Muslims and Christians find Peace through One Family under God Campaign

The post Muslims and Christians find Peace through One Family under God Campaign appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

As part of the Capitol Hill forum on interfaith partnerships for peace, a special session was held to examine the role of Muslim women in peacebuilding.  Women, particularly women of faith are crucial players in securing and sustaining peace. Not only do they make up half of the world’s population, they are central members of the family, and the keystone of society. To that end, women should be supported and acknowledged for what they have and will contribute to society.

Here is the report of the session from www.globalpeace.org.

Dr. Rosa Rai Djalal, President of the Muslim Women’s Association, at a forum on Capitol Hill in Washington.

26-Mar-2013 |WASHINGTON—“Muslim women can and should play a significant role in ensuring peace in their communities and countries around the world,” said Dr. Rosa Rai Djalal, President of the Muslim Women’s Association, at a forum on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 20, 2013. “If women are not involved in the peace process, peace is unlikely to be sustainable. I strongly believe that women, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have unique a perspective that allow them to be catalysts for peace and nation-building.”

The forum, “Engaging Diverse Voices of Faith for the Common Good,” was hosted by the Center for Multifaith Partnerships, an initiative of the Global Peace Foundation.

“Recognition for the role of both Muslim and non-Muslim women in ensuring peace, justice and prosperity around the world has been growing,” Dr. Djalal told the forum. “In many parts of the world, Muslim women already play an important role in defending and promoting peace.”

She cited growing representation of women among recent Nobel laureates, notably 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman chosen for the distinguished award. Championing the rights of women, children, and political prisoners in Iran, Dr. Ebadi has shown throughout her career that Islam, women’s rights and social justice are compatible.

(from top) Yemeni peace activist Tawakkol Karman, Liberian social worker Leymah Gbowee, and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. (Photos Creative Commons)

In 2011, the Nobel Peace Prize was shared by three women, Tawakkol Karman, a 32-year old mother of three from Yemen, for defending and promoting human rights in her country; Liberian social worker Leymah Gbowee, who brought Christian and Muslim women together to form the Women for Liberia Mass Action for Peace, which played a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s 14-year civil war; and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, subsequently elected President of Liberia and Africa’s first ever female head of state.

Empowering Muslim women

Despite women’s capacity to foster peace, Dr. Djalal said, far too many Muslim and non-Muslim women are marginalized from peace-building efforts. “The question that we must address is how we can empower and increase opportunities for more Muslim women to take part in the peace-building process.”

“Much of the marginalization of Muslim women can be traced to a lack of education,” she said. “To the weak, the poor and the voiceless, education is a tremendous liberating force.

“We have consistently seen that when girls and women have the opportunity to empower themselves through education it not only benefits them, but it leads to a multiplier effect that benefits their families as well as their larger communities.

“The role that Muslim women play in fighting radicalism and terrorism is often overlooked, but it shouldn’t be underestimated,” Dr. Djalal added. “Indeed, Muslims believe that heaven is found at the soles of a mother’s feet. Thus, in the family, an educated and loving mother can be the most effective antidote for children who are at risk of [becoming radicalized]. . . . There can be no peace in the world without good loving mothers.”

“Indeed, Muslims believe that heaven is found at the soles of a mother’s feet.” ~Dr. Djalal Dr. Djalal said that universal suffrage and economic opportunity were also essential to empower Muslim women. Universal suffrage “naturally changes the political dynamics, and changes the political significance of women in Islamic societies. This is one of the most important reasons why Muslim-majority countries such as Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan, have elected women as Presidents and Prime Ministers.”

She said microfinance loans have transformed not only women borrowers, but also families and communities. “Entrepreneurship will be a key driver of change in the twenty-first century,” she said, “and it is critical that women–including Muslim women –do not miss this window of opportunity.”

The post Muslim Women in Peacebuilding Addressed at Capitol Hill Forum in the U.S. appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

Six elementary school students and 33 secondary school students passed the National A&E Tests with flying colors.

Six elementary and 33 high school GlobALS learners who passed the national A&E Test received a certification from the Department of Education. Elementary Level students who successfully passed the test are eligible for high school enrollment, while Secondary Level students are eligible to take college entrance exams and enroll in college level courses. They can also apply for work that requires a high school diploma.

Housewives and mothers gained practical job skills to improve the standard of living for their families.

Also present at the commencement exercises were graduates from a week-long Livelihood Workshop that were simultaneously held in all four Community Learning Centers in Metro Manila. Learners were taught practical skills to help better support themselves, their families and their communities. Such skills include basic hotel and restaurant services; handicraft processing; basic  pattern and dress making; food processing and preservation and other economic activities. Many housewives and mothers from Culiat, a Muslim community in Quezon City, looking for ways to support their families and children’s education, made up the graduating class.

The post Christian and Muslim Learners March Together at the 1st Commencement Exercises of GPF Alternative Learning System (GlobALS) appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.

Korea’s leading magazine Shin Dong-A, published a ten page feature of Global Peace Convention Atlanta 2012 in its New Years edition. The second segment of the article highlights the Muslim and Christian dialogue at GPC 2012 pushing for interfaith cooperation for regional peace.

Shin Dong-A, a leading monthly magazine in Korea’s feature on GPC Atlanta 2012 highlighted Muslim and Christian interfaith deliberations.

See the original article in Korean.

Below is the unofficial English translation:

GPC Atlanta 2012 Presents a New Paradigm for Global Peace

By Young Chul Choi ftdog@donga.com

Atlanta, Georgia, United States –

Christianity and Islam join hands.

Global Peace Foundation (GPF) chair, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon said in his keynote address, “America’s true strength lies in its moral authority as a nation rooted in spiritual principles and values which has championed human rights and freedoms at home and abroad.” These principles, he said, are enshrined in the American Declaration of Independence, making America “a nation with the aspiration to become ‘one nation under God.’” He recounted the United States’ contribution to the world over the past century, from “challenging European colonial imperialism,” to “creating international assemblies to foster peace through dialogue and reason,” resulting in The League of Nations after the First World War, and the United Nations after the Second World War. During the Cold War “American leadership, and faith in human rights and fundamental freedoms, paved the way for the eventual collapse of totalitarian, communist regimes around the world.”

“This moment may prove to be a historic crossroads, for the United States, and for the world,” Dr. Moon noted. “The time is ripe for a new spiritual awakening that galvanizes the community of righteous and faithful citizens around universal principles and shared values, not just in the U.S. but throughout the Western hemisphere and the world.”

Dr. Moon expounded on the significance of Atlanta, Georgia as the host city for GPC 2012, “a place rich with history, faith, and more importantly the center of the American Civil Rights Movement.” Atlanta is also where Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife have brought important focus to the work of  Habitat for Humanity.  Atlanta is also home to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Non-Violent Change (The King Center) and The Carter Presidential Center, both co-sponsors and participants of GPC Atlanta 2012.

Dr. Moon considers the civil rights movement to be “not just as a struggle for civil rights but as America’s ‘Great Awakening’ of the 20th century.”

The youngest daughter of Dr. King and King Center CEO, Bernice A. King, said, “I don’t characterize my father as a civil rights leader, I characterize him first and foremost as a spiritual leader, as a man of God, as a moral leader who just happened to impact civil and human rights.” Dr. King’s famous, “I have a dream” speech, alludes to the self-evident truths stipulated in the Declaration of Independence, that “all men were created equal.”

Ms. King opened her address saying, “I earnestly believe that if my father were living today, his heart would be warmed by the work of this great organization around the world. And in fact, I believe without a shadow of a doubt, he would be a part of your group.“ She also called for a New Great Awakening, a “radical revolution of values”, to secure peace.

The complex situation of the Middle East, including the recent military confrontation between Israel and Palestine, the prolonged civil war in Syria that began during the regional movement for democracy, show that military and diplomatic solutions to peace have reached their limit. America has poured billions into military resources for peace in the Middle East and is now facing an economic crisis.

Shin Dong-A acknowledged the contributions Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, director of the Carter Center’s Americas Program, Jennifer McCoy, and Georgia State Senator, Jason Carter, grandson to former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.

Middle East experts and leaders agree, ”Decades of failures to resolve the problems of the Middle East show the limitation of Track-1 diplomacy.” Track-1 diplomacy is a government-centered approach that seeks to resolve disputes through political and economic negotiations and military force. The alternative, Track-2 diplomacy, seeks solutions through non-military means, such as through spiritual and religious approaches. Dr. Moon said, “For peace to be established there must be reconciliation. But reconciliation cannot be forced; it has to occur naturally from the heart. It is logical that alternative approaches to peace-building are becoming more appealing.”

Civil society, particularly religious leaders who are familiar with the spiritual dimension of humanity, are critical parts of effectively implementing this new approach, namely Track-2 diplomacy, for peace and reconciliation in heavily disputed areas. Influential Muslim leaders and Western Christian leaders who convened at GPC Atlanta, all emphasized the need for interfaith cooperation.

 Dr. Said of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic group in Indonesia with 60 million members worldwide, said, “The possibility of reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Western world can be found in moderated Islamic forces that can bring change to extremist Islamic groups that are propagating terrorism.” Rev. Robert A. Schuller commented, “Western Christian leaders should move beyond the limitations of  their Christian world-view and accept their central responsibility – to practice universal values in the public square.” They both concluded that a fundamental spiritual paradigm shift is needed to prevent a clash of civilizations.

The Middle East is divided; tensions are escalating along religious, racial and cultural differences. GPC 2012 has been instrumental in developing solutions. If we can continue such endeavors, we can mitigate and ultimately end all conflicts. Minister of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, Asmat Khalid For a number of years, GPF has worked together with influential Muslim leaders in Indonesia and Malaysia to build consensus around universally shared values. GPF was also a part of launching the Coalition for American Renewal, calling faiths to their common mission to awaken the American spirit and character, and work inter-religiously. Participating at GPC 2012 from Islam, were the prominent Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama and the ministerial delegation from the Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government, and from Christianity, Rev. Robert A. Schuller from the United States, and Bishop Manoel Ferreira of the Assemblies of God, the largest Christian denomination in Brazil. All agreed that the profound and common mission of religions leaders is to secure peace through inter-religious cooperation.

Muslim and Christian leaders agreed that the vision captured in the phrase “One Family under God” and promoted through the interfaith work of GPF and Dr. Moon, is the vision needed resolve religious and regional conflicts. They committed to do their best to accomplish this vision, affirming that “One Family under God” is the common aspiration of all religions that expounds universal values and is the only means through which global peace can be attained.

Minister of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, Asmat Khalid said, “The Middle East is divided; tensions are escalating along religious, racial and cultural differences. GPC 2012 has been instrumental in developing solutions. If we can continue such endeavors, we can mitigate and ultimately end all conflicts. The experience of the Korean Zaitoon unit in Iraq will attest that we Kurds are fundamentally peace loving people.”

Read the 1st segment of Shin Dong-A‘s ten page feature of GPC Atlanta 2012 at: http://www.hyunjinmoon.com/koreas-leading-magazine-shing-donga-covers-global-peace-convention-2012/

Read the 3rd segment of Shin Dong-A‘s ten page feature of GPC Atlanta 2012 at: http://www.hyunjinmoon.com/all-lights-village-movement-most-popular-gpc-2012-shin-dong-a-special-report/

Read the 4th segment of Shin Dong-A‘s ten page feature of GPC Atlanta 2012 at: http://www.hyunjinmoon.com/unification-north-south-korea-key-world-peace-koreas-leading-magazine-shing-dongas-gpc-2012-report-part-3-2/

See also Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon’s speech at the Opening Plenary of the Global Peace Convention 2012 in Atlanta.

The post “Christianity and Islam join hands.” Korea’s leading magazine, Shin Dong-A, GPC 2012 feature – part 2 appeared first on Hyun Jin Preston Moon.