Events of the 4th Anniversary of the Universal Seonghwa of Sun Myung Moon

In preparing the Seonghwa festival, True Mother gave us the theme, “Heart of filial piety toward Heaven, becoming the light of the world.” Thus, we sought harmony and a starting point to be the light of the world as we inherited True Parents’ filial piety toward Heaven. I believe True Mother absolutely succeeded in doing this.

We set up the Pledge Service offering table for True Father’s Seonghwa in the same manner as we had many times in the US, when he was alive. Later that day, to honor all his legacy, the celebrations began. You must have felt, too, that the participants and the fifty thousand people watching witnessed a revolutionary event in the culture of heart. The key point was our directly experiencing, in the first part of the celebrations, our Heavenly Parent and True Father in the spirit world and True Mother on earth completely united as they lead the providence.

Two months before the event, True Mother had told us, “To be frank, the Seonghwa festival should be a twenty-four-hour festival. So on that day, for the entire day, we must give glory to our Heavenly Parent and True Father, and we must start anew.” Thus, the first part of the Seonghwa festival comprised the ceremony and the second part the cultural performances.

Radiating love

We worried, but from the beginning, we saw the US, Japanese and Korean teams had invested much preparation in their cultural performances. Apple Heaven showed us the culture of heart embodied in their performance with the True Grandchildren.

What followed, the Food is Love Festival, moved all the world’s members. True Mother, having tied back her hanbok with a belt, mixed bibimbap with our thirteen regional presidents. She personally scooped out the bibimbap and bestowed it on three families. Everyone felt her motherly heart.

Regional dances

In the second part, throughout the afternoon, our regions, Asia, South America, Africa and the Greater China, gave cultural performances showing off their regions’ character. The Little Angels, which has played a providential role since 1963, gave an hour-long performance. Celebrity singers performing songs loved by True Parents touched our endless longing for True Father centered on True Mother. Next, True Mother bestowed holy items and through Korean Maintenance Foundation’s sponsorship, she was able to directly give gifts to members.

Exuberant music

From 7:30 in the evening, after the Moon Hyo-jin Music Festival, the Hyo Jeong Music Festival took place. This performance focused on the youth in the twenty-one-day workshop. They had a DJ and a break-dance team. They’d based their performances on Hyo Jin nim’s songs so members of all ages could unite with them. For the last performance, at around eleven o’clock, True Grandchildren, Shinchul nim, Shin-heung nim and Shin-yeon nim, came onstage and sang. True Mother was with us, watching over the whole event from the skybox.

Providential milestones

Beyond the festival were many important developments, such as the dedication of the Sunhak Institute of

History Building, which also holds the Supreme Council, PeaceTv and other offices. It will play an important role. Mother had visited it eight times before the ceremony.

The celebratory banquet covered the Seonghwa Festival and the building dedication. Mother asked Western leaders, Dr. Walsh, international president of UPF; Bakary Camara, regional president for East Africa; and Jack Corley, regional president for Europe, to speak. Each testimony was distinct and offered True Parents the glory. I felt that foreign leaders follow True Parents’ providence just as Korean leaders do.

After a one-hour break, the Cheon Il Guk Leaders Assembly began. The thirteen key strategic nations shared their strategies for national restoration by 2020. Korea, Japan and the US did as well but with a focus on contributing to global restoration. UPF, WFWP, the Wonmo Pyeongae Foundation, and the International Martials Arts Federation for World Peace reported on how they will help the thirteen key strategic nations.

We felt united. Korea, Japan, the US and the FFWPU International Headquarters reported on their respective Seonghwa [burial] cultures. The Cheon Il Guk Leaders Assembly was also a time to address false rumors in order to accurately distinguish these from the positive truths of the providence as we move forward.

Scholars convene

No sooner had the Leaders Assembly finished when the Inauguration of the Cheon Il Guk Academy of Arts and Sciences began. This featured some important presentations. Ye Jin nim read her thesis, “Understanding God through Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.” She sincerely explained God’s dual characteristics and the importance of True Mother’s work during this age. At the end, she confessed that she was still lacking in areas and almost came to tears as she explained the heart we should have as we attend True Mother.

Dr. Selover spoke on the significance of True Parents’ Holy Wedding, and Dr. Wilson spoke of True Mother’s activities after the Seonghwa, comparing it to the Pentecost. Director Kim Jinchun of the Cheonbeob Won spoke of “Administrative methods of Cheon Il Guk for the sake of establishing the Ideal World.” These were surprising and enlightening.

Parliamentarians

Ten days after the Seonghwa, West Africa opened a chapter of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) in Burkina Faso. Parliamentarians came from all but one West African nation. From twenty-four countries came 122 parliamentarians, five chairmen or vice chairmen, ten ex- presidents, six ministers and six village chiefs.

Seven TV stations covered it. West Africa’s inauguration of IAPP reminds me of when elder-brother Hyo Jin attended True Mother as they toured Africa. The leaders there recall her message now. The leaders share her views on the many problems in their nations and problems such as global warming.

Peace Road has firmly taken root. Nations around the world (140) signed on; fifty have participated so far. Young workshop participants came to Imjingak, surprising the nation on such a hot day. Through our children, we were able to set a foundation. The University Student Symposium at the National Assembly also made an impression on society.

Youth development

Another topic of interest is True Parents’ Special HJ Workshop. True Mother presided over the opening and closing ceremonies and over the whole twenty-one- day Global Top Gun Youth workshop. She gave them much love.

For the first time, they received completion certificates given in True Parents’ names. The students can keep this forever and their parents may feel moved to renew their own efforts.

During their closing ceremony mother gave us the message, “ You are the heroes who can understand True Parents’ hearts and accomplish the desire that Heavenly Parent, True Parents, and humankind are longing for.” Now, these students as heroes can go forth to restore the world’s 7.3 billion people. They have set off to the field with the vision of becoming the best in each of their home areas.

Through this Seonghwa Festival, Heavenly Father and True Father in spirit world and True Mother here on earth, united as one to move the providence. Now as Mother has told us, we must expand our environment.