean Dream Movement. He shared,

I launched the Korean Dream movement to offer a vision for the present age that connects with Korea’s founding ideals, manifested in the noble aspirations and sacrifice of the Sam Il Independence movement.

Reunification based on the Korean Dream framework will restore basic human rights and freedoms to the DPRK and bring peace and security to the Peninsula. In addition, it will create long-term economic benefits. A dream needs a movement of committed, united people to become a reality. Action for Korea United is where such people are gathered together.

This forum and tomorrow’s public rally are the first stages of a campaign to spread the Korean Dream among the Korean people everywhere. It will culminate in 2025, on they of Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule, when our people—for the first time— 80th anniversarcould fulfill the Sam Il aspirations of creating an ideal nation in line with Hong-Ik Ingan.

The Korean Dream can unite all Koreans. It is where we will find and fulfill the unique national destiny to which we are all called as a people. This goal needs the support of dedicated activists and thought leaders such as yourselves. I urge you to become the true owners of the Korean Dream.

“Each [Global Peace Award] winner has demonstrated in their areas of expertise an uncommon passion for excellence and commitment to realizing a world of peace.”

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon

The 2023 Global Peace Awards recipients were honored at an awards gala in Manila, the Philippines, on December 14. The Global Peace Awards underscore the importance of moral and innovative leadership, an ethic of public service, and a willingness to transcend boundaries of religion, ethnicity, culture, and nationality. The distinguished awardees are moral and innovative leaders who have dedicated their lives to peacebuilding and public service with a strong sense of integrity and a willingness to serve others under the vision expressed by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF): we are One Family Under God.

The following describes each of the nine award categories and honorees.

Legacy of Service and Peace–Honors distinguished persons whose lifelong achievements have created a legacy of service to others through their commitment to peacebuilding and taking responsibility to address difficult community and national challenges, inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.

Dr. Manu Chandaria is the Chairman and CEO of Comcraft Group, a business conglomerate that oversees operations in over 40 countries worldwide. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Chandaria practices a simplistic lifestyle and actively engages in service to humanity. He is well-known for his charitable work and global contributions to peacebuilding, including forming the Chandaria Foundation and funding healthcare, education, and environmental initiatives. Dr. Chandaria is also on the Board of GPF Kenya, where his guidance and support have been invaluable in creating character education initiatives, promoting entrepreneurial skills for youth, and establishing the Million Tree planting project.

Vinicio Cerezo is the former President of Guatemala and a visionary leader dedicated to peacebuilding who, since the inception of GPF, has worked to advance GPF’s goals in Latin America and beyond. As a GPF Global Leadership member, he has tirelessly dedicated himself to peacebuilding. President Cerezo is a founding member of the GPF-affiliated Latin American Presidential Mission—a collaborative effort involving more than 30 former Latin American presidents committed to regional integration, effective and transparent governance, and sustainable and equitable development. He founded the Esquipulas Foundation for Central America Integration in 2008 and was elected as the first-ever former president to serve as Secretary General of the Central American Integration System in 2017.

Interfaith and Spiritual Leadership—Honors a leader who recognizes the central importance of spiritual leadership as a moral compass and embraces interfaith collaboration to resolve conflicts, build peace, and create ethical societies based on universal principles and shared values that honor the value, dignity, and God-given rights of all humans.

Reverend Father Joseph Mutie is the National Chairman of the Interreligious Council of Kenya and the General Secretary of the Organization of African Institutional Churches—Kenya Chapter. Rev. Mutie has led the council in providing moral guidance to the nation using interfaith relations, shuttle diplomacy, and mediation. He champions peacebuilding through interfaith cooperation and unity, engaging and inspiring people from different religious, racial, and tribal backgrounds to partner to create a peaceful coexistence. Partnering with GPF Kenya, Rev. Mutie has supported interfaith outreach as a critical means to mitigate conflict in local and national elections and address important social issues. His belief in a ministry of presence and including spiritual values as a natural part of the peacebuilding process continues to set a positive example for future leaders.

Freedom of Conscience and Religion—Honors an outstanding leader who has championed the fundamental freedoms the Creator endowed to all human beings, especially the right of every person to follow their conscience and live according to their faith or beliefs.

Greg Scarlatoiu was born and raised in communist Romania, where he learned the fundamental importance of human rights and freedoms to peace and a developed society. While a university student in South Korea, he was exposed to the realities of the divided nation. Later, as a naturalized U.S. citizen, Mr. Scarlatoiu became the director of the Committee for Human Rights In North Korea in Washington, D.C., promoting human rights as the mainstay of North Korean policies. His organization uses extensive research to collect facts and reports on the plight of North Koreans. He teaches at Yonsei University, is a frequent guest speaker on various news channels worldwide, has testified before Congress on North Korea’s human rights issues, and is a strong GPF partner working towards achieving the goal of a free and unified Korea.

Strengthening Families—Honors an individual for their efforts in uplifting the family as the most important social institution and for effectively promoting committed marriages and a healthy environment for nurturing and building character in children.

Conchita “Ching” Chanyungco is a wife, mother, entrepreneur, and religious and civic activist. She relies on her experience raising a family and engaging in community service to chair and support numerous GPF and Global Peace Women initiatives to strengthen families and create flourishing communities. Mrs. Chanyungco currently serves as vice president of Global Peace Women in the Philippines and other key positions in women’s organizations such as Inner Wheel Club of the Philippines Foundation, Inc., The National Council of Women of the Philippines, and President of the YWCA FFPI Marikina Chapter. As a wife, mother, and grandmother, she is most proud of her family and their community service endeavors.

Outstanding Service—Honors an individual for exceptional efforts in promoting volunteerism and advancing a service culture, contributing substantial progress in youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, education, and other social impact areas.

Dr. Markandey Rai, chairman of GPF India, has dedicated his long and distinguished career to various capacities for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Dr. Rai strongly advocates for GPF’s vision of One Family Under God and has spearheaded various peace forums worldwide, including the Global Peace Leadership Conferences and Civil 20 (C20) of the G20 in 2023. His leadership as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the India Council for International Cooperation and as a member of GPF’s Global Peace Council has been vital to advancing global peace and the cause of the Indian diaspora. Dr. Rai has served on the boards of many academic, cultural, and social bodies. He has also served in other significant peacebuilding roles and is the founding chairman of the Indo-Pacific Peace Forum and president of the Global Peace and Development Service Alliance president.

Philanthropy and Corporate Citizenship—Recognizes leadership that has demonstrated significant commitment to peacebuilding initiatives through funding and partnership engagement that strives to improve and enhance the quality of life for all.

Steven Tan is the president of SM Supermalls, whose leadership extends well beyond the retail sector to promoting social change and global peace. His commitment to SM Cares and GPF’s peacebuilding initiatives and proposals is evident in his unwavering support for the Global Youth Summit (GYS), where he has been the driving force behind this transformative platform since 2017. Since Mr. Tan’s involvement, GYS’s success has grown exponentially—586,500 engaged youth, 950 schools reached, and a remarkable presence in 62 countries. His staunch commitment to GYS has empowered the next generation of leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue and service activities to enrich the lives of the global community. Mr. Tan’s legacy as an advocate for inclusion, women, and youth empowerment not only enriches lives but also sets a new standard for service and cooperation among public, private, and nonprofit enterprises.

Innovative Scholarship—Recognizes an individual whose research and issue advocacy at a policy institution or academia has advanced innovative solutions in building peace, social reconciliation, and human development.

Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt is Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute and Senior Advisor to the National Bureau of Asian Research. He is also a founding member of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and a member of the advisory council for the Korea Economic Institute. Dr. Eberstadt has authored several books on Korean affairs and holds multiple degrees from Harvard and the London School of Economics. His significant thought leadership and extensive political economy writings have provided valuable insight for addressing complex issues such as the divided Korean peninsula. His engagement with GPF and the Action for Korea United network of scholars and academics through the International Forum on One Korea has inspired much-needed international support and attention to the issue of Korean unification. His writings have underscored the plight of the North Korean people and the need for South Korea and its allies to remain vigilant in their effort to create a unified Korea.

Culture of Peace Award—Honors an individual whose significant work has helped to bridge social divisions, meet critical human needs, or promote a culture of peace through the arts, music, sports, and other creative endeavors.

Bum Hun Lee is an artist and ardent supporter of the Korean Dream Movement led by Dr. Hyun Jin Moon. His commitment to using art to achieve this dream is present throughout his artistic work and influential leadership. As President of the Korean Fine Arts Association, he curated a poignant 2018 exhibition featuring 80 masterpieces of Korean, Chinese, and North Korean artists, aligning with the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. This event emphasized global unity, transcending divisions on the Korean Peninsula. Further highlighting his visionary pursuit of unity, Chairman Lee’s dedicated effort continued in 2019 with the North-South Peace Art Exhibition at the Korea Art Festival and the North-South Art Exhibition at the National Assembly. In 2020, he became the 28th President of the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea. Under his leadership, the Federation championed the Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign, rallying 1.3 million Korean artists to actively contribute to this transformative movement.

Moral and Innovative Leadership—Honors a person who exemplifies and promotes moral and innovative leadership through programs that build good character and cultivate creativity through experiential learning, public and private education, and civil society initiatives.

Dr. Margarita Consolacion C. Ballesteros is the Director of the External Partnerships Service (EPS) of the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd), where she supervises the department’s local and international partnership engagements. She is the senior director for partnerships with multinational and bilateral agencies, the private sector, local government units, national government agencies, and civil society organizations. Dr. Ballesteros has long advocated for youth empowerment, twenty-first-century skills, awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and civic consciousness as core competencies for today’s learners. This work has been closely tied with her many years of work with GPF in the areas of transformative education, moral and innovative leadership, and peacebuilding. Dr. Ballesteros has been a strong and proactive leader in GPF’s education-related activities, and her leadership and support have been critical for GPF Philippines’ work in raising the next generation of moral and innovative peacebuilders.

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

The culminating events of the 2023 Global Peace Convention were held in Manila, Philippines from December 10-14, 2023. The Main Plenary was on December 13th, during which Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon delivered the keynote address.

In 2023, the bi-annual Global Peace Convention was held as a series of interactive events, forums, and programs under the theme, “One Family Under God: Vision for National Transformation and a Civilization of Peace.” Unlike previous Conventions, the program’s concurrent sessions were held in an hybrid online and in-person format, which allowed for wider global engagement over a six-week period spanning from November 1 to December 14.

Find a transcript of Dr. Moon’s speech below.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Mabuhay!  Thank you for joining us here in Manila, Philippines for this very significant Global Peace Convention, our first with an in-person gathering since the COVID pandemic. How much the world has changed in the meantime!

I want to thank all our partners and stakeholders here and from around the globe who are adding their insights and expertise in the key issue areas that we are tackling together. And I especially want to express my great appreciation to our Filipino hosts, colleagues, long-time friends and volunteers for their spirit, sincerity and dedication to the cause of building One Family under God.

The theme for this Global Peace Convention – as well as for every one of our Conventions going forward – is “One Family under God: Vision for National Transformation and a Civilization of Peace.” I ask you all to pause for a moment and reflect upon the scope and significance of that theme. Some might think it far too ambitious, but the world is in crisis and calls for a great vision to chart a path forward.

The Cold War and Loss of Spiritual Roots

Ladies and gentlemen, we see confusion and conflict all around us today, in domestic and international politics, economics, religion, and the realm of ideas. Old certainties are being called into question everywhere, and the methods of the past are proving incapable of meeting the challenges of the present. The world of peace and harmony that we hoped would emerge in the last decade of the 20th century with the collapse of the Soviet Union has failed to appear.

The roots of this confusion lie in the over-simplified framework of the Cold War. It was framed as an ideological war between two competing political and economic systems – democracy and free markets on the one side and tyranny and communism on the other. The West proclaimed the end of the Cold War as the triumph of their systems over its rivals, often over-emphasizing their merits.

However, those victorious voices had forgotten the spiritual foundations upon which westerndemocracy stood. There is no inherent virtue in either democracy or capitalism, for they are systems. It is the aspirations, principles and values that one pours into them that instills theirunique quality. In the case of the West, it was its Judeo-Christian heritage that defined its unique character.

In the absence of an overarching and unifying moral vision, democracies and free markets simply become an arena where competing interest groups game the system and vie for an advantage at the expense of their rivals. The potential for “mob-rule” and the tyranny of the majority had always been a weakness of democracy going all the way back to the ancient Greeks and later the Roman civilization. There have been many examples in the modern era where democratically elected governments have gradually extended their power and became autocratic regimes, most notably the rise of the Nazi party during the Weimar Republic in Germany.

The American Founding and God’s Sovereignty

The American Founders understood that the success of any political system was intimately tied to the moral character of its citizens. John Adams, the second U.S. president, famously said,“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” The 4th U.S. president, James Madison wrote that the Constitution requires “sufficient virtue among men for self-government,” otherwise, “nothing less than the chains of despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another.”

Such views were the common understanding among that generation who were heavily influenced by Enlightenment philosophers. They find their clearest expression in the second paragraph of the United States Declaration of Independence, in which America’s Founding Fathers sought to assert their freedoms in the face of an obdurate British monarchy.

There they explained the foundation of their claim, declaring that all human beings are “endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights” among which are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These immortal words articulated a fundamental truth: that our essential rights and freedoms come from a transcendent Creator, and that no human institution or government can revoke or restrict them.

Without recognizing a transcendent source for these ideals, imperfect human beings and their institutions will inevitably curtail them, citing some greater collective purpose decreed by the almighty state. The American founders clearly understood such flaws in human nature; they countered human claims to ultimate authority with the “sovereignty of God.”

The United States thus became a new type of nation, founded upon an idea, rooted in the Judeo–Christian principles that permeated the culture. That founding idea was the political expression of a deeper understanding of the relationship between God and human beings – that we are created in the image of God, who is the Source of our value and unalienable rights.  The American aspiration to become One Nation under God, and thus be the “land of the free,” was directly linked to the understanding that freedom is the God-given right of all people.

God and the universal principles He created must be at the center of human existence. Recognizing and living by those principles creates true human value and dignity. That is the attainment of true freedom, and the meaning of living under the sovereignty of God. 

The Current State of Conflict and Confusion

Assertive statist regimes such as China and Russia clearly reject this framework and actively challenge it. Despite the end of the Cold War and dissolution of the Soviet Union, both governments uplift the power of the state above all else, with little regard for the rights of their own citizens or even of their neighbors.

Such systems cannot be sustained indefinitely. In the end they undermine their own authority by exercising it with total disregard for their citizens. Nevertheless, they remain a constant threat to peace and freedom, and their advances make it more important than ever for democracies to affirm the source of true freedoms and rights.

“One Nation under God” was meant to be a model on the national level of the world God desires—where people of all religions, nationalities, races, cultures and ethnicities could live together as one. In America today we are witnessing what happens when “under God” is taken out of daily life. Society loses its moral compass, as well as its sense of absolute values rooted intruth, righteousness and goodness. Losing its unifying center, it fragments and devolves into different identity groups fighting each other for power.

The same phenomenon is happening on the global level. Globalization promised to deliver a future of peace and prosperity, but it was focused purely on material values and needs. Understandably, it faced a serious backlash, because it failed to recognize the importance of the moral and spiritual dimension necessary for an ethical and cohesive global society.  As a direct result, religiously framed extremist and reactive nationalist movements have sprung up among groups who fear that globalism will erase their cultural traditions and local identities. That is why the world is fragmenting around us, lacking any overarching, harmonizing vision.

One Family under God: Forging a New Global Identity

Clearly, we need to forge a new global identity that can embrace and harmonize the positive elements of more localized identities. Such an identity must be rooted in the universal principles that all the great spiritual and ethical traditions share.

The world’s great cultural spheres stand upon the foundation of the major faith traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. The elements of truth which they express was a cohesive force that bonded local societies to have civilizational impact.  The time is ripe for a movement that can unite these traditions on universal principles and values and establishes a similar civilizational impact on a global scale; that builds on the American ideal of One Nation under God and expands it to build One Family under God on the world level.

We all share common DNA. Beyond our external differences, we are, essentially, all members of one human family who share the same origin, the Creator God. Our Convention theme is bold. It is visionary. It is challenging. It can be a powerful catalyst for what humanity needs today: A transformative movement aligned with universal principles that renews hearts and minds, inspiring vibrant new and lived experience of how we relate with each other – to our fellow human beings, to the varied cultures of the human family, to the natural world that sustains us, and, ultimately, to the One God who is the source of our being and in whose image we are made.

All of these aspirations are contained in our simple yet profound vision statement “One Family under God.”  The pursuit and achievement of these aspirations can lead to the transformation of nations, guided by transcendent principles and the values grounded in them, and the emergence of a civilization of peace. The vision of One Family under God shows us the pathway to true global unity in diversity and is the basis for future peace and prosperity.

Building Models for National Transformation

Realizing such an auspicious dream is no simple task; it takes concerted action by those who embrace the dream and make the cause their own. Already the work is underway, through the initiatives of Global Peace Foundation and our many partners, developing effective models to transform communities and nations. Those initiatives are engaging moral and innovative leaders and utilizing a multisector, values-based approach with remarkable impacts, demonstrating that the vision of One Family under God can indeed be the catalyst to transform nations.

Here in the Philippines, GPF has long worked with the Department of Education and other stakeholders to infuse character education, youth leadership development, and service learning into the educational experience of Filipino students. Philippines is becoming a global leader in transforming education. Just yesterday here at the Global Peace Convention, key educators announced the launch of Transforming Education 2050, a new global initiative promoting a practical plan for equipping the new generation to become moral and innovative citizens.

On the divided Korean peninsula, tremendous momentum is building for major breakthroughs for peaceful reunification, based on the Korean Dream framework as outlined in my book of that name. The Korean Dream movement that I am guiding is spearheaded by Action for Korea United (AKU), a coalition of civil society activists, organizations, NGOs and associations that represents millions of South Koreans. To date, we have more than a thousand partners united in the largest grassroots movement for unification in the history of South Korea.

Central to our work around the world is engaging youth and building character, and I have always stressed the importance of learning through experience. At our first Global Peace Convention in 2009 held here in Manila, I called for the creation of a Global Peace Corps. And I am very happy to announce that today we are launching that Global Peace Corps to be an important force in transforming nations and addressing global challenges.

The goal for Global Peace Corps is to tap into the idealism of youth and give it the tools to become the moral and innovative leaders who can promote social transformation through service, development, and peacebuilding projects.

As a first major initiative beginning in 2024, I am calling for Global Peace Corps volunteers to support the Korean Dream campaign for building a new Korea that is free, unified and a global model for peace. Imagine if young leaders from throughout Asia and around the world go to Korea and join with Korean youth in this great cause; amazing breakthroughs are possible, with enormous positive impacts for peace and prosperity for the region and entire world.

A unified Korea in which the vision of the Korean Dream is given practical expression will be a new nation of high ideals.  It will be a powerful witness to the fundamental principles expressed in the U.S. Declaration of Independence as well as being deeply rooted in its own historic cultural identity. In short, it will draw on the best lessons from the West while also looking to the ancient wisdom of Asia for new insights in the 21st century.

Conclusion

Today we stand at a crossroads that will impact the future in profound ways. The choices we make today about the principles and values that will direct our lives, societies and nations, will determine whether humanity takes the path toward peace and human flourishing, or to further conflict and chaos.

In particular, the true spiritual leaders among the great faith traditions should take up this charge as a divine commission. I challenge such leaders to come out of their separate religious boxes and work together to make the world of God’s original ideal a reality.

The work of the Global Peace Foundation, motivated by our compelling vision and rooted in universal principles and values, is more needed today than ever before. We have made important strides in our foundational work so far. Now I urge you to redouble your commitment to building a future where the ideals and principles we uphold are put into living practice. The time is short. The need is great. Let us take up our tools and get to work.

Thank you and may God bless you and your families.