Unification News for January 2005

National Conference in Guatemala: A Peaceful and Unified Nation

Chung Hee Bessell

A new era has dawned. On May 5th, 2004, the founders of the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP), Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, declared the "Era of the new Millennium." Now is a time of great changes and development for the entire world, a time in which peace will be established as the whole world unites as one global family.

With the purpose of declaring this new era on a national level, the VI National Conference of the IIFWP was held on the 11th of June in the Peace Embassy of Guatemala. The event was the result of a united effort of the IIFWP and the weekly newspaper Tiempos del Mundo (TDM) as sponsors.

Participants at the Peace Embassy

More than 40 representatives of several embassies, the Guatemalan Congress, the media and diverse NGO's, as well as numerous comunity, religious and political leaders came together to participate in and contribute to this historic event.

Mrs. Catalina Soberanis Reyes, president of IIFWP Guatemala and former President of the Guatemalan Congress, and Mr. Katsumi Kambashi, General Manager of TDM in Guatemala, welcomed the participants and gave an introduction to the event.

The program continued through several sessions, dealing with such diverse subjects as: "Access to Information as a Tool for Transparence and for Strenghtening Democracy," "Adjusting Taxes and the Responsible Role of Rulers and the People" and "The Geo-political Constellation of the World and the Process of Change," by Lic. Roberto E. Landaverry, Lic. José Guillermo Garcia Fuentes and Rev. Gerhard Bessell as experts in the respective fields. The speech "God's Fatherland and the Peace Kingdom," given by Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the IIFWP on the first of May this year, was read as a highlight of the conference.

Participants during the conference

The participants could also join actively in the different sessions through question and answer sessions. There were also talks by special guests, such as a representative of the Embassy of Venezuela and the national representative of WANGO (World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations).

At the conclusion of the event, four new Peace Ambassadors were recognized. Peace Ambassadors are leaders who understand the vision of the IIFWP and its founders and who, through their lifestyle, are examples of living for the sake of others and establishing strong families. Ambassadors for peace thereby are an essential part of overcoming religious, national and racial conflict.

Adjusting our nation starts with ourselves and therefore concerns every single one of us. This conference has been a valuable step to bringing about a "Peaceful and Unified Nation."

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