The providence of God through True Parents continues to advance giant stride by giant stride. On the foundation of the previous establishment of the Women's Federation for World Peace and the Youth Federation for World Peace, the Inaugural World Convention of the Family Federation for World Peace (FFWP) was held in Washington, DC this past July 30 through August 1.

As many Unification News readers know, True Parents had previously established the Family Federation for Unification and World Peace (FFUWP). The FFUWP is at the moment a distinct organization from the FFWP, the FFWP being intended to be, among other things, a forum for world leaders and scholars to address issues related to the family.

The Inaugural Convention of the FFWP had many highlights. Included in the guest speakers were former presidents George Bush and Gerald Ford, Nobel laureate and former President Arias of Costa Rica, former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath of Great Britain and former congressman and currently a leading figure in the Republican party, Jack Kemp. Also Coretta Scott King, wife of the late Martin Luther King addressed one of the plenary sessions. On the lighter side, Bill Cosby offered in the opening plenary session some warm and amusing reflections on the role of grandparents in a family.

Beyond the plenary sessions, the conference was organized according to a variety of family-related topics, addressing aspects of our contemporary culture which interface with the family. Thus, there were areas of the Convention dealing with family and government, family and education, family and the media, and, perhaps permeating a number of these different areas, family and religion.

While the Convention was very broad in its scope, a very specific focus was expressed in the plenary addresses of both Mother and Father. Mother's address, printed elsewhere in Unification News and entitled "View of the Principle of the Providential History of Salvation" introduced a historical and biblical view of the family to the participants.

While Mother spoke from a pre-printed text, Father's talk, given at the conclusion of the closing banquet, was unscripted and spontaneous. Father spoke on themes familiar to all Unificationists, including man- woman relationships, the sanctity of the sexual organs and true love. While the themes were familiar, Father's energy and commitment are ever fresh and renewing. A number of delegates the next morning commented on the very unusual, powerful spirit displayed by this 76 year old man.

The Convention also saw the establishment of an initial Steering Committee for the FFWP. This Committee consists of representatives of 16 nations drawn from every continent. Reverend Chung Hwan Kwak was appointed as the first international President of the FFWP. Among the many missions he has held over the years, Reverend Kwak reportedly regards this mission as the highest one he has ever been given.

Finally, emerging from the convention was a "Declaration of the Convention of the Family Federation for World Peace", also printed elsewhere in this edition of Unification News. This Declaration was signed by over 400 delegates and participants expressing their showing support for True Parents' vision.

Complementing the intellectual content of the Convention was a wonderful performance at the closing banquet by the Pat Boone family, including Pat Boone, his daughter Debbie and Debbie's youngest daughter, approximately 14. Pat Boone is an entertainer well known throughout the world both for his artistic skill and his Christian faith. He sang some of his best known hits and, saying at one point that it was "time for Mr. Boone to meet Reverend Moon", he descended from the stage to include Mother and Father in his rendition of "April Love". Father, of course, in his own unique way, immediately joined in singing with Mr. Boone.

Given Father's emphasis on the family, it is highly significant that he feels that the time finally has come to establish formally the Family Federation for World Peace. With this historic step taken, we may anticipate continuing great developments in the ongoing providence of God.

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