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Promo and Post Event Video of Philippines' Global Peace Festival 2007 December 12 2007

Determined Man
A Portrait of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

GPF Manila Opens with Massive Coastal Cleanup

Mainila students pose with World CARP Senior Vice President, Mr. Aya Goto.
Manila, Philippines - On the early morning of December 9 at 6:00 AM, around 10,000 volunteers from thirty-nine schools and universities in Metro Manila, and over 100 community groups flocked to join in the first Balikatang Kabataan para sa Kaunlaran ng Bayan Coastal Cleaning Project, a massive coastal cleanup of the Manila Bay to kick-off the Global Peace Festival 2007 celebration.
The World Collegiate Association for the Research of the Principles (W-CARP) in the Philippines together with the Philippine Society of National Service Training Program Educators and Implementers, Inc. (PSNEI), initiated the project on the theme, "Building Peaceful Communities through Spreading the Culture of Service," with full support from the City of Manila and the Hon. Mayor Alfredo S. Lim. Also of note were the international delegates from around the globe representing different sectors of society who joined the cleanup brigade. More...

2007 Annual Educators Conference “Expanding Educational Horizons”

Oct 5-7, 2007 in Barrytown (NY) it will be conducted the annual Educators Conference for all Sunday School teachers, youth ministers, educators, young adult/campus ministers, family and marriage program directors. It will be an effective tool for your Clergy Ambassadors for Peace and their education/ministry staffs. In this program will be included some new and dynamic breakout sessions planned to gain new insights and skills for educational work in their community.
This year as the keynote speaker will be Dr. Thomas Lickona, an internationally known character educator. Dr. Lickona directs the Center for the Fourth and Fifth Rs (Respect and Responsibility), and is well-known for his pioneering work in character education and the moral development of young people in the home, school and across the lifespan.
The conference is proved to combine new faces, new ideas, new networks together with old friends, affirming skills, and strengthening their networks. More...

A Providential View of the Pacific Rim Era in Light of God's Will: The United States and the Future Direction of the United Nations and the World

Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, Founder, Universal Peace Federation,
New York, United States, September 23, 2007
Respected Ambassadors for Peace from around the world, leaders from throughout the United States, distinguished guests from Japan and Korea who have come from afar to honor this occasion with your presence, ladies and gentlemen! Together with my wife Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and my family, I extend my heartfelt welcome to you all.
Ladies and gentlemen, my heart is intense and filled with emotion as I stand before you today. It is not because of the Misoo celebrations being held around the world to commemorate my eighty-eighth birthday. Neither is it because, owing to the fact that I am as healthy as a young man, I am filled with the hope of living beyond my hundredth birthday!
The reason I am so serious is at the beginning of this year, 2007 (the seventh year of Cheon Il Guk), I declared a jubilee year in God's providence, a jubilee year the likes of which God and humankind have never experienced in all the thousands of years of history. Heaven has greatly blessed this holy year. More...

Martin Luther King III Addresses Universal Peace Federation Assembly 2007

UPF-International, New York, United States, September 23, 2007
Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., today appealed to more 400 leaders of the Universal Peace Federation gathered in New York City to make a new commitment to fulfilling the humanitarian promises of the United Nations, especially the Millennium Development Goals. The UPF, founded by Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon in 2005, is an international network of individuals and organizations dedicated to peace.
"History will judge our generation," King said, recalling the words of his father, "not by whether we did what was popular or safe, but whether we did what is right." King said that the tools of faith and non-violent action, so successful in his father's civil rights campaign, could also prove effective in reaching the UN Millennium Development Goals, which are aimed at solving the urgent problems facing the world's children, including hunger, disease and the need for education for all.
"As my father often said, the question is not whether we have the technology or the ability, but whether we have the will and the heart," King said. "I believe we can do most anything with faith. More...

Global Peace Festival in Germany

Christopher Davies, UPF-The Netherlands, Frankfurt, Germany
September 18, 2007
A Global Peace Festival was held in Offenbach City Hall, near Frankfurt, Germany, on September 7. Participants included some 1,000 activists from the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic and Norway as well as the host nation.
The festival was part of a series being held in Europe, starting in France on September 6 and including Germany, Albania, the United Kingdom and Spain. They are in main a celebration of the efforts being made to support the accomplishment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The German Festival was preceded by an eight-day peace walk made by two groups, one from the north, Herdorf, the other from the south, near Heidelberg, ending in Bad Camberg, where UPF-Germany has a center. They slept mainly in youth hostels, covering about 20 km a day, meeting mayors and the media, and visiting the religious centers of a number of faiths. There were 80 participants, representing the eight Millennium Development Goals. The Cologne Buddhism Centre was centrally involved. Ashin Sopaka, a monk from Burma and experienced peace marcher, said he particularly appreciated the chance to meet and talk with fellow walkers on the way. The two groups covered 330 km between them, on the E1, a European walking trail that goes from Galway, Ireland, to Genoa, Italy. More...

Governor of Chennai Attends UPF Program

Dr. Robert Kittel, Secretary General, UPF South Asia, Chennai, India
September 17, 2007
UPF-India organized a program in Chennai on August 10, 2007 on the theme: "Innovative Approaches to Peace in a Changing Global Environment." The special focus was on youth and human security.
We were honored to have as our Chief Guest the Governor of Tamil Nadu, H.E. Thiru Surjit Singh Barnala. The Keynote Address was given by Prof. D. Viswanathan, Vice-Chancellor, Anna University.
We are grateful for their support shown by their willingness to take their valuable time to help make this program successful. More...

God's Ideal Family and the Kingdom of the Peaceful, Ideal World

Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, Founder Universal Peace Federation,
New York, United States, September 12, 2007
Distinguished world leaders, Ambassadors for Peace and blessed family members who have come from all parts of the world in the hope of bringing about the realization of world peace and building the ideal hometown in heaven and on earth:
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for coming together in the midst of your busy schedules to take part in the events marking the second anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Peace Federation.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we begin the twenty-first century, we find ourselves at a truly historic turning point. We are at a point of decision. Can everlasting world peace take root, or are we doomed to repeat the twentieth century's dark and oppressive history of war and conflict? More...

Ambassadors in Japan and Japanese Diplomats for Global Peace

Shigenari Kato, Director of Public Relations, UPF-Japan, Tokyo, Japan
September 6, 2007
UPF-Japan organized the "Peace Diplomats Forum" on September 6th in Tokyo. 50 diplomats participated, including Ambassadors in Japan, former Japanese Ambassadors and Parliament members.
"Peace Diplomats Forum will offer a good opportunity for you to share needs and vision of your country, as well as to exchange information with diplomats and leaders of Japan," Mr. Katsumi Ohtsuka, Chairperson of UPF-Japan explained about the Forum to the participants in his Welcoming Remark.
An experienced former Japanese Ambassador gave the speech relating to the "Peace Building" raised the interest to the participants. The speaker explained the "preventive diplomacy," and from that perspective he mentioned that activities of UPF are very relevant to bring about world of lasting peace. More...

Service from the Heart in St. Lucia and St. Vincent

Sally Sayre, Castries, St. Lucia, August 31, 2007
Natoria, a slender and pretty, somewhat quiet girl of thirteen years, was nearly always waiting at the school almost an hour before it was time for the first session of our day camp to begin. She sat at a picnic table under the colorful mural at Vide Bouteille School. We had come by bus to set up the sound system and a projector, and to prepare our last day of camp. The rest of the camp staff would arrive by car.
Without anyone asking her, Natoria set about doing a thorough cleaning of the desk at the front of the room. Then she began wiping down every chair in the room. Natoria's desire to serve the camp in this way confirmed to us that our week of character education summer day camp had made an impression on at least one student. More...

“Youth Change the World” Peace Camp 2007

IEF Moldova, August 28, 2007
The International Association for Education from the Republic of Moldova together with the Philanthropic Association IRFF-ONLUS, organised the “Youth Change the World” Peace Camp during the 2nd to the 7th of August.
The Topic of this summer camp was: “Youth Impact on Culture of Peace and Media” with 20 participants and 7 staff volunteers.
The goal of the Peace Camp was to train students to become potential Youth Peace Ambassadors. The programme of the camp included various activities, morning meditations, workshops, discussions, games, hiking, team-building exercises, self-defence trainings, service project, excursion on boats, and site-seeing.
The topics of the workshops included in the camp programme were:
1. Universal Principles of Peace and Love. 2 presentations.
2. Love, Life and Family for Youth.
3. Culture of True Love and Friendship for Youth.
4. Radio and TV social advertisement as tools for promoting the Culture of Peace. More...

"Discover True Friendship" Service Tour in Bangladesh

Tetsuya Amano, Director General of IRFF-Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 23, 2007
IRFF "Discover True Friendship Service Tour: Asia Edition 2007" was held in Bangladesh July 10 - 25, 2007. The mission of the service tour was to construct the Jaigeer Peace Center, which will be used for classroom and community development programs run by IRFF, to make a brick road from the main road to the school, and to dig a tube well at the school site. Another important aim is to discover true friendship through service activity beyond the barriers of nationality, culture and religion. Most of construction costs were donated by IRFF-International. The IRFF-Bangladesh primary school is located at Jaigeer village, about 30 km from the capital city of Dhaka.
IRFF-Bangladesh is an international NGO recognized by the Bangladesh government. IRFF-Bangladesh has been maintaining two primary schools in remote villages for more than 15 years,
and currently about 500 village children are learning in these schools. Health and community development projects have been added to supplement the schools. More...

"Owning the Culture of Heart, Peace and Service" in Zambia

Mr. Mikio Yoshida, Lusaka, Zambia, August 22, 2007
t was a great privilege to be able to spend two weeks in Zambia organizing activities with the local International Relief and Friendship Foundation (IRFF) directors from July 17 to August 1, 2007. We used a holistic approach that combined successful elements of each project effectively. As the special projects coordinator, I visited both Lusaka, the capital, and Ndola, the second largest city in Zambia, in order to connect two projects by bringing the Mackenzie Little Angels from Ndola to join in the larger project and celebration.
In Lusaka, our work involved building a new classroom at the Vision of Hope orphanage, the microfinance program for women of the John Laing community, and the Hibiki Music Ministry. More...

Training Micronesia Teachers in Character Education

Michael Treacy, Director, UPF-Micronesia, Pohnpei, Micronesia
July 27, 2007
In the tropical island of Pohnpei, renowned for its traditional culture, surrounding reefs and mangrove forests, there is a keen interest in the Universal Peace Federation's (UPF) Character Education Program.
The Department of Education along with the Traditional Leaders of Pohnpei requested a three-day Teacher Training Workshop July 4-6, 2007 for 80 teachers from four selected schools in the local area: the main high school, called Pohnpei Islands Central School (PICS), and three elementary schools in Nett, Ohmine and Kolonia. Dr. Alan Saunders and Mrs. Poppy Richie were sent from UPF's Office of Character Education in the U.S. along with Collegiate Association for Research of Principle intern Mr. Morrow Willis, who is studying at the University of Southern California, and Miss Eika Davis, who is a student at the High School of the Pacific (HSP) in Hawaii. Two other HSP students from Pohnpei, Mr. Erick Paul and Miss Frannie Baker, supported the workshop along with Michael and Beth Treacy and their children: Daniel, Nathan, Sarah and Lauren. More...

Peace Cup 2007!

International soccer event Peace Cup has definitely satisfied the audience with super stars playing on the ground showing excellent plays. The 2007 Peace Cup ended with French Club Champion Olympique Lyonnais winnig the Cup. But there were some disappointment left with relatively neglected treatment of the media due to Asian Cup. However the Peace Cup left valuable meanings and remains.
This year of the Peace Cup was the forth time of the even, starting with first Peace Cup in 2003, second in 2005, and Peace Queen Cup in 2006. This year Peace Cup meant something because it has been officially certified as international soccer event from FIFA. Chief of Peace Cup Organization Committee, Yoo, Kyung Eui said "FIFA officialy certifying the Peace Cup means, it is now acknowledged to the world." More...

New Paradigms and Projects for Peace

Hiroshi Yamazaki, UPI Correspondent, Seoul, Korea, July 24, 2007
Seven years into the new millennium, which many people hoped would be an era of peace, that dream is still a far cry from reality. Yet some groups are still relentlessly pursuing new and innovative paradigms for peace.
This was the theme of a unique international conference hosted by the Universal Peace Federation in Seoul, South Korea from July 17-20, with more than 300 participants including 20 senior diplomats as well as religious, academic and media leaders.
Most of the participants were from the United States, Britain and France -- the former Allied powers of World War II. According to the organizer, the New York-based Universal Peace Federation, a similar conference will be held next month with participants from the former Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan. This unusual grouping infers that current obstacles to world peace stem from certain limitations and contradictions inherent in the post-war regime. More...

IEF Moldova Monthly report, May - June 2007

The months of May and June. We were preparing for the summer programs. We will held YCW seminars in different regions were YCW clubs are more active with goal to strengthen them, educate new lecturers and create an impact in the region promoting the message of Purity of Love, Community Service and Culture of Peace. As part of the program IEF volunteers team will make presentations in summer camps near by those villages...
Two teachers from Moldova attended Model Schools Conference held in Sankt Peterburg from 26’th till 29’th of June. School Nr 15, from Balti, was approved as Model School. We planning to have in August and September two Round Tables for discussions for Teachers from other potential Model Schools. More...

IEF Moldova Monthly report, April 2007

The months of April were focused on preparing staff and lecturers for our summer programs. IEF team working on grants seeking and projects proposal writing.
During this month 7 volunteers gave 39 individual presentations to their friends and class mates. All together 108 students listened lecture about Pure Love and True Friendship, and gave Pure Love Pledge.
On the 1’st of April 33 volunteers joint outdoor challenge march and education program. We traveled by train and then walked 10 km all together trough genuine forest toward a Historic Place of Moldova, Capriana Monastery, this was one week before the Easter, and was an occasion for reflections and new spiritual beginning.(Photo.1-4). All of them participated in teambuilding games an listened lecture about Pure Love and True Friendship. More...

St. Petersburg Hosts Seminar on "Strengthening the Family"

UPF-Eurasia, St. Petersburg, July 20, 2007
The UPF chapter of St. Petersburg, Russia, held its second regional meeting in the form of a seminar on "Strengthening the Family as the Foundation for a Stable Society."
Despite the warm summer weather drawing people to their summer homes, known as dachas, the seminar was attended by 25 participants, both Ambassadors for Peace and new contacts.
UPF-Eurasia Assistant Secretary General Konstantin Krylov came from Moscow for the occasion, and gave the welcoming address, reporting on UPF history and activities worldwide. Then, St. Petersburg UPF Director Ilya Zakharov gave presentations on the "Need for Character Education" and "the Family as the School of Love." More...

Experiencing a Different World in Belize

Diana Santelli, Belize City, Belize
In June 2007, I had the opportunity to go to Belize to teach Character Education in Belize City. During our one-month internship, we stayed at the Universal Peace Federation Peace Embassy, located in the heart of Belize City.
Our time was spent working in four different schools in the Belize City District under the guidance of Rev. Lynda Moguel, the director of UPF Character Education in Belize. We gave a total of 22 presentations at Youth Enhancement Services, Career Enhancement Training, the YWCA, and at the Salvation Army School, and we covered topics from Human Value and Self-Esteem to Love vs. Infatuation to Goals/My Future. Altogether we were able to work with about 130 students. More...

Religious Tolerance and Peace Are Crucial to Development

Tefera Teklu, Student at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Religious tolerance and peace are the most important things for development, Rev. Sue Eun Ryoo told students from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia during a seminar on June 30, 2007.
According to Rev. Ryoo, the director of Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in Ethiopia, students of Addis Ababa University have a key role in disseminating this important message throughout Ethiopia. "We educate these young people because university students have the power to teach others if they understand this basic principle," he said. More...

Summer Interns Prepare to Teach Character Education

Six eager interns began their internship in character education for the 2007 Character Education Internships Abroad Program with a training held in Kirkwood Camp in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania June 26-29, 20007
The hot and humid weather during the training was perhaps part of the preparation for these college-age youth from 18 years to 21 years of age who are going out to points in the Caribbean this summer to work at day camps and schools where they will be teaching the lessons from Discovering the Real Me.Two interns are already in the Dominican Republic, where they are teaching the lessons in Spanish. Others will be going to St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago. More...

Two-Day Educators' Workshop in Philippines

One hundred and eleven educators — superintendents, principals and values education teachers — in the National Capital Region (NCR) attended a two-day Educators' Training Workshop on Character Education at the ICEF International Youth Center in Tanay, Rizal, Philippines June 23-24, 2007
The seminar, on the theme of "Institutionalizing the Culture of Heart in the Family, School and Society," was organized by the Universal Peace Federation, in cooperation with the Philippine Teachers' Association for the Research of Principles (PTARP) and the Department of Education-NCR.
Professor Alan Saunders, Director of the Office of Character Education of UPF, presented the UPF character education initiative with emphasis on program prospectus. In his lectures, he focused on the three life goals: to develop a mature character, build good marriage and family relationships, and make a positive contribution to society. More...

Model School: raising the citizen of the world

International Model School Conferece under the title "Model School: raising the citizen of the world" took place in June 26-29, 2007
This time Saint- Petersburg (the city situated on the Neva river) welcomed the participants of the conference. 46 guests from 5 countries (Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazahstan, Estonia) participated in the programm. The meeting was held on the picturesque coast of the Gulf of Finland.
The city met the guests with rain but, according to the folk legend, the rain during the journey promises much wealth. The conference was really rich with new knowledge, new feelings, new discoveries, new methods of work and new acquaintaces. More...

50 Eurasian Delegates Attend ILC in Korea

The Eurasian Region delegation of 50 people attended the Ambassadors for Peace Leadership Seminar under the theme "Providing Vision and Leadership at a Time of Global Crisis" which took place in Seoul, Korea, June 12-16, 2007
The Eurasian Region delegation made up one third of all participants, who came from more than 50 nations. During the opening banquet on June 12, Mrs. Enkh-Erdene Chuluundorj, Advisor of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, the ruling party of Mongolia, gave special greetings on behalf of the international guests.
On June 14 the delegates heard lectures on the Significance of Spirituality and the Religious Life and on the Significance of Marriage, Family and the Blessing. These made a deep impression on the Ambassadors for Peace. The next day of the seminar was devoted to several UPF presentations on peace initiatives, followed by sightseeing. More...

Interreligious Peace Sports Festival

RELIGIOUS ATHLETES COMPETE FOR PEACE: HOSTS SUPPORT FAITH OBSERVANCES AT ATHLETIC AND CULTURAL MEET
The International and Interreligious Peace Sports Festival includes more than 1,240 participants, 67 nations and 10 religions, each with certain dietary laws and daily observances. Held at the spacious Sun Moon University in Asan, South Korea, the IPSF incorporates practical ways to honor the participants’ faith teachings, in every aspect of the conference.
In the capacious dining hall, three different menus are served for each meal: one for the 191 participants who do not eat pork, a vegetarian buffet for the 82 who don’t eat meat, and another for the 860 with less stringent dietary rules. “We deliberately chose our catering service because they have a chef specially trained in preparing meals according to the Halal (Muslim)dietary laws,” explained Sun Moon University’s Dr. Han Chul Hee, who is coordinating the extensive preparations and organization at the Asan campus where IPSF is being hosted.
In the daily routine of IPSF, faith is seen as an important component. Each dorm has a room set aside for prayer, which participants can use at any time. Each day begins with meditation and devotions, led by a different faith leader each morning. In this way, participants can learn about the core principles of each other’s faiths and worship traditions. More...

The important word – tolerance

June 20th in a conference hall of hotel "Izmailovo" in Moscow took place scientifically-practical conference on a theme «Education of tolerance – a basis of mutual understanding between people and stability in a society» . This event became possible due to co-sponsor’s help such as WFWP (Womens Federation for World Peace) and IEF (International Educational Federation of Russia). Colleges’ representatives as well some high school professors and with some NGO’s representatives from both Moscow and it’s district gathered together.
At first session the concept of tolerance including its historical and cultural, political and social aspects were discussed leading by the senior scientific employee of the State Theory of Art Institute Mr. Michael Grishin. Actually the title of this conference was suggested by the member of Board of the Russian Association of a Political Science Mr.Vladimir Petrovsky, who in his turn also gave the estimation of a situation with tolerance in Russia, being based on it’s tendencies of foreign policy behaviour. More...

Teachers' Workshops in St Lucia

Teachers' Workshops in St Lucia - May 21-31, 2007
"Can you change your students?" asked Mr. Alan Saunders to the teachers gathered for a one-day workshop. Some teachers timidly answered "Yes!", a few others shook their heads in sign of "No!". Mr. Saunders insisted: "Do you really think you can change your students?" This time the "No!" are much louder.
Mr. Saunders commented: "You cannot change your students, you can only influence them". "How many of you think you can change your spouse?" After a short pause, he continued: "For ten years I thought I could change my wife! ... Do you think that I was successful?" "No!" More...

22 United Nations Missions Briefed on UPF’s Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI)

UPF-International, New York, United States, United Nations, May 21, 2007
The UPF took the opportunity to brief representatives from 22 missions about its work in the Middle East and around the world. UPF Assistant Secretary General Jack Corley opened up the event by introducing the broad goals of the UPF and its many peace initiatives, including the Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI), peace programs in Northeast and South Asia, Africa and Latin America, service and disaster relief, Peace Education, and the Bering Strait tunnel.
The Kenyan Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Zachary Muburi-Muita spoke movingly of his experiences with the UPF during the recent MEPI. As a former diplomat with the Kenyan Embassy in Tel Aviv, it was an emotional return to a land he knew well. He said his abiding memory is of a land with a lot of pain and suffering on both sides. "Diplomats and politicians are doing their best, with a good intention, but peace is not there." More...

Growing Interest in Character Education in Micronesia

Michael Treacy, UPF-Micronesia, United States, May 21, 2007
Based on the success of UPF's Character Education initiative in Pohnpei, the most populous state of Micronesia, Iso Iriarte and I organized a visit to another state, Kosrae, through two of our dedicated Ambassadors for Peace, Senator John Martin and former President Jacob Nena.
Fuel shortages, economic downturn, misappropriate of funds and disrepair have recently plagued Kosrae. This is evidenced in the high suicide rate among young people. Kosrae is, nevertheless, a naturally beautiful place and is famous for its green mandarins, clean sea water and mountain range known as "The Sleeping Lady."
Iso and I arrived on May 14 and were met by Senator Martin at the Kosrae International Airport. The following morning we met with the newly-appointed governor, Robert James Weilbacher, who recognized the value of the character education program in promoting positive social change and gave his support for its implementation. In explaining the program, it was so valuable to have the support of Iso, a former president, and a current state senator. The governor recommended that we visit the Department of Education, and he formally announced our visit to the Acting Director of Education, Mr. Lugo Skilling, who welcomed us warmly. More...

Inheriting the Dream and Educating for Peace

Joy Pople, UPF Communications, Assistant Director, Washington DC, United States, May 16, 2007
Inheriting and carrying forward the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and educating people for peace through the media, schools and at home were the dominant themes of the opening plenary of the International Leadership Conference in Washington, DC May 15, 2007.
"Education means learning knowledge, learning to be, and learning to live together," said the president of the UNESCO general conference, H.E. Dr. Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan. "It is a universal duty to teach our children that others who belong to other cultures are people just like them, and have their own share of knowledge and culture." The Oman diplomat stressed the crucial role of the media in promoting peace, "facilitating dialogue between different groups of people" and being, in the words of Russian author, "a clarion of peace."
Dr. Gregory Stanton, president of Genocide Watch, spoke of the need for religious people to work together to overcome attempts to wipe out ethnic groups. "Genocide is a spiritual problem," he says, "because it denies the oneness of the human family." He envisions churches, synagogues and temples leading the way in overcoming genocide because of their capacity to reach people at a deep level. "Can you imagine what would have happened in Rwanda if the Roman Catholic church and other churches had stood firmly against the genocide?" he asked. He called religious communities to promote dialogue and mutual trust, demand international intervention and protect victims. More...

Parenting for Peace: Fostering Character Through Story

June Saunders, New York, United States, May 4, 2007
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published an illuminating document by A.S. Balasooriya on peace education. The main point of the document was that peace is not possible unless peaceable and virtuous people are raised up as individuals of good character. The link between peace and good character was articulated: "Peace education...is basically a character building intervention." (Report on the UNESCO document Learning the Way of Peace—A Teacher's Guide to Peace Education, New Delhi 2001, p. 13. Accessible through the UNESCO website publications link.)
As part of its peace-building mission, UPF has begun a character education initiative that features the power of story as its main teaching tool: the Discovering the Real Me, Grades 1-12, character education book series. This book series is appropriate for use in schools and in the home.
While UPF advocates a triune focus for effective character education—home, school and community—UPF also recognizes that the family is the core place where social and emotional learning take place. The family is the real starting point of peace—the place where good world citizens are reared. Since the Discovering the Real Me character education series is based upon stories, it is as suitable for home and family use as it is for schools. More..

Tolerance gained by studying sacred texts

Joanna Sugden, May 3, 2007
Muslim students in British schools and universities are joining with their Christian and Jewish peers to learn from the scriptures of all their faiths.
A project originally designed for scholars of scriptural texts, the course has been adapted for use in schools and universities by the Three Faiths Forum.
The 'Tools for Trialogue' programme aims to find points of contact between the three major monotheistic religions as well as acknowledging their differences by studying the Koran, Torah, and Bible.
The course, piloted in schools and youth groups in Bethnal Green, London, is now taking place at the London School of Economics, City University, and the School of Oriental and African Studies.
Karsten van Sander, education officer for the Three Faiths Forum, who runs the course in Camden, said scriptural reasoning of the different sacred texts creates an understanding of what all faiths have in common, but also "the differences that make us unique in our three faiths."
The Three Faiths Forum, founded in 1997, aims to promote harmony between Christians, Muslims, and Jews.
The course examines the scriptures in the light of issues such as of human rights, family, and modesty and clothing.
Nazli Ali, from the forum said: "As a Muslim living in Britain, it's vital to engage with the community, to give back to the community and to try to make a better future. This is a way to build bridges from the top
down to the grass roots by working on our commonalities." TimesOnline..

Pure Love Alive!

Yes, you are right, “Pure Love” is back on the track as 110 CARP members marched in one of the known immorally plague areas in the metro, Escolta last April 26. The rally as part of the 40-day national leadership training had placed the participants under the scorching summer heat, therefore each one got what it takes to be an advocate to bring about a social change carrying their classic placards “Shout it Loud, Pure and Proud”, “I'm Proud to be A Virgin”, “Purity before Marriage, Fidelity after Marriage”, etc., raised them once again since the PLA providence peak way back in 1998.
Participants rallied from 3 P.M. until 7 P.M. starting the march from Lacson Plaza to Escolta Plaza in Sta. Cruz, Manila--the best time to ward-off immoral activities going on in the area.
The Pure Love Rally in its own unique value counters immorality in a warm and positive manner by celebrating purity and fidelity thru energetic youth performances rendered by the participants themselves, and back to back with testimonies of valuing one's purity inside and out.
For the audiences, they just don't get to stand watching but were encouraged to join the Pure Love Pledge led by one of the Pure Love Itinerant Missionaries (PLIMs) and a campus CARP president. W-CARP Philippines' Chairman, Dr. Michael Zablan also gave a strong and striking message exposing immorality stating that it is becoming an accepted norm in the society today which is alarming yet no one dares to counter this culture. More..

World Scripture II and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moonr

By underscoring the shared beliefs of the world’s religions, this volume will stimulate the mobilization of spiritual power for peace. Through mutual cooperation, rooted in recognition of shared values coming from the one divine Source, people from all the world’s religions can build a peaceful family of humankind, founded on the sovereignty and the parenthood of God.
Passages from the world’s sacred scriptures are complemented by selections from the Rev. Moon, whose teachings are fundamentally aligned with the teachings of the world’s religions. He teaches that God founded the diverse religions of the world out of His parental love, for the purpose of awakening and educating human beings everywhere to attain a true love relationship with Him.
The religions of the world are like brothers and sisters in God’s family. it is time that believers everywhere recognize that this is how God sees them; then they can make every effort to transcend the barriers of exclusivism and parochialism and walk together on the divine path to peace. More..

15th White Crow Seminar

On March 27-30, 2007 an annual Young Leaders Meeting White Crow was held. Participants of the meeting were young people from Arkhangelsk Region (village Shirokiy Priluk), Karelia (village Sukkozero), Belarus, Ukraine, and Saint-Petersburg - 20 people in all.
All participants were divided into 3 groups, 3 towns – North-Western Hen House, Dobrograd, and Vogel-City. As usual citizens during 4 days were doing there best to understand and realize four words (one for each day): Tolerance, Unity, Altruism, and Family. Each day brought to everybody something new and interesting.
The Day of Tolerance was filled with merry competitions, serious discussions, Deed in accordance with the Word of the day, and interesting performances of the citizens of Vogel-City in makeshift theatre (it was there work on this day Word). In the evening there were two events - a presentation of a crow to the best city and Svecha (candle) meeting, where everybody could share his or her day experience (Svecha closed every day of White Crow). More..

Character Education Impacts Kenya Students

Arthur Jak'Oyange, Kenya, March 30, 2007
The Kenya Coalition for Character Building and Community Development (CCBCD) is a private-service organization run by Mr. and Mrs. Oyange. Through this coalition we have been able to connect with the Ministry of Education and other religious institutions.
Programs have been held at the United States International University for the past six months. A four-week peer education program emphasizing character development was held at Daystar University. We have been collaborating with the Kenya Institute for Social Work and Community Development since 2005 and have made presentations in many private primary and secondary schools.
On February 10, 2007, the Peace Embassy in Nairobi hosted 140 undergraduate university students for a one-day seminar on character education. The majority came from Daystar University, Nairobi University and Jomo Kenyatta University. Certificates of participation were awarded. Their response to the character education was very encouraging. One student said, "The world is in a desperate need for men and women of integrity. It is only through such education that we can meet such a need."
A special training session on character education and human development will be held at the Peace Embassy around Easter for teachers and parents.

Russian IEF-activity in March

During March of 2007 in Ivanovo and Belgorod-cities successfully have been organized healthy life-style and drug’s preventive programs. IEF specialists presented lectures and workshops for the pupils of the schools, colleges and gymnasiums.

10 irritating habits of smokers

Smokers have become like the lepers of the 21st century. Cast out into the driving wind and rain. Could they be partly to blame?
If anti-tobacco activists could have their way, smokers would be banished to isolated colonies or would have to move from town to town ringing a bell.
A couple of decades ago, you could light up anywhere – in the cinema, on the plane, in shopping centres and in all restaurants. In fact, no one thought twice about lighting up inside cars or in the company of children.
Much of that has changed now, as the perception has entered the general public's consciousness that smoking is not only a major health risk for the smoker, but also for all those around him or her.
"More than 10 percent of the total number of deaths that occur on this planet each year are attributable to tobacco and this is nothing less than appalling," according to Dr David Katz, an associate clinical professor of public health from Yale University School of Medicine.
But despite all this damning medical evidence, people still carry on smoking. Nicotine is a truly addictive substance.
What are the things that some (happily not all) smokers do that would make normally timid non-smokers reinstate certain medieval methods of dealing with offenders?
More..

Creating a World of Peace

International Educational Foundation presents 7 volumes in series Creating a World of Peace: The Thought and Works of Sun Myung Moon
The Life and Teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon (Volume 1), 64 pages
The Ideal Family and True Love as the Source of Peace (Volume 2-3), 64 pages
Blessed Marriage and Education for World Peace (Volume 4-5), 76 pages
Resolving Conflict and Realizing World Peace (Volume 6-7), 68 pages
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Character Education in Japan

UPF-Japan, Tokyo, Japan, January 26, 2007
Mr. Robert Beebe recently completed a trip to Tokyo, Japan, to present UPF’s Character Education Initiative to a forum of Ambassadors for Peace on January 26 at the Hotel New Otani. Present at the forum were approximately 20 Ambassadors for Peace, including several professors, religious leaders, social workers and politicians. Mr. Katsumi Ohtsuka, president of UPF-Japan, opened the program with some words about the importance of character education and how countries around the world have been adopting such programs in response to mounting youth problems. This was followed by Mr. Beebe’s PowerPoint presentation entitled “The Need for Character Education” in which he introduced UPF’s character education curriculum, “Discovering the Real Me.” More..