Over 1500 excited university students filled the auditorium of the Little Angels School in Seoul on August 23rd. The event: the 9th CARP Convention of World Students under the direction of World CARP President Jin Hun Park Moon. Student representatives from 160 nations were on hand for the convention and the festivities that followed. The Convention began with opening remarks by the Student President of Korea CARP, Hyun Chil Wi and a prayer by student representative In Pyo Moon.

After a warm welcome from Korean CARP President, Bong Tae Kim, congratulatory addresses were given by Dr. Richard Rubenstein, President of the University of Bridgeport and Dr. M. Punzal, President of Gregorio Araneta University in the Philippines. Dr. Rubenstein concluded his remarks by saying, "The world of the 21st Century will be divided between the leaders and those who are led. I salute you, the leaders of the 21st Century!"

The keynote address entitled, "In Search of the Ideal Family," was then presented by Jin Hun Nim. Jin Hun Nim drew attention to the immense accomplishment of the coming Blessing of 360,000 Couples, relating that achievement to the historical need and quest for the ideal family. He exhorted his enthralled audience to fully live up to the vision of CARP's founder, Rev. Sun Myung Moon. "Let us act according to the Principle of self-sacrifice and living for others . . . above all, let us work together to create ideal families and communities of true love."

The convention was brought to a close with 3 cheers of "Mansei" led by Dr. Se Won Yoon, President of Sun Moon University.

The convention was then followed by a wonderful evening of entertainment with a great variety of performances by CARP members from around the world. Slovakia CARP led off with a traditional dance, followed by Japan CARP's rock band "Impulse" which performed a surprising combination of rock and kabuki. Following a colorful video by Taiwan CARP, USA CARP's troupe, led by Aaron Kelly, performed an entertaining skit, portraying the humorous aspects of the World CARP Academy's Summer Service Projects. Africa CARP was next, with an unusual 2 man folk dance, followed by Korea CARP's band "Sunburst." Concluding the entertainment was the full stage production of the original musical, "One Korea, One World," performed by a cast of 50 dancers and singers. Their elaborate routines created a display of talent well worthy of any Broadway stage. All performers gathered on the stage for the grand finale. With heaps of confetti being dropped and then blown by the wind machines, a special fairy tale effect was created as everyone sang a last song together.

Plans are already under way for the 10th CARP Convention to be held in 1998.

The "sports" aspect of the 1995 World Cultural and Sports Festival was the 2nd CARP Hammadang Sports Festival held at Hyochang Stadium in Seoul on Aug. 27th. Hosting the festivities was World CARP President, Jin Hun Park Moon. Among the participants were True Parents, a number of True Children, numerous Unification dignitaries, and CARP representatives from 160 nations. Thousands of cheering on-lookers packed the stadium. With as much trapping and fanfare as the Olympics, the Hammadang Sports Festival truly represents the Shimjung Culture as applied to the realm of sport and competition.

CARP athletes from all over the world were grouped into 10 teams of up to 200 members each for the competitions. The 10 teams were Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East Asia, CIS, Oceania, Korea, and Japan. Competitions were held in basketball, volleyball, soccer, table tennis, tug of war, and track and field. Track events included 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 meters as well as the marathon. Field events included long jump, high jump, discus throw, and shot put. Preliminaries were held on August 26 at Sunjung High School, a high school in Seoul recently purchased by True Parents.

Seoul had experienced 6 days of nearly non-stop rain during the WCSF. Record level flooding had derailed trains, brought down bridges, closed highways, and totally drenched the Seoul area. August 27, however, brought the blue sky and bright sun of Korea out again. As the brilliant sun dispelled the rain clouds, new hope seemed to spring fresh into the very air of the stadium. The spectacle of 1000's of youth from every race and nation running, celebrating, competing all out; yet all under the invisible cover of True Love indeed illustrated the bright future being ushered in by the 2nd generation.

The stadium filled with color as the flags and teams of the participating nations entered; the athletes being clad in the varied colors of their team uniforms. The lighting of the Sacred Flame was an especially poignant ceremony. Two athletes, one brother and one sister, approached the grandstand where True Father and True Mother stood waiting. True Parents then lit the torches that they held. The couple then circled the entire field holding the flaming torches aloft. On the far side of the field they united their torches in sparking the huge Sacred Flame that burned throughout the Hammadang.

The Convention Address was given by Jin Hun Nim, World CARP President, official host of the Sports Festival. Jin Hun Nim warmly welcomed everyone. He explained that the Sports Festival was, "a festival of love and friendship among young people representing the entire world." Finally, he concluded with a wish that the students, as they endeavored mightily on the field, could experience deeply, the heart and love of finding their long lost brothers and sisters of the world.

Next to take the podium was the founder of the WCSF, Rev. Sun Myung Moon. With more fire and passion than any 10 teenagers on the field, Rev. Moon gave a rousing and thrilling message to the packed stadium. Speaking warmly as their True Father, Rev. Moon encouraged the participants to take up the challenge of transforming their world through their own deep determination and zeal. As one body, the entire stadium erupted in tumultuous applause for Rev. Moon's message.

Echoing Rev. Moon's enthusiasm, representatives of the athletes, In- Jae Park and Soon-Woo Won, then recited an oath of determination to live up to the founder's spirit and example.

The Opening Ceremony was then concluded by 3 cheers of "Mansei" led by the Chairman of the WCSF, Rev. Jung Hwan Kwak.

As the resounding cheers faded from the stadium, the field was suddenly covered with an amazing panorama of sounds and colors as wave after wave of performance groups marched, danced, ran, and generally cavorted into view. In all, well over 1000 performers created a dazzling display, establishing a celebratory atmosphere of harmony and beauty.

Starting things off were the "group game" display created by the synchronized movements of 300 2nd Generation HARP members. The Blessed Children high schoolers were quickly followed by an 80 member Korean dance team dressed in dazzling Korean "chogoris" (traditional long dresses). The beauty of their numerous dance movements which required great skills and perfect unity and harmony was appreciated by everyone.

Over 400 CARP members divided into the Blue Team and the Red Team then performed the traditional Korean contest, "Chajun." In "Chajun" a "war" is fought between the 2 teams. Each team's leader is dressed in flamboyant clothing and urges his team on while being carried above them on what can best be described as a modified battering ram. A variety of charges and counter charges are carried out until one side "vanquishes" the other. True Father expressed great enjoyment at the antics of the "Chajun."

The next entertainment was provided by the Daewon Women's High School Band together with the "Color Guard" of 270 HARP members. This marching girls' band performed brilliantly with precision and flare as the Color Guard exercised numerous routines, again divided into Blue and Red Teams.

The grand finale brought over 1000 performers onto the field. A giant balloon decorated as the earth was rolled to the center of the field, while a dozen large white balloons emblazoned with the CARP and WCSF symbols were brought to surround the earth. All 1000 performers then moved in a great swirl of color and celebration around the earth, with the white balloons held aloft on their outstretched hands. Their visual expression of a world of peace and harmony brought renewed hope for the future to all those present.

Now the time for heated competition had come. All track finals and the championship soccer match were to be held. The soccer finals brought together the highly skilled teams of Korea and Europe. The hard fought battle resulted in a 3-1 victory for the Korean team. The track finals for both men and women produced many cheers from the crowd as the teams' champions gave their best.

The last competition, involving all 10 teams was the tug-of-war. Over 100 members from each team strove with all their strength to pull the other team their way. The rope used was huge, nearly 3 inches in diameter. Imagine everyone's surprise when in the midst of one especially hard fought contest, the rope suddenly broke, sending both teams flying!

The conclusion of the tug of war might easily have been foreseen when Mr. Kamiyama leaped from the stands to engender unity and extra effort from the Japanese team. Japan indeed went on to win the tug-of-war championship!

Finally the time had come for the host, Jin Hun Nim, to present the beautiful large trophies for the team finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in overall points. The team from Europe garnered the 3rd place trophy, Japan captured 2nd place, and Korea received the 1st place trophy along with the Hammadang championship flag.

After the lowering of the convention flag and the ceremonial extinguishing of the Sacred Flame, the time had come to conclude the 2nd CARP World Hammadang Sports Festival. Mr. Sung Am Moon, Vice President of World CARP, led the crowd in a victorious final 3 cheers of Mansei. The 1000's of participants on the field rushed to hug each other and wish each other God's blessings until they could see one another again -- perhaps at the 3rd World Sports Festival in 1998.

Having participated in the very first World CARP Convention and Hammadang in 1984, it was a deeply moving experience for me to return to Seoul for the 1995 WCSF. I felt at once both greatly honored and humbled to have been asked to represent USA CARP at both of those conventions. I could witness with my own eyes the dramatic advancement that CARP has made by contrasting this year's events with those of 11 years ago. Having had the fortune of working directly with Jin Hun Nim for the last 15 months, I could appreciate even more keenly, at this global event, how much effort he has made to bring World CARP into full being and influence worldwide. Creating the Special Task Force that united the 1st and 2nd generation on the front line, and establishing the visionary World CARP Academy are just 2 of his pioneer efforts.

And how small my Madison Square Garden Blessing of 1982 (then a world record of 2010 couples) now seemed, compared to the 360,000 Couples Blessing of August 25, 1995! My heart swelled with great pride as Heavenly Father, in the midst of torrential rain and flooding, allowed the rain to stop just for the time that our True Parents officiated the Holy Wedding of 360,000 couples. Only later did I discover that the whole world had been convulsed in that week with unusual weather; from volcanoes and heat waves in Japan, to 4 hurricanes at one time in the Atlantic, to record blizzards in South America, and so on. What a dramatic scene! In the middle of such turmoil, our True Parents were getting such a great victory for Heaven! How wonderful and fantastic our True Parents are!

My week in Korea was unforgettable for many reasons. My most special experience however, was being invited by Sung Am Moon to stay with him at the home of his parents, and 2 younger brothers just outside Seoul. Sung Am's father is the first cousin of True Father, born only a few months before True Father. Their families lived side-by-side in North Korea and he and True Father grew up together; playing, working, and yes, sometimes fighting with one another. One story I heard was that not too long ago, True Father was asking Sung Am's father to do a lot of ocean fishing, many days on end. When Sung Am's father voiced some small complaint, True Father joked, "Be quiet! You used to beat up the Messiah, now you have to pay indemnity!"

Sung Am's mother is a great person of sacrifice and Heavenly dignity, totally devoted to God and True Parents. She treated me as if I were one of her sons.

The love and warm embrace that I received from this very special family illustrated vividly to me the bedrock foundation on which True Parents have built an ever growing worldwide foundation for God's kingdom on earth. The lifestyle of love and sacrifice that they and so many other Unification elders epitomize shows that the seeds our True Parents have sown have indeed fallen on fertile soil.

The writer is currently serving as National Advisor to World CARP and as President of the World CARP Academy.

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