The Family Federation for World Peace inaugural conference was held in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday, Nov. 30.

The event took place in the beautiful hall of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, located in the heart of the city on the main square, called Maidan Nezalezhnosty (Independence Square). Among more than 300 people in attendance were VIP guests from Kiev and several other regions of Ukraine, members of Unification Movement and their parents from all over the country.

The program started with myself (the FFWP representative from Ukraine) as MC welcoming participants and introducing the first speaker. Alina Komarova, director of the "Human Problems" research institute, an academician at he International Academy of Integrating Anthropology, and participant in the WFWP convention in August, 1995 in Seoul, Korea, opened the conference with short remarks on the current situation and trends of development of human family.

She was followed by general Volodimir Mulyava, get'man (head) of Ukrainian Cossacks, deputy of Verhovna Rada (Supreme Council) of Ukraine. He emphasized that Ukrainian Cossacks historically had a strong tradition of family cult. A person who could not keep faithful to his/her spouse, might have been condemned to a death sentence. By definition a Cossack's family was extended to 'rodyna' - a broader family including members of immediate family and close relatives. Each Cossack pledged to be a son of a filial piety, protect and serve not only to his parents, but to the whole rodyna. Mr. Mulyava also shared about his good experience of attendance of the World inauguration convention of FFWP in Washington, D.C. on July, 31 - Aug., 1, 1996. He thought that the FFWP intentions for family revival corresponded to, and are deeply bound up with, the traditions and culture of Ukrainian people.

Then the participants were presented with a brief overview of FFWP's programs aimed to promote pure love and true family values based on the slide presentation "Consequences of free love: Danger of AIDS". In the response forms which all the guests were asked to fill out after the conference, it was mentioned that they can invite such presentations covering AIDS, alcohol, drugs problems to their organization/city.

The following video "The Origin of the World Peace" about life and activities of the FFWP founders was a good introduction to the keynote speeches. Address of the co-founder of FFWP Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon "True Parents and True Family" was presented by Tamara Gurevich, representative of WFWP of Ukraine. The address by the co-founder of FFWP Rev. Sun Myung Moon "In Search of the Origin of the Universe" was presented by Yuri Kramarenko, the leader of Kyiv Rerikh society 'Urusvati'.

Concluding remarks were given by Yelena Tkachenko, vice-editor of the 'World of a Woman' magazine, and Maria Piren, professor, Ph.D. in sociology, participant of the PWPA convention in August, 1995 in Seoul, Korea. Both ladies offered their gratitude to the founders of the FFWP and organizers of the conference and expressed the hope that activities of the FFWP in Ukraine will help to build a society, centered on family values.

The program lasted almost 3 hours and was followed by the victory celebration.

Despite all the difficulties we faced during preparation time, everybody felt the spirit of victory. I want to acknowledge the leadership of Rev. and Mrs. Su Won Chung and Rev. Kyoung Hyo Kim, whose guidance helped us to uphold strong faith and overcome our limitations while preparing for the conference, and also the spiritual and substantial help we were receiving from staff of the Moscow PR office, who shared with us their experience and some materials.

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