The Peace Road New York Metropolitan Area Tour, a segment of the Peace Road 2019 World Tour, hit the streets on August 10. The project was organized by Universal Peace Federation (UPF), American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) and Family Federation for a Heavenly USA.

Peace Road is a global peace project in which all participants walk or run for a single goal, world peace. The project was proposed at the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences on November 10, 1981, in Seoul, South Korea, by Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, who both advocated for the International Peace Highway Project. Through this project, the world can be connected as one, and the walls between races, cultures, religions, and nations can be broken down for the world to become one peaceful community. 

“We practice the vision for one human family by uniting and transcending nations and race centered on love,” said Maria L. Vargas, Regional Executive Director of UPF USA Northeast. “It is our hope that Peace Road will open a beautiful era of peace for future generations. “

The Peace Road New York Metro Area Tour included three parts: a Peace Road Bike Tour in Central Park, a Peace Walk at the United Nations, and the One World Peace Festival, which rounded out the day.

The Peace Road Bike Tour, coordinated by Rev. EJ Rapada of UPF USA, circled a designated route around Central Park. Families and children participated in the Bike Tour, riding for the goal of world peace.

ACLC President Dr. Luonne Rouse began the Peace Walk with an invocation and a World Scripture reading on world peace. Rev. Edner Pierre-Louis, District 12 Pastor, inspired the group with his introductory remarks. Mrs. Vargas gave a “Blessing of Nations” prayer right before the Peace Walk officially took off.

Peace Walkers made their way from the United Nations building to the Peace Learning Center, where they joined the One World Peace Festival. Along the way, they stopped at significant statues and historical landmarks.

Participants from the Peace Walk and other guests joined together for the One World Peace Festival, the final segment of the Peace Road, to celebrate “one world family.”

The festival was emceed by Dr. Rouse, an invocation was given by Ambassador for Peace Raquel Reeves, and Rev. Pierre-Louis and Ambassador for Peace Rosa Carmino Blanco greeted the group. Mrs. Vargas gave a concise presentation on a “Culture of Peace.” She said, “In order to establish world peace we need to establish a culture of peace and a culture of heart. The culture of heart is learned in the family. The family is the cornerstone for world peace. If there is peace in the family there will be peace in the world.”

The festival concluded with a reading by the youth on “Prayers for World Peace” from four faith traditions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, and plenty of cultural dances and musical performances centering on peace.