Peace Road Riders Reach Finish Line in Korea
On August 28, 2015, the epic Peace Road journey reached its finale in Seoul. In celebration of True Father’s life and legacy, this international trek spanned the three months leading up to the third anniversary of True Father’s ascension. From as far as the South African Cape of Good Hope to Santiago in Chile, thousands of supporters around the world walked, biked and drove along the proposed course of the Peace Highway, a vision long held by True Father. Participants also rode to show support for the unification of Korea and lasting global peace.
At the final ride in Seoul, participants including the recent graduates of the Global Top Gun Workshop gathered near the famous golden statue of King Sejong, who developed the Korean alphabet. There, banners were lined up with photo displays of Peace Road activities in 120 countries. Riders received flags from various countries to clip onto their bikes, representing the global significance of the Peace Road. Top Gun participants offered a musical performance by singing “Tongil” (or “Unity” in Korean), and various Unificationist national leaders shared messages testifying to the success of the Peace Road events in each of their regions.
After a bike ride through Seoul, riders and onlookers gathered at the Korean congress and attended a concluding Peace Road event called, “International Symposium for Advancing World Peace and Korea’s Unification”. During the welcoming ceremony, many VIP and foreign dignitaries came in support. Flags of different nations were lined up on stage, and along with other musical performances, Top Gun participants sang “Tongil” once more. There was a video presentation highlighting all the countries who participated in Peace Road, after which Peace Road riders from around the globe were welcomed on stage with loud and cheerful applause.
After the welcoming ceremony, representatives from each region shared presentations on Peace Road events, informing everyone on the locations where Peace Road rides took place, how many participants were involved and how many kilometers were traveled. They emphasized that the idea of the International Peace Highway is more than just a dream. Peace Road events will continue annually, spreading awareness of this vision which was first raised at a 1981 interdisciplinary conference of Korean, Japanese and American scientists in Seoul and later expanded to include a proposed tunnel crossing of the Bering Strait. Exemplifying True Father’s conviction that humanity is really one family under God, the Peace Road journey is one of the many events this month seeking to carry on a piece of True Father’s legacy.