On Monday, November 19, 2007, the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel was alive with True Love. Our Nation’s Capital welcomed the Global Peace Festival 12 City USA Peace Tour with a packed house.

The evening began with a highly informative forum on the Middle East Peace Initiative. Interfaith activities promoting peace in the Middle East sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) include more than 32 inter-religious pilgrimages and fact-finding trips within the past 4 years! Over 120 newly appointed Ambassadors for Peace joined in discussions led by Mrs. Gail Paine, UPF Secretary General, of the Mid-Atlantic District.

Speakers included; Mr. William Selig, Deputy Director of the UPF’s International Office of Government Relations and Pilgrimage Coordinator of UPF’s Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI) He along with his wife Mrs. Donna Selig have been part of the core team that has organized the MEPI World Peace Pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

They were followed by an Ambassadors for Peace Delegation of MEPI Alumni; Mrs. Jan Du Plain, President, DuPlain enterprises, Interfaith Speakers Bureau and Mr. Dan Ammerman, Former State Department, Xebec Global Inc. The forum started of with about 70 participants and much to our surprise ended up with around 200 people!

There was much more interest in MEPI than we had anticipated. The atmosphere was very comfortable and familial. The Selig’s sharing was straight from the heart and it was obvious that the audience was moved by their presentations. To conclude, a Chief Representative of the League of Arab States to the United States was appointed as a new Ambassador for Peace.

He was asked to speak briefly and he topped off the forum by saying that this appointment meant so much to him and he expressed his hopes for the coming Peace talks in Annapolis. The forum had been so heart to heart, and then he gave the substance, showing that we can have both the internal and external standards of faith leadership and diplomacy.

As the crowd of new AFPs came up front for a photo together, the feeling was one of great hope as the AFP network is obviously expanding by leaps and bounds. Our forum participants then walked into the exciting atmosphere of the beautifully arrayed reception in the Ballroom. Displays were setup through the room highlighting the projects and organizations of many of the District’s most active AFPs. Each of them had a thread of the vision for creating a world of peace through serving others.

With each mobilization, we are able to really depend on the widening circle of District 1 Ambassadors for Peace, and this festival was accomplished by the Family Federation members and the Ambassadors for Peace working together. The AFPs are taking ownership, they are coming to know one another and they look forward to seeing each other at these events.

The AFPs are realizing their identity as the next concentric circle of support around our True Parent’s and their vision of peace. It is a circle of deep love based on camaraderie and a shared passion for peace. There was the sense as one walked into the ballroom, seeing all the Ambassadors for Peace sharing their work and projects at the displays, that they are so proud to be part of the Peace Federation. All their individual dreams and efforts are becoming the grand collective dream of "One Family Under God."

At the conclusion of the gala reception, we were called to our seats by the joyous sounds of the Voices of Peace Choir made up of FFWPU members, and then the Tayitu Ethiopian Cultural Dance team. They performed a traditional dramatic dance and sang Salam, a song of peace.

Originally, this song was recorded 25 years ago in the middle of fighting in Ethiopia by Mr. Mahmoud Ahmed. Mr. Ahmed was also one of the newly appointed, Ambassadors for Peace tonight for his work on creating peace through music and cultural exchange.

The Psalms Ministry Chorale brought us up to the main program with a very professional, harmonic and high spirited musical offering.

Dr. Michael Jenkins called the program to order with an invocation from Rev. Edward Young, Pastor, Laurel Grove Baptist Church Fairfax, VA. The blessing of families was shared upon all led by Rev. and Mrs. Randall Francis, Director UPF-USA District One.

The first in a series of special remarks was offered by the Honorable Robert Garcia, US House of Representatives, South Bronx, NY 1978- 1990. Congressman Garcia congratulated the Founders of UPF on the occasion of the 12 City Tour for Peace. He mentioned his recent visit to South Korea with, the United Nations Peace Keeping Forces Memorial Federation (UPKMF), founded by Rev. Sun Myung Moon in support of the memory of, and gratitude to, the 16 nations that served during the Korean War.

During that conference congressman Garcia brought his grandson along to show him the nation in which he fought for freedom and peace in 1950’s. He said, I wanted him to see the value of the sacrifice for such a cause. Keep the fight alive in all our generations. It is inspiring to see the young Dr. Moon taking up his father’s role today.

Mrs. Virginia Williams, (Mother of the Year for the Washington Metro Area,) then warmed up the audience with her inspiring remarks on peace and her resounding support for UPF. She took welcoming Mother Moon very seriously since she feels responsible for Washington DC, and wanted the audience to be more demonstrative, so she had all stand and lead the audience in a heart felt rendition of "Let there be Peace on Earth"

After the event had finished, she said, "We can turn this ol’ city around! My father used to tell me to work to make this city the city of light on a hill, and my husband pushed me to move here and help my son when he became the Mayor of DC. All the children of DC need to hear this message. We have to save the children. Together we can turn things around. I’m going to take Mother Moon’s Message home with me and study it in quiet. I will work with you until I drop to bring peace to our land."

Dr. Chang Shik Yang, Chairman UPF- North America, gave Welcoming remarks as a report of what the purpose of the tour has been. Archbishop Stallings keyed off of Dr. Yang and Mrs. Williams saying that we are the ones that need to take the steps in our lives to change this world. If Not us, Who? Let us join together and do it!

After a stirring video presentation about the formation of UPF and the founders lives of service to God and mankind, Dr, Jenkins introduced Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon. He lit up the audience with relevant stories of his life in America. "When the Moon family talked and discussed about the American Dream, we realized it was not about money, or positions, but about creating one nation under God"! "That has been the purpose of this nation"

Now my father, Rev. Moon is called by God to encourage us to realize "one Global Family Under God"! "This tour is like a prefect storm crossing the country in 11 days". Please listen with all your heart as my mother, the mother of 14 and the grandmother of 43 plus, pours her heart out to you with these words from heaven. "Let’s work to realize the dream of God, together living as "One Family Under God!"

With this Dr. Moon held out his hands and welcome True Mother Mrs. Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon to the center podium. She stood and took in the love from the crowded ballroom, gazing across the forty columns of attendees. The seats were filled with a diverse array of people very international in scope with a large diplomatic presence from the embassies along with hundreds of Clergy and Ambassadors for Peace from all walks of life.

Mother Moon expressed deep gratitude to the Veterans for their sacrifice for the nation of Korea and world peace. As she spoke, the audience followed along in deep contemplation. Applause broke out spontaneously and when Mother Moon put special emphasis or key parts of the message. By the conclusion the feeling was we had just taken a ride through the history of restoration and we were coming out victors for Heaven.

Beautiful Flower bouquets and gifts were presented on behalf of the entire group. Then 12 new Ambassadors for Peace were appointed. They included 5 current and former Ambassadors, Native American leaders, Ethiopian and Nepalese cultural icons, Military officers, and NGO Leaders. Also, 6 Outstanding clergy received the ACLC Family Church/Mosque/Temple of Peace Flags.

The Program concluded with a festival of music from Kenya, Nepal and USA. Dr. Thomas D. Tyler conducted the final song a special arrangement of "We are the World". The great hall again was filled with the joyous atmosphere of hope for true peace to come to all of God’s Children as "One Global Family Under God".