Distinguished guests from around the world, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters! On behalf of the organizers of the Heart to Heart Peace Initiative, I welcome you to Jerusalem. Peace! Shalom! Salaam Alaikum!

Why did we come here today? Why did more than 3,000 people from more than 40 nations come to the Holy Land? It is because we truly believe that we are standing at a turning point in the history of this land, which has seen so many tears and so much sorrow. It is a time when we need change. It is a time when change can come.

We are children of Abraham who are destined to live in unity despite our differences. We know that our future lies together, not apart. We must come together as one in unity. It is our only hope. But it can never happen through doctrine or theology, and it cannot happen through political or economic power. It can only happen through true love.

In the last few days our volunteers went to every corner of the nation. We met mayors and leaders; rabbis and imams; Jews and Muslims, Christians and Druze. All of them are longing for peace. But what is the barrier that divides us, blocking the road to peace? It is fear. And what is the only antidote to fear? It is true love.

What is True Love? The Founder of today’s gathering, Dr. Sun Myung Moon puts it this way: true love means giving and forgetting that you gave. It means loving not only the people who are close to us, but even our enemies.  If we cannot forgive, if we cannot love, we can never unite.

Two months ago we rallied for peace at the United Nations. Two days ago we were in Gaza. Today we are here in Jerusalem and tomorrow we will be in Ramallah. Wherever we go the message is the same. We must tear down the walls that separate us! We must stop the bloodshed! We must stop the violence! We must put aside our fears and prejudices and learn the ways of peace.

So I urge you, my dear brothers and sisters, to leave this rally a changed person. Look around you at everyone who is here. Are we not all the same? Don't we share the same hopes and ideals for our children? If we can make peace here in Jerusalem, we will be sending out a message of hope to the world that the time has come to build an eternal Kingdom of Peace starting from today.

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