One of the most fascinating stories in modern history is the story of Genghis Khan. Previously, much of what people knew about Genghis Khan came from depictions written by his enemies. Luckily, today we have more information about what gave rise to his massive empire and the important leadership lessons it has to offer.

Although there are many, we can key into four lessons from the man, his life, and his empire.

It starts with a vision

His story shows us that you can start small but must know where you want to go. A clear vision of what you want to build allows you to take concrete steps to make something a reality. But, for better or worse, the details of achieving a vision don’t usually emerge full scale, and we need to be willing to test, build, plan, and reassess our plans.

While there is not much written down about what Genghis Khan envisioned in building up his empire, he had the insight that “if one person dreams a dream, it is but a dream, but if a people dream that dream, then it becomes a reality.” In this, we can see that Genghis Khan not only had a dream, but it was so clear that he could then work to transmit it to others. The ability to do so was probably one of the keys to his tremendous success. 

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, in his Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, explains: 

“the vision guiding Genghis Khan was a simple one, yet with profound significance: there should be “One World under One Heaven.” This was the ultimate key to peace, a peace that could become universal in its scope […] The phrase “under One Heaven” was not mere rhetoric but was at the heart of Genghis Khan’s vision.”

These ideas were set out and manifested in governance policies that transformed global relations of the time and, according to Genghis Khan scholar, Jack Weatherford, set the stage for the “making of the modern world.”

Where you are today doesn’t determine where you can go

It’s said that nearly 16 million individuals today can trace a direct lineage back to Genghis Khan himself. One of the most famous men throughout world history, Genghis Khan was once a boy named Temujin who came from essentially next to nothing. The barren, harsh lands of the Asian steppe offered little by way of resources, and the nomadic tribes that wandered those lands were constantly at war with one another. As a result, life was “nasty, brutish and short.” Early on, his clan had once abandoned him, his newly widowed mother, and his siblings to ensure its survival in those harshest of circumstances. 

From such desolate beginnings and through long years of fighting, planning, and strategizing with and between the different Mongolian tribes, Temujin eventually consolidated power and led a united people to build the largest contiguous empire in modern history. This is important because sometimes people have misconceptions about what’s possible and what it takes to get there. Genghis Khan’s powerful vision was able to propel this man from the humblest beginnings to a place in the halls of history.

It’s not just about you

And so, whatever our vision, if we can learn how to communicate with others, inspire others, and work together with them, we can and will impact those around us. The more effective we are in this, the more significant our impact.

One thing that not many people know about Genghis Khan is that, above all, he was a man of faith. His endeavors toward building “One World under One Heaven” was not about self-aggrandizement. Instead, he was known to be a man who spent long periods in meditation, prayer, and self-reflection to try to align with the will of God. Mongolian folklore surrounding Genghis Khan often recounts how he held himself to a high standard and lived his life as a man of noble principles. He was known to be disciplined, loyal, generous, and held to principles, not giving regard to religion, ethnicity, rank, or birth. In fact, even people from enemy tribes or non-Mongols could attain high ranks within his army or counsel. 

Genghis Khan was known to spend days fasting and praying before every campaign. As odd as it might sound for those who only think of Genghis Khan as a bloodthirsty tyrant, he sought God’s counsel and favor in conducting those campaigns. As part of this, he would carefully weigh whether he was justified in his attacks. And whatever criticisms modern people might have of those campaigns and his tactics, how he ruled his empire demonstrates his deep respect for something bigger than himself.

You can never know how big an impact you might have on human history

This respect was reflected in one of the most remarkable features of the Mongolian Empire: the protection of religious freedom throughout its territories. 

Most empires and kingdoms throughout history dealt with the problem of religions and diversity of belief by imposing one religion over all others. This has been the rule for the most part. So it makes sense that the many wars fought throughout human history are associated partly with religion and religious beliefs. 

Genghis Khan ruled over a vast empire that stretched across most of Asia, touching Europe directly and indirectly. He also had a deep faith and practice. Yet, in what might appear to be a paradox, his faith was such that he didn’t seek to institute a State religion. Instead, he granted religious freedom to all and even created tax exemptions for the different houses of worship that thrived under his rule. These policies were remarkable for their time, and some scholars suggest that this “policy resulted in the century of peace called ‘Pax Mongolica.’”

Genghis Khan and his empire demonstrated how this solid foundation built upon a vision of “One World under One Heaven” could be a dream of universal peace for all people. This period of Pax Mongolica opened new pathways for exchange that ultimately led to the linking of the East with the West. This unprecedented exchange between different faiths, cultures, nations, and people and experts from all over the empire led to unique innovations and developments that would not have otherwise been possible. 

Weatherford has even found evidence that suggests that Genghis Khan’s policies may have influenced religious freedom in the early American colonies.

For these and many other reasons, Genghis Khan, the man, and his empire continue to be studied today. In his book, Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon outlines many more lessons and applications toward peaceful Korean reunification. 

To live together in peace and prosperity we must understand that beyond these many differences, we are one family who share the same origin in the Creator God.  The vision of One Family under God can unite us since it shows the pathway to true global unity in diversity, as the American experiment aspires to do on a national level. The alternative is continued conflict and chaos among warring power groups based on identity-based politics, rooted in our differences; and, eventually, forced to live under the tyranny of whatever power group wins out in the end.

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon
Global Peace Convention 2021

 

Today, societies everywhere have been dealing with the aftermath of the direct and indirect impacts of two years of grappling with a global pandemic.

While many have focused on economic and health impacts, the social consequences have also been alarming. According to a survey from Ipsos, of 20,000 people surveyed in 27 countries worldwide, only 21% feel “solid” in their sense of connectedness, social relations, or sense of the “common good.” Individually, this may not mean so much but attitudes of individuals are critical as they often translate into actions and behaviors that make up societal norms.

From a collection of Buddhist saying is a caution on the importance of thoughts and attitudes:

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.

Likewise, the survey on the lack of social cohesion can become a catalyst toward a more positive social trend. During the pandemic, many came to realize the critical importance of social and familial relationships. Dr. Darrell Bricker of Ipsos noted that “Social cohesion is the bedrock for societies and economies to function. No country will evolve in a positive direction if its citizens are all rowing in different directions.” And while governments, organizations, businesses, and individuals may be working diligently to encourage cooperation, the resolution of many of our social issues cannot be bought, sold, packaged, or mandated.

The solutions are likely found in a different approach, one that works to engage people on the local and community levels. In fact, the problems we see today can be addressed in part by the approach taken in communities by the Global Peace Foundation throughout the last decade.

GPF has developed different peacebuilding models that help to, directly and indirectly, create social cohesion between people from different backgrounds. These models have been built in countries as different as Paraguay, Malaysia, Kenya, Nigeria, the United States, Japan, Indonesia, Mongolia, and more. This provides evidence that the approach can be applied in different contexts. Moreover, each specific country model has also garnered unique lessons that can be shared, contributing to the global peacebuilding efforts.

One of the key reasons this approach can be applied to different contexts is that we focus first on a common vision and goals. This can then lead to healthy conversations around universal principles, shared values, and a solid foundation for building agreements between people from diverse backgrounds. While diversity in terms of race, religion, etc., is often considered divisive, a disciplined focus on our commonalities can bring us together into sustained dialogue and cooperation for the greater good.

In this, many of GPF’s natural peacebuilding partners are leaders from different faith traditions in these efforts. This inclusive approach provides a platform where people can engage as one human family – regardless of their specific religion or background.

Today, we can take what is a dismal situation or challenge to make it into an opportunity for development, as individuals and on the level of societies and nations. The good news is that local community engagement based on a shared vision and focused on universal principles can help strengthen families and transform communities towards a positive end. The decision to do so can start today.

We can have these important conversations around principles and values then affect attitudes and behaviors, setting the stage for greater social cohesion and more positive, pro-social behaviors and relationships. These can include healing or resolving issues – big or small; creating and building new relationships with our neighbors – new or old, and reaching out and getting to know our community by engaging with people in ordinary and everyday ways.

This day-to-day kind of peacebuilding work is something we can all engage in, and every person can be a peacebuilder.

We have taken the approach that there is a common vision that motivates and animates all of humanity. That vision is ‘One Family under God.’ […] A common thread exists in all of the faith traditions that articulates and identifies universal principles and values as the guiding compass of our daily lives. In other words, faith traditions of people of faith have more in common than they do differences. [W]e should come together on a common ground to deal with a common issue of our common humanity, and that is to build ‘One Family under God.’

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon
Global Peace Convention 2013
Abuja, Nigeria

Agreements about fundamental principles across faiths can help create healthy families and communities. In addition, through a commitment to working together for a common cause, religions can influence people to live moral and productive lives.

What does this kind of interfaith cooperation look like? We can look at the current peacebuilding model in Nigeria as one example. The Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN) has been working since the launch of its “One Family Under God” Campaign in 2013 to build peace and facilitate cooperation between groups of different tribal and religious backgrounds. This is done through building common ground between other groups based on a shared vision of a world of peace and prosperity as “One Family Under God.”

In this, a critical component has been the direct and indirect participation of the religious leaders of each community. Throughout this ongoing campaign, religious leaders have played a significant role in building trust and strengthening relationships between groups. This is significant because conflicts tend to break out between groups divided along ethnoreligious lines in many locations across Nigeria.

In 2017, a time of immense tension between two different ethnoreligious groups in Southern Kaduna, GPFN facilitated the formation of a Southern Kaduna Peace and Reconciliation Committee comprised of top traditional, religious leaders, women leaders, and youth leaders of the different groups. This was a direct outgroup of intense interventions and mediation sessions between the groups in conflict.

Most significant was the participation of two religious leaders, Sheik Hailru Abdullahi Maraya and Rev. John Joseph Hayab. Despite being of different religious backgrounds, these two figures from different religious and ethnic backgrounds had long modeled the ideal of “One Family Under God” in their respectful and warm relationship. Dubbed the “Kaduna Twins,” their participation grew into leading in the peace efforts. Mediation was a vital component of bringing a peaceful resolution to what had previously been a violent conflict.

By drawing on both Christian and Muslim concepts and language around important universal principles and shared values, the Kaduna Twins could transcend what had often become a barrier to peace in the region. Here, rather than having religious differences as a basis for division, the ideals and principles that each religion had long taught were highlighted in relevant ways that served the cause of peace. This helped open up essential conversations for the communities to move forward and out of open conflict.

Today, the Kaduna Twins continue their important work with local communities in Nigeria. To learn more, go to the Global Peace Foundation website at www.globalpeace.org.

The vision of [One Family under God] can be a catalyst for raising up our spiritual consciousness to an even higher level beyond the individual level to that of family. Thus, it will provide us the ability to perceive more clearly the eternal principles governing human life, along with the resolve to live by them. Living in resonance with these principles is living under the sovereignty of God. It is the foundation for genuine freedom, lasting peace, and prosperity for the entire human family.

– Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon
Global Peace Convention 2021
August 15, 2021

 

Omar N. Bradley once thoughtfully observed that “Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.” 

Today, transportation and communication systems technologies have developed so rapidly that humanity is still – in many ways – catching up to these changes. The 24-hour news cycle, internet, and social media platforms have changed how we view the world. On the one hand, these developments have brought the human family closer together. For instance, these technologies have most recently helped mobilize global support and response in times of crisis in unprecedented ways. Yet, on the other hand, what often goes viral is not necessarily humanity at its best. In this kind of interconnected world, even the most minor interactions have the potential to have national and even global impacts, especially when considering the many longstanding issues that have not been adequately addressed.

To take this situation, which holds both great promise and danger, in a wholly positive direction, we need to be able to connect in ways that allow us to honor and celebrate our differences. In this endeavor for moral clarity, how can the faith and wisdom traditions become – true to their origins in God and the spiritual principles – be something that can inspire peace, service, compassion, and understanding between people regardless of their differences?

It is in first recognizing that we are one human family under God. Whatever words we might use, the idea of the Divine and an absolute transcendent order that should govern human life are essential aspects of all faiths and wisdom traditions.

This understanding would call spiritual and religious leaders to lead their families and communities to serve the larger community – together, side-by-side with those from different backgrounds. In that situation, the faithful can serve beyond the borders of their own religions because of their faith, not despite it. 

Additionally, respectful cooperation between the different religions can have more practical outputs. For example, sharing best educational practices and programs can strengthen families and help raise the next generation of moral, innovative leaders for a bright future of shared prosperity.

In Nigeria and Indonesia, the Global Peace Foundation is cultivating two very different models. Yet, in even these two very different contexts, GPF is demonstrating that any society can undertake this approach towards building peace in the communities when local leaders and stakeholders first acknowledge universal principles and shared values. These inevitably take much time and investment, but the work of creating these peacebuilding models and the opportunity to share the lessons of peace is well worth it.  

By doing so, we come closer together towards a shared dream of peace and mutual prosperity as One Family under God. 

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. – Seneca

We grow through challenges. It is a fundamental principle. If we want to grow in any particular area, we have to be challenged. If we are not, we are not going to grow.

If someone wants to be physically fit, they could work out with weights. What in essence are they doing? They are stressing their muscle fibers. That stress causes the muscles to break down. Eventually, after rest and recovery, the stress and breakdown result in more muscle. The same process applies to someone who wants to be a mathematician. They need continuously challenge themselves to master higher and higher levels of math. It is the same with someone who wants to be the most knowledgeable historian. They need to constantly challenge themselves.

How does this apply to parenting? All parents want their children to be better than them. How can we raise our children to be better than us? We help them overcome whatever challenges they have. Because we are there, we can help mentor them through that process so they are victorious. They can come out on the other end with a victory. Not only do they gain greater confidence in themselves; it also means they are growing on every level.

If we can digest and overcome the challenges of life, those same challenges can make us stronger and better overall. That is why an important tradition and standard for our families is to not make excuses. No matter how difficult something may appear to be, do not make excuses. We have the strength to overcome. Overcome, learn and grow.

You will notice that people who are very accomplished and who have exceeded the standards of most other people tend to be people with a very difficult past.

God teaches us through challenges if only we have the strength to overcome them. God moves in mysterious ways, and it is the challenges that we face that push us more and more towards God.

If we want to be good parents, we need to prepare our children for the challenges they will inevitably face. There will always be challenges in our lives and we should hold the view that we do not grow without them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

The Right Attitude in Times of Challenge

The more we overcome, the more we gain in wisdom, understanding, and building a character that does not give way to panic in times of crisis.

In the US Pacific Northwest, spring is a big deal. From the dark, rainy, sometimes snowy winter, suddenly the sun emerges and everywhere splashes of color burst out in pink, white, yellow, purple, and red.

Driving through the mountain roads, the same roads that just a week ago were too perilous to cross without tire chains, the transformation is evident.  Such a drastic transition from cold and grey, to warm and colorful, makes us pause, and ask: did we use the winter to prepare to welcome spring?

Winter is hard. It challenges us, but how we weather it determines how we greet spring. Planters in the Northwest know that a cold snap is an important step for some seeds to begin gestation.

When we lose sight of the cycle of death and rebirth, and the opportunities for growth and learning that the hard times in life give us, then when the sun hides its face, when things are no longer joyfully colorful, when the warm breeze is replaced by a cold, wet squall, we lose a very important opportunity for reflection, cleansing, and reorientation.

This winter had more snow than usual, and it lasted through April. For many, there are moments where the feeling of being hopeless and empty in the face of the endless wet and cold start to seep in. In those moments of inner challenge, we have the opportunity to readjust our bearings and keep sight of what the experience of winter teaches us and does for us. Snow, for one, shows us a completely different viewpoint on the same landscape. And, there are so many things possible with snow. But also, in the cold, the unnecessary things, mold, critters in the house, are cleared, and we prepare for a new life – if we keep perspective.

It is the same in life. There will inevitably be challenges in life, patches of winter here, and there. But winter gives us an opportunity to check our attitude, connect with God, the source of our inspiration, strength, and wisdom, slough off excess growth and strip down to the essentials, and make room for new possibilities. If we allow it. And sometimes winters last longer than we want it to, but if we realize that maybe there is more to go through, we can take full advantage of the opportunity it presents. Then when the land warms up, and the buds peak their heads out of the thawing ground, and the birds begin to sing again, we can greet spring, without past baggage, transformed by winter, ready to face our next chapter in life.

“The deciding factor at such times is always moral and innovative leadership, on every level.”

The new year has already opened with many challenges.

Kim Jong Un has declared an end to North Korea’s self-imposed moratorium on nuclear missile development and issued a threat to take “actual action” in the near future as U.S.–North Korea relations continue to deteriorate. This, taken with the situation unraveling in the Middle East, makes very real the possibility of a renewed Iran—North Korea nuclear alliance against the United States.

These challenges are a direct result of short-sighted decisions made over the past year, many of which Dr. Moon advised against. Alternatively, Dr. Moon has urged for leadership motivated by long-term vision, guided by time-honored principles and values, and harnesses human ingenuity to generate creative solutions for increasingly complex challenges. Needless to say, as the new decade begins in 2020, we can build on the pivotal milestones, partnerships and lessons learned in 2019, and transform daunting circumstances into opportunities with moral and innovative leadership.

The power of broad-based citizen-led movements inspired by a vision

“Don’t let anyone discount the passion and conviction of young people that are motivated by a dream.”
-Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, March 1 1919 Independence Movement Centennial Commemoration

Great social transformation requires the active engagement of a broad public united in pursuit of a common cause.

Much of the year drew upon lessons from the March 1st 1919 Korean Independence Movement. In celebrating the centenary, we took up the spirit of the movement to inform the way forward on the Korean peninsula and provide inspiration to the world. More than anything, we realized that there is nothing comparable to the power of a people united by a common vision. Just as the Koreans initiated the first peaceful, mass-civil movement for independence of the 20st century 100 years ago, the centennial drew Koreans from across the peninsula and globe to express their commitment to the dream of a unified Korea that brings peace and prosperity, not only to the Koreas, but the region and world.

At the March 1 100 Year Commemoration and the 74th Celebration of Korean Independence in August, we witnessed writers, academics, civil society and religious leaders, politicians, corner shop owners and corporate executives, grandparents and parents, students of all ages, making a solemn commitment to help realize a Korea that can bring benefit to the world. Each owner acts as a light, pushing against the darkness of the times. In a similar way, we have seen peacebuilders taking up the charge around the world in our GPF chapters, countering division and building connections in their communities, villages, cities and nations to cultivate peace.

The role of international support for grass-roots peacebuilding efforts

“The world will stand with us if only we take ownership and leadership.”
-Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon, Action for Korea United Festival 2019

In looking back to the Korean Independence movement, we can see that in many ways, the international community failed to support the Korean-led movement for self-determination in 1919. This only served to prolong colonial rule, ultimately leading to the eventual division in 1945.  Taking that lesson to heart, we worked to build a strong network of support in key nations like Japan, Mongolia, India, and the United States for the grassroots Korean-led efforts to secure a prosperous and free One Korea.

This same model is being applied to our other peacebuilding work. Our Global Peace Conventions have brought together cross-sectors from across the world to address challenging peacebuilding issues in innovative ways. One notable project has resulted in “Peacesharing Hubs,” which builds on the Irish and UK experience of peacemaking and peacebuilding to address conflicts in other regions. This meaningful connection has helped shape successful peacebuilding models in the U.S. and  Nigeria.

Additionally, our community-driven efforts in nations such as Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Philippines, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Paraguay have yielded innovative approaches to the unique local challenges of peace that are supported by a combination of local and international efforts. Among the accomplishments are: tree planting to counter desertification in Mongolia; All-Lights Village initiatives designed to support community-driven development, entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency in rural regions; and an information technology ‘boot camp’ in Kenya, and GPF’s Character and Creativity Initiative, Smart Workforce Readiness, and LeapHub Science and Entrepreneurship Incubators, which have sought to cultivate “future ready” moral and innovative leaders who are equipped with essential character competencies and real-world skills.

Our chapters work synergistically, supported by our growing global network of peacebuilders who forging new connections between people and nations to achieve the aspiration of peace shared by everyone, everywhere.

The importance of an inclusive, shared vision

“Now is the time for far-reaching vision, wise leadership, and bold action.”

-Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, Global Peace Convention 2019  

The road to peace is illuminated by an inclusive, shared vision. In situation of conflict, defining a shared vision enables former foes to reconcile, letting go of past wrongs and envisioning a shared future.

The Korean Declaration of Independence has provided inspiration and insight. Despite years of fierce suppression by the Japanese, the drafters of the declaration cast a vision for a shared vision not driven by enmity. They wrote:

“Our task today is to build up our strength, not to destroy others. We must chart a new course for ourselves in accord with the solemn dictates of conscience, not malign and reject others for reasons of past enmity or momentary passions.”

Despite tense Japanese-Korean relations, rather than becoming victims of circumstance, our commemorations and celebrations sought forgiveness, friendship, and reconciliations. Koreans and supporters rose together to embrace a shared vision. The movement has continued to grow into every city in Korea.

Global Peace Foundation has been applying this vision-focused approach in other areas such as Nigeria, Philippines, and the Americas. It has brought real, measurable and lasting results of community and peacebuilding.

As we open the year 2020 and the new decade ahead, we invite all of you as friends and partners to join in our efforts to build a world of One Family Under God.

The innovative practices of Global Peace Foundation’s All Lights Village project in countries around the world are not only helping to raise rural societies out of poverty, but most importantly, provides education and support for local people to become leaders that uplift their own community. This kind of model is based on the vision that every person is a member of our greater human family and through the power of service, everyone can be a part of a culture that uplifts the innate dignity of all people, whatever their background. The following article from Global Peace Foundation demonstrates the kind of transformation that can take place in communities when people are empowered to become the changemakers for the future of their home.

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In the Philippines, you’ll see hills of rice fields and other farmland with dedicated farmers working on them, providing crops for their families and communities. Even though the country relies heavily on its farmers, according to the Phillippine Statistics Authority, the poverty rate among farmers in 2015 was about 35% due to a lack of funds and support from the government. To make matters worse, the soil became overdosed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides from decades of farmers using them for crops, which not only harms the health of animals and people but also hurts the overall environment.

Global Peace Foundation’s (GPF) ongoing All-Lights Project helped farmers grow vegetables organically to be sold at the organic market every week. GPF joined the committee of the National Empowerment and Development Exchange (NEEDEX) as a partner among a network of organic farming practitioners. While GPF trained the farmers, NEEDEX provided the farmers with the seeds for organic farming and created the organic market the produce was sold, even buying leftover produce. The push for organic farming has been an important aspect of sustaining the natural environmental cycle. Besides creating healthier conditions for the local community, this project is helping farmers provide wealth for their families and stimulate communities.

GPF and NEEDEX spread the message on organic farming to parents and teachers during the Camp Tinio Elementary School’s Parents and Teachers Association General Assembly. The community was taught that organic farming had lasting effects that would improve their quality of life and preserve the environment.

The All-Lights Project volunteers and staff are committed to providing ongoing service in the Philippines, meeting with the Municipal Mayor of Bongabon to provide updates and helping the local council manage the continued development of communities.  Recently, the All-Lights Project has also helped upgrade the water facility, as well as replacing solar panels, resulting in the continued production of clean and safe water.

 

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

Looking back on 2018, important advancements in peacebuilding have been made around the world. With the vision of One Family under God and a growing multi-sectoral network of moral, innovative leaders, Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon worked to advance peace and development in the following key areas in 2018:

1. Korean Reunification
2. Moral and innovative leadership
3. Peace Begins in the Home
4. Community-Driven Peacebuilding
5. Education and Entrepreneurship

2019 is set to be a landmark year as Korea commemorates the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement.

We invite you to be a part of building a world of One Family Under God in 2019.