Centering On God

The third online Rally of Hope, hosted by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) on November 21, joined together an estimated million people from around the world with global leaders who shared new opportunities for peacebuilding across society. The program also honored the 70th anniversary of the Korean War (1950–1953) and its veterans.

Keynote speaker and Mother of Peace Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founder of UPF, took the virtual stage with foreign dignitaries and heads of state who gave messages of peace based on the UPF ideals of interdependence, mutual prosperity, and universal values. 

“Today, all around the world various unexpected and unforeseen challenges and problems are erupting, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Moon. “Various challenges in politics, the economy, and even religious strife are happening… [And] until now, human effort has been made to solve these problems, but we can still see the limitations of human effort alone…”

“To solve our problems requires recognizing that God is our Heavenly Parent, and God should be the center of our lives and our initiatives,” said Dr. Moon.

Dr. Moon emphasized seeking God in all matters of society, including global policy and cooperation, as well as the importance of reunifying the Korean Peninsula. President George Weah of Liberia also spoke of the significance of reuniting Korea.

“My own country, Liberia, and several other nations in the West African region have known the suffering, the destruction, and the devastation caused by war and division,” said President Weah. “That is why we cherish peace and pray that all peoples of the world will be able to live peacefully together and enjoy the promise and prosperity of peace.”

The program featured floral tributes, special remarks, and a performance by the renowned Little Angels Folk Ballet honoring veterans of the Korean War. Honorable Charles Rangel, a Korean War veteran and former U.S. Representative, recalled his experience in the army where U.S. troops were sent to stop the invasion of communists in South Korea.

“This Rally of Hope is so important because so many of you have come together not to talk about war, but to lay down the swords, and to talk about peace,” said Hon. Rangel. 

Former Canadian Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper also spoke of the urgent need for international peace among nations to stem the growth of communism and promote God’s ideal of unity.

“The Korean War is an anniversary we commemorate with mixed emotions,” said Rt. Hon. Harper. “On one hand, the start of war is something we never celebrate, even if those of us who were allies share no blame for the conflict. But the war left the Korean Peninsula divided, with the North locked in a terrible ordeal that endures to this day… But in the South… a magnificent country was built from that time forward.”

“The Republic of Korea is today one of the most peaceful, most prosperous, and most progressive countries on the planet,” said Rt. Hon. Harper. “Few nations have ever built so much from so little in so short a period of time.”

Born in war-torn Korea, Dr. Moon has spent more than six decades spearheading numerous global efforts alongside her late husband Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon to bring peace and unification to the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world. The Rally of Hope program, part of an ongoing monthly series that began in August and is broadcasted in multiple languages from the Cheongshim World Peace Center in South Korea, aims to build a unified world of lasting peace through humanity centering on God.

You can watch the full recording of the third Rally of Hope here.

Comments are welcomed and encouraged on this site, but there are some instances where comments will be edited or deleted. Please see our comments policy here.