Letter from the Co-Chair of the UPF Presiding Council

Hyun Jin Moon
November 4, 2009

From: UPF International Secretariat
Re: Letter from the Co-Chairman
Date: November 4, 2009

Please find attached a letter from the Co-Chair of the UPF Presiding Council, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon.

Dear UPF Regional Chairs, Regional Secretaries General, National Leaders and Senior Advisors,

I want to thank you for you steadfast service to the mission and ideals of the Universal Peace Federation, rooted in the vision of my Father, and carried to every nation around the world when my Father embarked on his historical world peace tour, following his launch of UPF on September 12, 2005 at Lincoln Center in New York City.

It has been my privilege to serve UPF, along with Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak, as Co-Chair of the Presiding Council, since being elected in July 2007, at the time of the WCSF in Korea.

Since that time, by the grace of God, UPF has risen as a true champion of peace, known and respected the world over, and making impact among leaders in all sectors, including religion, government, academia, business, the arts, the media, sports, and the United Nations. UPF's growth and development have exceeded all expectations. Always the vision of my Father has been the guiding ideal of our work and our roadmap to peace.

I want to report that on November 4, announcements were sent out to UPF leaders worldwide from the International President of FFWPU, the Unification Church, announcing a significant leadership change for UPF. My brother, Rev. Hyung Jin Moon, who is the International President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, the Unification Church, was announced as the new Chairman of UPF. In addition, four Korean elders were announced as the Vice Chairs of UPF. The installation of these five leaders, according to the memo, is scheduled for November 18, in Korea. Also, these leadership changes have been announced as effective October 24.

Prior to these recent communications, FFWPU also announced that Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak was to be replaced as International President of UPF.

All of these announcements are coming from the headquarters office of FFWPU, the Unification Church.

Throughout its history, UPF was never under the authority and administration of the Unification Church. It has been guided by the vision of my Father, and governed by a board of directors, and by the advice and guidance of the members of the Presiding Council and the Global Peace Council. The recent memos, however, indicate a call for a significant change of leadership and a new governing structure. No member of the board of directors of UPF, and no members of the UPF Secretariat were consulted about any of these announcements.

The International Secretariat, based in New York, that has served UPF over the years, will cease operations at this time. We expect that the leadership of FFWPU will announce its plans for its administration of UPF as a project of FFWPU.

Also, I am sure I speak for all of us in saying that we are greatly indebted to Rev. Kwak's service and sacrifice over many years, not only to UPF, but for more than 50 years of serving my Father's work, and for being instrumental in developing so many predecessor organizations, founded by my Father, that lay the foundation for UPF.

I remain as committed as ever to UPF's original ideals and to my Father's peace messages, and the vision of building one family under God.

For this reason, I remain committed and will devote my heart and soul to developing the Global Peace Festival series in 2010 and the Global Peace Convention in Manila this December. These programs will not go forward as projects of UPF, and will have no formal or legal association with FFWPU. Rather, a separate GPF foundation is being established for this purpose.

I ask for the support of Ambassadors for Peace around the world, as we seek to build one family under God. Rest assured that the original vision of the UPF, and the roadmap to peace articulated by my Father will be carried forward with GPF. My Father's ideal is a God-centered world in which people of every race, religion, nationality and culture live in harmony as members of one family under God. He did not intend to establish simply a church or new religion.

I look forward to an opportunity to meet with you in Manila and during the coming year when GPF comes to your nation. Let us work together to build one family under God, through interfaith, family and service.

Respectfully yours,

Hyun Jin Moon
Co-Chair
Presiding Council
Universal Peace Federation