On July 4 at 10 a.m., True Parents opened the World Culture and Sports Festival (WCSF). Our Continental Director, Dr. Chang Shik Yang, and Mrs. Lynne Kim were the co-masters of ceremonies. Rev. Kwak gave the opening prayer. As chair of the World Culture and Sports Festival, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon gave the welcoming address. Dr. Moon emphasized that the World Culture and Sports Festival began in 1992 and is designed to bring all races and nations together for peace. This festival brings all faith traditions and nationalities together to give young people an experience of competition, cooperation, and victory by overcoming barriers and realizing one family under God.

Dr. Moon emphasized also that the centerpiece of this weeklong series of intercultural exchanges is the holy blessing ceremony, in which couples from all over the world are married by True Parents in cross-cultural blessings that join families beyond race and religious boundaries. Along with Dr. Walsh and Mr. Taj Hamad, key members of the presiding council of the Universal Peace Federation were in attendance. Former heads of state and key religious leaders joined in the ceremony.

Dr. Yang announced the procession of the athletes. First, the marching band entered in their bright red uniforms, followed by youth leaders carrying the banners of all the world’s major religions. These were followed by 1,200 athletes from over 120 countries, carrying the flags of their nations and proudly representing their faith traditions. Beginning in 1992, the WCSF has been now become mainstream and is supported by all the major nations of the world. KBS-TV covered the event live. It was moving to see the athletes in their blue and white track suits, marching in representing all faiths, all races, and all religions.

It should be noted that a team from Iraq also came, underscoring the importance of these games in giving youth hope that there are ways to resolve conflicts and offering a vision of all humanity living in peace without war. That is the purpose of the World Culture and Sports Festival.

Sir James Mancham, former president of the Seychelles, gave welcoming remarks, as did the former deputy prime minister of Korea. Then the crowd rose to welcome True Parents. Father gave the main address, which was titled "The Three Great Subjects Principle from the Viewpoint of God’s Providence." He emphasized that a central requirement for turning the world around is to restore the human Fall and that True Parents, who were called by God to establish the ideal family, have now completed this course and extending it to all families. Central to creating an ideal family is establishing the three subjects principle of God, which is that each and every one of us should become a true parent, a true teacher and a true owner in God’s kingdom. Fundamentally this is to be achieved by living a life of absolute faith, love, and obedience to God’s principle of purity in the family and fidelity in marriage.

The address was followed by a beautiful performance by martial artists, who offered a very dramatic martial arts play -- ballet that portrayed the struggle of good and evil in history, with good ultimately overcoming.

The celebration ended with three cheers of mansei, and the glorious sports games began. How wonderful it is to see True Parents continuing to gain deeper and deeper acceptance and understanding by all the world. Certainly Korea is turning its heart and hope to Father and Mother Moon to bring ideal families and world peace. Today is a glorious day.

MWJ