Reflecting back on a tumultuous and unpredictable 2017, there were areas of development and growth that proved to be a “silver-lining” of opportunity amidst crises. With a vision 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 2017:

• Moral and innovative leadership
• Korean Reunification
• Family Peace Association
• Global Peace Economic Models

Guided by universal principles and a vision, Dr. Moon continues this work in synergistic partnership with leaders from around the globe.

Come be a part of building a world of One Family Under God in 2018!

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A new year is just around the corner. With the time-honored tradition of New Year’s resolutions, it’s the season for renewed determination to accomplish higher goals and achieve healthier daily physical, mental, and spiritual habits.

Making individual goals can be easy to make but it’s very tough to keep yourself accountable. It’s always a good idea to have a network and team to help you make it to the top. And what better team than your family: the people who challenge you and love you the most.

This year, you can set goals as a family to help each other stay accountable and create habits that not only make YOU a better person in 2018, but can help your family become a source of support and love that is a catalyst for building peace in your community and world.

Here are five habits you can work on as a family to kick-start a Happy New Year:

1. Eat meals together. Even if you can’t get the family together every evening for a shared meal, try to set at least one or two days each week. Research shows that families who eat together improve their communication skills and strengthen family values.
2. Say thank you often. Expressing gratitude is a simple but essential aspect of building up every family member’s character, confidence and humility, which turns out to not only make you a better person, but also a better leader inside and outside your own family.
3. Expand your notion of family. Do community service together. Service is a natural way to care for those less fortunate, and acknowledge that the community is part of our extended family. It is also a great way to model good citizenship for children and build up self-confidence, creativity and a sense of purpose for the whole family. Researchers say these kind of experiences create fond lifelong memories that contribute to a person’s sense of happiness and fulfillment.
4. Go outside. Nature is the best classroom for us to discover and reflect on our spirituality and learn lessons that can transform our whole outlook on life. Whether your family wants to hike, camp, participate in sports, visit a park or simply go for a walk, there is so much to learn and memories to make in the great outdoors. It’s called “great” for a reason.
5. Dream big. Moving forward into the New Year, talk about what all of you hope to contribute to the world as a family. It’s never too late to set new goals, no matter what time of year, and to start making steps towards the greatest dream of all: One Family under God.

What healthy family habit will your family work on in 2018?

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There is something that lasts months, years, even a lifetime after our annual holiday celebrations: warm memories with family and the people who have shaped our lives.

Even after gift paper sticky with tape has been swept from the floor, eggnog is nowhere to be found in the refrigerator, the smell of gingerbread no longer lingers in the kitchen and toys that once induced squeals of excitement lie broken or forgotten as so often happens, our memories with loved ones endure.

Holiday cheer is in the air and with it, that warm fuzzy feeling that isn’t just from those fluffy slippers and cozy, hot beverages.

In the season of gift giving and great food, it takes a conscious effort to recognize that it is not in the things but rather in the experiences and memories made that brings real happiness.

We enjoy receiving “stuff” from our family and friends, but things ultimately grow old and fall apart. Children lose attention with their once shiny new toys; clothes fall out of fashion and soon, new technology makes your smartphone look like it emerged from the dark ages.

Researchers are finding that it is not “things” that ultimately bring us happiness; happiness is developed in the experiences we have, not in the objects we possess.

Even a child can see that the joy on other peoples’ faces is a memory that will leave an imprint far longer than any gift unwrapping session.

It is in our experiences that we create lifelong memories. It is these memories that we can always look back on for guidance, comfort, or resolve to overcome the challenges ahead of us.

This holiday season, we encourage you to take time to plan a family tradition that involves serving those in your community as part of your greater, extended family. Seek out transformative, meaningful experiences and relationships through seeking to serve the needs of others – weaving rich colors into the tapestry of your life to last well beyond the season. Serving others is a gift that keeps giving.

After all, it is in challenging experiences that many people find their true potential as well as draw together in support, sorrow, joy and laughter. Your experiences in the family, piece by piece, will define who you are: growing your character and developing the social, physical, and emotional skills that serve you throughout your life.

This year, and every year, remember to create memories, not just lists. Share in the experience of serving others with your family and discover a joy that lasts longer than the temporary excitement of unwrapping your own gifts.

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Although many families are opting for the nuclear model to match modern living, the extended family has been the model of choice for millennia, and for good reason.

Grandma and Grandpa’s house is always a bustle of activity. Today, two grandchildren play happily in the living room. Mom has dropped them off to be with Grandma while she goes to teach a class. Tomorrow, another set of grandkids will be at the house for a week during Mommy and Daddy’s oversea trip.

For the grandkids, it’s a treat to be at Grandma and Grandpa’s. They get to hear embarrassing stories from when uncle, aunt and mom were kids, watch vintage movies, and eat Grandma – and Grandpa’s – food. For the older grandkids, Grandma and Grandpa are a set of trusted adults, wise and sometimes easier to talk to about life issues than Mom and Dad.

For Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa are a source of continued support. They serve as a third party during marital disputes, a place to get a warm meal when they are too sick to cook, and, of course, a place where their children can be cared for as well as, if not better than, at home.

For Grandma and Grandpa, the grandkids keep them young. They bounce through the house with the grandkids, smiling at their antics and laughing at their blunt insights. The little ones affirm that life will continue through succeeding generations. The grandkids are a place to invest life’s wisdom. Eventually, their children have offered to take Grandma and Grandpa in to care for them when they become older.

Their family began as a nuclear family – one set of frazzled parents and three children. But as each child became independent, got married, and began a family of their own, for some reason, whether it was the good house prices or their heartstrings pulling at each other, the children stayed close and their extended family took root and grew.

Each generation has brought a new twist to the family. What began with two cultures and nationalities has expanded to four. Along with gender differences, the family has learned to appreciate the nuances of nationality, ethnicity, generation and age. Grandma can dab and say “Arigatou”.

Their family is experiencing all the cycles of life at once: from a pregnant daughter-in-law to a newborn, toddlers and elementary school kids, tweens and almost middle-aged working and stay-at-home parents, and of course Grandma and Grandpa.

The warm, enduring relationships that are wrapped in three, eventually four hopefully five generations, provides  emotional support for every person, and also an active, living classroom to practice important virtues like trust, honesty, responsibility and sacrifice, that become important underpinnings of a well-functioning society. Sharing family responsibilities has both character development benefits as well as economic benefits. And it is the most natural and intentional place to be cared for through one’s life stages.

It may seem crazier with so many people and points of interaction, but if you asked Grandma if she would trade her busy life for a quiet retirement, she would look at you as if you lost your marbles and ask, “Why?”

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“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom.” —Mahatma Gandhi

New research in the workplace is revealing the key role humility plays in developing leaders with the skills, knowledge and grit to tackle today’s challenges with innovative solutions. As it turns out, the solution is not in having all the right answers, but in asking better questions. An attitude of humility advances this process by allowing leaders to look at the big picture instead of their own egos.

Here are 4 characteristics of humble leaders that make them better innovators.

1. Admit Failure but not Defeat

Humility encourages leaders to go out into the unknown. People who treat “failures” as learning experiences instead of the end develop the grit to bounce back and continue pursuing alternate solutions despite the obstacles they face. These leaders have a larger sense of purpose and are undeterred by small setbacks with less fear of being creative. Innovation cannot happen if one holds on only to what is familiar.

2. Don’t Live in a Bubble

It’s easier to look from other people’s perspectives when one is humble enough to put their own egos aside. Developing empathy as a leader is a strong quality in being able to see through to the root of a problem or challenge and therefore come up with creative solutions.

3. Are Good at Not Knowing

Humble leaders are not held back by the social inhibition of wanting to be liked or look “smart” as much as they are concerned with getting better. With a “scientist mindset,” these kinds of people enjoy the process of discovery, not always being right, but genuinely curious how to improve their methods. Innovation requires failure, facing surprises and adjusting to the new circumstances presented.

4. Sees the Bigger Picture

Good leaders are also good team players. Humility plays a key role in allowing leaders to respect their own position and responsibilities, and those of others, as essential pieces of a larger puzzle. With this grander vision, leaders have the capacity to dream big, understanding the power of teamwork, ownership and living for the greater good.

Humility is an attribute we commonly admire in our coworkers, peers and superiors, but how often do we take the time to cultivate this uncommon characteristic in ourselves?

Our world today needs leaders who not only think outside the box, but outside themselves. Our world needs humble leaders.

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“A true leader’s position should not reflect any self-serving personal or political interests but benefit ‘the greater good’ of humanity. The moral aspect of leadership provides a vision rooted in universal aspirations, principles and values, while the innovative aspect of leadership provides the methods through which the vision can be realized. They are like two sides of a coin.” -Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon

Morality and innovation are both essential aspects of the leadership needed today. Like “two sides of a coin,” moral leadership, guided by unchanging principles and a dream, can lead to greater innovation.

The following are four traits that make leaders more innovative because of a high ethical standard:

1. Mindfully Humble

In order to grow, a leader must be humble in his or her mindset. Although it is sometimes a painful process, honesty and humility can also be incredibly liberating, offering one space to self-reflect and find new perspectives in difficult situations. A mindful, growth-oriented person should take time out to reflect to determine what steps need to be taken to develop the attitude and strategies that ultimately lead to true success.

As we grow into adults, it can become easy to be held back by our ego and fear of failure or concerns about being liked. However, humble leaders are able to put their egos aside to open their mind to new possibilities and embrace mindful curiosity, an essential aspect in our capacity to innovate.

2. Comfortable with Risk

Leadership requires risk. A moral leader embodies the qualities of courage and foresight, identifying and mitigating risks while meeting challenges wherever they are found. The mindset and confidence of the kind of leader that can address uncertainty can only be gained through constant, continuous effort.

Not all innovative ideas are successful and risks should not be taken lightly but with optimism and motivation to serve the greater good, moral, innovative leaders can overcome any obstacle or challenge along the way.

3. Leads by Example

Moral leaders make for inspiring and positive role models in that the most powerful directions they give are the ones that are left unspoken. Leading by example, a leader does not ask people to be or do anything they have not already accomplished or are willing to accomplish or be themselves.

Innovative requires inspiration; to bring out the creative genius in others, truly inspirational leaders set and meet the highest standards for themselves, challenging others to do the same.

4. Lives for Others

Any person in a leadership position is not there for his or her own sake, but for the sake of the people around they lead. A selfless leader lives by universal principles, recognizing the equal and inalienable rights given to each person by the same Creator. As stated by James Wilson, signer of the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court Justice, “Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine.”

A leader who lives for the sake of others can cultivate empathy, compassion and an expansive worldview. This enables him or her to understand and communicate alternative perspectives, thereby creating pathways for innovation and development in the local community.

There are many other traits of moral and innovative leaders. What do you see as an essential trait of moral and innovative leaders?

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Nature is one of humankind’s greatest classrooms. In nature, we are tested physically and mentally. We learn who we really are as leaders and spiritual beings, and how we are connected and responsible for each other as part of one human family.

We face our true selves in an environment that has no regard for race, religion, wealth and position in society, and treats us exactly how we are. This is what makes nature a prime space to reflect, learn and grow.

Here are four lessons on leadership from nature:

1. Challenge is good

The gnarled branches of a Bristlecone Pine reach out in the Sierra Desert

The Bristlecone Pine is the oldest known organism on Earth, living for over 5,000 years in extremely harsh conditions year-round in the Rockies and Sierra. What is the lesson?

As human beings, we face our fair share of struggles in the natural world, however, as former United States first lady Abigail Adams stated, “It is not in the still calm of life that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties.”

Facing challenge with a negative mindset can easily set you up for failure and pain, not only physically, but especially mentally. However, when we approach challenge positively focusing on our goals, we become resilient, capable of withstanding tough situations and coming out the other side stronger in body and mind.

Challenge helps you discover who you really are and where you are at as a leader. We learn what we are capable of, what is most valuable to us, and where we want to end up and how to get there.

2. Innovation

Engraving of Martin Luther King Jr. at his memorial in Washington DC

Nature is wild; life is not always predictable. We can’t always foresee the circumstances that will affect our life everyday, but we can control the way we respond. Civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expressed the importance of facing challenge with the flexibility of creative solutions when he said, “Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.” With a positive attitude and our creative and unique qualities as individuals and members of a bigger family, we have the capacity to pull together people and resources to forge new solutions to the challenges presented to us.

In nature, there is a continuous cycle full of transitions that allow balance and harmony. As a leader, it is essential to recognize how to move forward, transitioning from one stage to the next for the benefit of the whole.

3. Leadership is living for the sake of others

Everything in nature contributes to the life of others, even in death. As one organism passes away, it leaves behind nutrition and sustenance for another. Wildfires help to release nutrients in the soil and improve nutrient cycling. Animals and plants together recycle oxygen and carbon dioxide to breathe.

As stated by an Indian poet, “Nothing in nature lives for itself. Rivers don’t drink their own water. Trees don’t eat their own fruit. Sun doesn’t give heat for itself. Flowers don’t spread fragrance for themselves. Living for others is the Rule of Nature.”

Leadership is about living for the greater good, and gaining vitality in doing so. True Leadership considers not the survival of oneself, but ensuring the survival, happiness and quality of life for generations to come.

4. Have a clear vision

Whether you are in the wilderness alone or in a group, having a clear long-term vision is not only important for the proper frame of mind that enables you to glean the knowledge around you, but it is also essential to your survival.

A well-prepared mountain climber nears the summit of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps

Leaders need to convey the greater vision to others consistently and through their own actions as a role model. Without a clear vision, we risk making unnecessary mistakes, missing valuable opportunities to learn (even from our failures), wasting valuable time,  and losing our capacity to take on perspectives that could save lives now and in the future.

In addition to preparing the knowledge and supplies to face the possible dangers of the harsh environment of the great outdoors, experienced mountaineers outline a clear vision and goal that gives them mental toughness to tackle challenges along the journey.

For a seasoned mountain climber, vision does not just involve summiting a peak or reaching a specific destination. The summit is merely a marker along a grander journey that may include multiple mountain ranges, and countless experiences, including some failures, all of which become lessons for the seasoned outdoorsman that carry over to the next great adventure. Every experience is a lesson contributing towards a bigger vision.

As the Dalai Lama once said, “In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.”

While these are four critical lessons, the most important takeaway from our experience with nature is our ability to nurture an attitude of positivity and resilience in becoming leaders with both moral and innovative capacities to contribute to a better world.

So get out there. Nature is waiting.

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Memorial Day is commemorated on the last Monday of May in the United States, honoring the sacrifice of the men and women of the armed forces. This year, the United States Military Academy will see its class of 2017 graduate on Memorial Day weekend. As the class moves from training into active duty, they acknowledge the legacy that they are carrying on for the higher purpose and calling that has shaped the United States and its role in the world.

The United States Military Academy Class of 2017 crest and motto, “So Others May Dream.”

It is tradition for every class of the United States Military Academy to commission a crest and motto. These symbols are an expression of the entire class’s pledge to carry on the legacy of the academy. This year, the 2017 class crest and motto goes further to recognize the class’s commitment to carry out their duty, not only for their country, but for the world.

The eagle in their crest is positioned to embrace the world with seven wing tips representing the seven continents of the world and their motto emblazoned on the top, “So others may dream.” Behind the eagle are six stars and seven stripes, acknowledging the link between the current class and the class of 1967, their predecessors from 50 years past.

The 2017 crest and motto reflect the founding values of the United States, to open the way for the world to dream, not just small dreams of economic prosperity, or even democratic freedom, but a dream that speaks to the very essence of humanity, expressed in the Declaration of Independence, to live a life that honors the “inalienable rights” of every person and the source by which it was endowed, the “Creator.”

Memorial Day in the United States is commemorated on the last Monday of May.

This dream has motivated the United States in many pivotal moments in its history. During World War II the United States sent men and women to both the European and Pacific arenas, not only to protect the freedoms of its citizens, but open the way for multiple nations and people to become independent, self-governing and prosperous. During the Korean War, the United States joined the United Nations forces, sending young men and women to serve on shores unknown to preserve the chance for people they never met to dream freely.  One can even say that this founding dream prompted the United States to pursue the establishment of the United Nations and subsequent movements like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The graduating class of 2017 will leave with gold rings emblazoned with their class crest and motto. Their rings contain the gold of rings from classes as early as 1914, tangibly signifying the connection between the generations of men and women in the United States armed forces who have sacrificed and worked towards giving substance to the founding dream of the nation that has undergirded its success and defined its leadership in the past and into the future.

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1. Serve others

Take the time to serve others. There isn’t much in the world that can compare to the warmth that consumes a mother’s heart when her children treat each other and their neighbors with kindness. No matter how smart or good-looking her child is, a mother’s greatest pride is in raising that child to become a person of integrity, who does not compromise their values but at the same time displays compassion towards others as fellow human beings.

2. Get it done before she asks

Take initiative! Any mother can attest to the challenge of having to repeatedly ask their children to complete tasks, whether it includes chores, errands, schoolwork or creating good habits like keeping your space clean, no matter what age you are. Instead of waiting around to be told what to do, take a look around for tasks that need to get done and beat her to it.

3. Dream big

Mothers offer the unconditional love and encouragement that help children grow up with the confidence to achieve great things.

We can give back to our mothers for their unfailing faith in our potential by actually fulfilling that potential. Based on the goal to live for the greater good, think of ways you can use your talents and passion to aim high.

Children are the legacy of their parents, continuing long after they are gone. The greatest gift a child can give their parents is a life lived embodying the highest values and noblest qualities of humanity, making each generation better than the last.

So this Mother’s Day, before you deliver your flowers, take a moment to reflect on the positive ways she’s shaped your life.

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“When we practice a lifestyle of service, truly living for others, we exemplify the highest ideals of human character.” –Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon

The 2017 Global Peace Convention (GPC) in the Philippines will highlight the culture of service, promoting social entrepreneurship and community-driven initiatives as essential tools to address global challenges, including education, poverty and quality of life.

A peaceful world begins with a new culture of peace. However, fostering a culture of peace is only possible through cultivating individual character and raising citizens and leaders who are driven by moral principles and values.

The act of serving others can be as simple as a few hours of manual labor from a volunteer. Through service, the most powerful changes happen when individuals have a vision and sense of responsibility to become an owner of the solution rather than merely a participant in the process. One of the most natural ways this mindset can come about is through the vision of One Family under God.

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon welcomes leaders to the 2014 GPC in Paraguay.

When we are able to look at other members of our community and society as members of the same human family, we are naturally inclined to serve others. This kind of attitude provokes us to not just serve for one day, but provide long-lasting solutions to the challenges facing our brothers, sisters, children, parents and all other members of people we consider family. So, by expanding our definition of family, we are able to create a global culture rooted in a renewed identity. In this context, service tests human creativity in collaborative efforts to solve challenges, allowing people who share service experiences to develop innovation and practical skills.

The components of the Youth Leadership and Service track at the Convention will present how this perspective is implemented in practical ways.

The Global Service Forum will contribute to foster youth volunteering partnership actions in specific issue cluster areas including: health and environmental service, disaster response, interfaith and youth peace building, youth entrepreneurship and  education. These topics are workshopped in a variety of sessions, including “Disaster Response and Risk Reduction and Youth Capacity Building,” which will explore case studies from the Philippines and Rise Nepal where young people served as first responders in their communities, innovatively coordinating their efforts using social media. The working session on Public Private Partnership in Community Development will explore how innovative partnerships can overcome financial and other resource limitations to provide solutions for unmet needs in local communities. Another session on Engaging Corporate Social Responsibility, will feature notable corporate leaders like Arlita Narag, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Philippines, will explore how government and non-government organizations, small and medium enterprises, and multinational corporations can develop closer ties with the community and promote a broader culture of social responsibility.

The model of collaboration amongst partners of GPC is apparent in the international network of organizations present at the Convention, showing just how much can be accomplished with a common vision and willingness to work together.

Follow live updates during the Convention on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #GlobalPeace.

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