Segye Times Covers the Washington Monument Rally

The following is the English translation of an article originally published by Segye Ilbo or The Segye Times, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Washington Monument Rally and commemorative events hosted in Washington, D.C. on the weekend of September 16-18, 2016. To read the article in the original Korean, please click here.

“America Must Go Beyond the Boundaries of Race and Religion and Fulfill Her Responsibility”: FFWPU Commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the “Washington Monument Rally”

Forty years have passed since Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founders of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), delivered a historical address on September 18, 1976 to 300,000 people at the Washington Monument Rally in order to awaken America to fulfill her mission of world unification. In his address entitled “America and God’s Will,” Rev. Moon asserted that America is a model of the unified world and must become the flag bearer of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. This rally, held in commemoration of America’s Bicentennial, had a profound impact that rippled throughout American society.

On September 17, 2016 local time, FFWPU commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Washington Monument Rally with an event held at the same location used 40 years ago to once again spread Rev. and Dr. Moon’s powerful message.

The crowd passionately renewed their determination to practice the teachings of Rev. and Dr. Moon, who had clearly taught the path that America must take 40 years ago. The celebration kicked off with the “Peace Road 2016,” a bike course bridging the five oceans and six continents of the world in the name of peace. The Peace Road 2016 event was followed by opening remarks by Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, FFWPU Continental Chairman in North America; a congratulatory messages; and a video highlighting the 1976 Washington Monument Rally.

FFWPU International President Sun Jin Moon reads the keynote address on behalf of Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon at the Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Washington Monument Rally on September 17, 2016, calling for America to go beyond the boundaries of race, religion, gender, position, and culture.

For the keynote address, FFWPU International President Sun Jin Moon delivered “True Mother’s Address at the 40th Anniversary of the Washington Monument Really” on behalf of Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, receiving enthusiastic applause. Dr. Moon emphasized, “My husband poured his entire heart and soul into the message he delivered 40 years ago to awaken this nation to its true mission and purpose of becoming a leading nation of this world. God called our couple to America for this reason.” She continued, “On this auspicious day, I have an urgent message to convey to this blessed elder nation of America: ‘America, I proclaim and call upon you today to arise once more! You must not fail in your responsibility to serve God’s providence!’”

Dr. Moon urged the audience, “We stand at a very serious point in time in the history of this nation and the world. To overcome this challenge and help realize God’s ideal, I call upon Christian leaders and all religious leaders to awaken and stand firm on behalf of God’s Will. We must join together, going beyond the boundaries of race, ethnicity, gender, status, culture, belief and religion to form one family under God. The world is moving 180 degrees away from God’s Will. God is looking to us at this time. God has not given up on this nation. However, God cannot wait forever.”

Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, FFWPU Continental Chairman in North America (center of the table) and other participants attend a banquet held at the Washington Times Arbor Ballroom on September 16, 2016, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s Washington Monument Rally address given on September 18, 1976.

Prior to this rally, 300 people, including political, economic, cultural, and religious leaders, gathered at the Washington Times Arbor Ballroom on September 16, 2016 for a banquet commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Washington Monument Rally address. At the banquet, Three Blessings Service Awards were presented to representatives of various organizations, including Cynthia Turner, Executive Director of Seraphim Global, for supporting victims of domestic violence and Kazi Mannan, owner of Mayur Kabob House Restaurant, for offering free meals for the homeless.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, emphasized, “True Mother expressed that if we unite as one, repent, and ask for God’s help, we will witness a revolution that will eliminate racism, family breakdown, conflict, and anger in the same way we witnessed the collapse of Communism. If we forgive, love, and unite, we will be able to experience a reborn America.”

On September 17, 2016, 4,000 people, including former congressmen; Tom McDevitt, Chairman of The Washington Times and UPF-USA; religious leaders representing Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and more gathered to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Washington Monument Rally.