Sunhak Peace Prizes are Awarded in Korea

The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee held the Inaugural Sunhak Peace Prize Ceremony on August 28, 2015 at the Grand Intercontintental Seoul Parnas Hotel in Gangnam, South Korea. 

The inaugural Sunhak Peace Prize went to two laureates, His Excellency Anote Tong (age 63), President of Kiribati, and Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta (age 76), an Indian fisheries scientist. Each were awarded with a medal from True Mother, the Sunhak Peace Prize founder, and a plaque from Committee Chairman Il Sik Hong.

At the award ceremony, the congratulatory addresses were given by the Hon. Ui Hwa Chung, Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea, and H.E. Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, Vice President of Indonesia. Among the more than 1000 in attendance were many current and former heads of state, as well as parliamentarians, government ministers, religious leaders, academicians, media professionals and representatives of civil society.

Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla

Emcees for the Sunhak Peace Prize were KBS anchor, Young Il Shin, and Arirang TV international announcer, Saemi Jung. For the congratulatory performances, the world famous vocalist Sumi Jo and the Little Angels of Korea offered a series of songs that touched the hearts of all who were gathered.

The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee Chairman Il Sik Hong said, “The present generation needs to let go of their greed and selfishness and transcend race, nation, ideals and religion in order to create a peaceful civilization based on love for humanity.” He shared his aspirations for the Sunhak Peace Prize saying, “Under the motto ‘Making the World Better for Future Generations’ we will go beyond the limits of civilizations that humanity had constructed until the 20^th century, and pursuing the peace of the human community, we will earn our spot as a prize that will open new horizons for peace.”

Sunhak Peace Prize Committee Chairman Il Sik Hong

Hon. Ui Hwa Chung stated in his address that, “along with national, regional, ethnic and religious conflict, there are new global threats, such as climate change, appearing concurrently and threatening the hope for peace. Meanwhile, I believe that the vision of the Sunhak Peace Prize, which aims for a world in which the love for humanity and nature, and the community based on solidarity and communication, has big implications for us all.”

Hon. Ui Hwa Chung, Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea

Laureate President Anote Tong, the President of the Republic of Kiribati located in the South Pacific, one of the world’s most vulnerable countries threatened by climate change, is spreading awareness to the international community of the need to control climate change. Even in the wake of the despair that his own country is being submerged underwater within the next 30 years, His Excellency has taken the lead in protecting marine ecosystems by designating the world’s largest marine park. In addition, he has taken steps to secure the rights of his own people, as climate refugees who must leave their homeland due to climate change.

Anote Tong, President of Kiribati, receives his award by True Mother

Fellow laureate Dr. Modadugu V. Gupta is an Indian fisheries scientist who developed aquaculture technologies as an alternative to the future food crisis, and caused an explosive increase in fish production known now as the “Blue Revolution.” As a researcher, he not only developed these technologies, but also disseminated them to those in extreme poverty throughout Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions, considerably improving their nutritional status and self-sufficiency. In recognition of these achievements, he was awarded with the World Food Prize in 2005, known as “the Nobel Prize for food and agriculture.”

Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta, Indian fisheries scientist, receives his award

Both laureates were on a rather busy schedule while in Korea, as President Tong gave a speech and participated in a discussion at the “2015 Climate Change Forum” at Seoul City Hall on the 27^th (Thursday), and on the 28^th (Friday). Both laureates participated in the Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony, followed by the World Summit 2015 international conference special lecture session where they presented their plenary addresses.

At the award luncheon, Sun Jin Moon, International Vice President of FFWPU and Chair of the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation, gave an address congratulating the laureates and discussing the connection of this year’s prize with True Father’s love for the ocean.

The Sunhak Peace Prize is awarded annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to the peace and well-being of future generations. This award ceremony was scheduled leading up to the third and final international ceremony for True Father’s Seonghwa (ascension) anniversary. To watch this commemorative event live, visit ipeacetv.com.