The 7th International Education Conference for World CARP leaders opened on June 3, 2007 and concluded on June 7, 2007. The five-day conference included talks on partnership with the Universal Peace Federation, plenary sessions on the timeline to recreate an ideal nation of lasting peace, participation in the Opening Ceremonies of the World Culture and Sports Festival, focus workshops on membership increase and education standardization, breakout sessions on topics concerning Collegiate Ambassadors for Peace, and poster session of local chapters.

In the Opening Ceremonies, Senior Vice President Kyung Myung Yoo welcomed the participants from the more than 30 countries. He stressed the importance of our unity with the President and to fulfill the goals that we have set for this year. This year's theme, "Expanding God's Dream through Transformative Pioneer Leadership" requires us, as our President does, to think beyond ourselves so we can "dream the things we have never dreamed of."

President Hyun Jin Moon delivered an inspiring speech as ever. This time he stressed the importance of spreading World CARP to all the nations under the United Nations. If we are to truly build One Family under God, we must establish our presence in all the nations of the world. As such he commended the Missionary Task Force who will to go out to the world and plant the seeds of true love breaking down the barriers and together build "One Family under God." He reminded the participants of the 4 goals this year which aimed to widen and deepen the foundations of W-CARP as well as support the initiatives of the Universal Peace Federation and the United Nations. Inspiring as ever, he engaged the whole audience to sing his favorite songs, "If I Can Dream" and "Nimgwa Hamkkae."

In the afternoon of the first day, lectures were presented by officials of the Universal Peace Federation: Dr. Thomas Walsh (Secretary General) and Mr. Michael Balcomb (Director of Communications). They presented priority initiatives with W-CARP such as the expanded networks of Ambassadors for Peace, Middle East Peace initiative, Inter-religious Council at the United Nations and various interfaith and international relations. Updates on the projects of UPF such as the International Leadership Conferences held in New York and London were presented. As a wrap up of the day's programs, Service For Peace President Dr. Charles Philips and Secretary General for Korea Mrs. Min Ji Kim introduced the Global Family Festival project.

On the second day, the delegates attended the WCSF Opening ceremonies and got to hear the messages of the Founder and the President encouraging everyone to build "One Family under God." In the afternoon, Senior Vice President Kyung Myung Yoo was the lone speaker in two plenary sessions. Here he explained the rationale of the goals of World CARP this year with the goal of building an ideal nation by the year 2013.

On the third day, the IEC participants attended World Culture and Sports Festival events such as the International Holy Marriage Blessing Ceremony, a cross-cultural mass marriage ceremony and Global Family Festival, a program featuring Korean traditional food, games and crafts for everyone's sampling, food stalls from different countries, and international dress modeling.

The next day, focus workshops on standardization of W-CARP membership process was discussed which drew interest from many of the participants. Presentations on the features of the model process, that of Kyushu, Japan, was given by Mr. Sang Gi Kwon, Vice President of W-CARP Korea. Mr. Ki Shik Lee, Director of Witnessing and Outreach of W-CARP Korea, then presented its initial application in Korea and discussed the promising results.

That night the IEC participants joined the International Peace Sports Festival athletes and staff in their cultural night featuring presentations from countries like the US, Japan, Philippines and Nepal. The participants all had a great rime interacting with the athletes and participating with the dancers of the nations of the world.

The last day included simultaneous presentations by Mr. Aya Goto (Senior Vice President of Strategic Operation, W-CARP HQ) on "How to Develop Collegiate Ambassadors for Peace" in the local chapters. Mr. Victor Kim (Vice President of HR Development, W-CARP HQ) and Mr. Kazushi Mito (President, W-CARP USA) presented "How to Embody the Core Values for Becoming a Transformative Pioneer Leader." Dr. Charles Phillips (President and CEO, Service for Peace) and Mrs. Heather Thalheimer (CEO, Parent Information Center) gave a workshop on "Learning as Transformation" explaining learning principles for adult learners. Mr. In Bum Cho (Director, STF Korea) delivered "Transformative Fundraising Education from the Perspective of Leadership Development: Case Study on STF Korea." These presentations aimed at becoming useful tools for the fulfillment of the goals of World CARP culturally and strategically.

In the afternoon, the local chapters presented their projects and plans in the poster sessions. Korea, Japan, USA, Latin America, Europe, the Philippines, Thailand, Nepal, Malaysia, Taiwan, Special Task Force, Second Generation, International Leadership Training were some of the presenters in the poster session. Everyone got to take a glimpse of each chapter's victories, projects and plans.

Mr. Kyung Myung Yoo addressed the participants in the closing program and encouraged the participants to pioneer chapters in countries where we have no presence at all and establish campus chapters in each chapter with considerably long presence. So in the end, everyone came out challenged as ever, to expand and realize the ideal of One Family under God in the very near future, in our generation.

By Joshua Lorenzana