Our True Parents have been exceptionally active in Uruguay recently, as this small but significantly located nation takes on an ever- increasing role in the providence. Three recent conferences at Father's newly-expanded Victoria Plaza Hotel, in downtown Montevideo, highlight his hopes not only for this country but for the entire continent of South America. The expansion of the Victoria Plaza, including the convention center, casino and soon-to-open swimming pool and health club is the single largest private investment in the history of Uruguay and the jewel of Father's several businesses here.

From Sept. 11 to 15, 800 participants from 29 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean gathered here for the inaugural meeting of the Federation to Save the New Nation for World Peace. The purpose of the federation is to provide a foundation upon which to launch the Family Federation for World Peace and ultimately to develop the True Family Movement.

The participants were of the highest level, composed predominantly of congressmen, members of parliament and senators, university deans and professors, current and former government ministers, and clergy. Included were the former prime ministers from the island nations of St. Kitts, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the rector of the Catholic University of Ecuador.

True Father addressed the distinguished assembly on three occasions, beginning with the Founder's Address, "The View of the Providential History of Salvation," continuing later with the speech entitled "In Search of the Origin of the Universe," and finally, in a surprising departure from the program, an extemporaneous talk at the closing banquet.

The main body of the conference consisted of two days sharing Divine Principle lectures, presented by Dr. Thomas Ward and Mr. Steven Boyd. Mr. Jorge Galdenzoph presented talks on the life and works of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and the vision of the Federation to Save the New Nation for Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Ward spoke at one point about the upcoming Blessing; it was encouraging to see many participants filling out application forms for the great event to be held Nov. 29, 1997.

Before leaving, the conference participants were delighted to have the chance for a photo session with Rev. Moon, who posed with each of the 29 delegations separately, a lasting memento of their contribution to world peace through principled values as expressed from the familial to the global levels.

Following closely on the heels of this sizable event was a more compact gathering of South American representatives, who stayed on at the Victoria Plaza, now a five-star, world-class hotel, to launch the South American chapter of the Federation of Continental Nations for World Peace (FCNWP). As humankind races toward the finish line of the millennium, Father sees all too clearly the need for more efficient mechanisms for global conflict resolution. With the speed of technological, communication and transportation change accelerating, the fragility of the old international bodies has become increasingly transparent.

As a sister movement to the Federations of Island and Peninsular Nations, FCNWP will similarly mobilize an increased global conscience to translate scientific advances into social and economic development and social justice for all, as stated in the draft version of its declaration of purpose.

Rev. Hideo Oyamada of Brazil presented the Founder's Address on behalf of Rev. Moon in the presence of some 45 delegates, including the former Ecuadorian President Guillermo R. Lara and a multitude of ambassadors, politicians and university administrators. The context in which Father places the new federation is a serious one, as he stated: "After the First and Second World Wars, the League of Nations and then the United Nations were established to prevent further conflict. However, the global work of these organizations has not brought about a peaceful world."

The master of ceremonies, the Hon. Antonio Betancourt of the Summit Council for World Peace in Washington, D.C., orchestrated a variety of presentations by such speakers as Dr. Rafael Addiego Bruno, former Provisional President of Uruguay and three-term president of its Supreme Court of Justice; Prof. Antonio Guerra, vice minister of education and culture for Uruguay; Norman Kurland, president of Washington, D.C.'s Center for Economic and Social Justice; and political analyst Prof. Jorge Boaventura of Brazil.

Themes considered by the participants included: "Toward a Common Market with Justice for the Americas," "Ecology and Technological Development: Harmony in Benefit for the World," and "Rural and Urban Development in Latin America." This potent cadre of the continent's elite will be attempting to find solutions in seven basic problem areas for Latin America, including philosophical pluralism, technology vs. ecology, the culture of true family values, Latin American unity, educating the poor, and balanced development. Surely all conscientious people wish them good luck and God speed.

The Victoria Plaza Hotel was the glittering backdrop for an important declaration by True Mother, on her current world tour, to 2100 guests from across the country, including the establishment of Montevideo society on Sept. 26. In fact, Mother also spoke the previous evening, without notes or prepared text, to 250 members of the Women's Federation for World Peace in Montevideo, who assembled on just 24 hours' notice! At the larger event, True Mother inaugurated the Family Federation for World Peace in a well-received 45-minute address, receiving a standing ovation. This was followed with Rev. Kwak's reading of True Father's Founder's Address from the Washington, D.C. launch of the Family Federation.

True Parents were both present at the victory celebration with members and close friends in the Royal Suite of the hotel to celebrate the successful conclusion of Mother's talk, full of hope for many more victories in Uruguay and throughout all South America.

Daniel Stringer is national messiah of Uruguay.

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