Women as the Turning Point for Peace: Southeast Launch of the Global Women's Peace Network USA
The Global Women’s Peace Network (GWPN) Southeast US Region launch that took place on Friday, November 15, 2019 marked the milestone achievement of launching the GWPN in all five regions across the United States. Throughout these launches since November of 2018, the identity of the GWPN has continued to take root, substantial shape and form.
These launches honored Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) Co-Founder, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who at his last public appearance before his passing inaugurated the Global Women’s Peace Network, together with his wife Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, with the desire for WFWP to “expand and develop to the next stage, so that it can work together in solidarity and cooperation with women leaders and NGOs from all parts of the world, and strive to follow the path of the ultimate establishment of the world of peace.” Read more excerpts from this founding speech at the end of this article.
In addition, each GWPN regional launch took place alongside the US stops of Co-Founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s “Peace Starts With Me” world tour, the culminating finale of which will take place in Newark, NJ on December 28, 2019. Find out more HERE.
Morning Session
On the morning of Nov. 15th, 80 NGO leaders, women, supportive gentlemen, and young professionals gathered for the GWPN Southeast regional launch at the JW Marriott in Washington DC, with the theme “Women as the Turning Point for Peace.” Maryland local Emaculate Mungye eloquently guided the morning program as Mistress of Ceremonies. Myrna Lapres, WFWP USA Southeast Regional Director and key organizer of this conference, welcomed all to the southeast region representing Washington D.C. and nine states along the southeast coast. The occasion was marked with proclamations from Chris Van Hollen, United States Senator of Maryland, and Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Mistress of Ceremonies Emaculate Mungye
Myrna Lapres, WFWP USA Southeast Regional Director
WFWP USA President Angelika Selle presented the foundational explanation of the GWPN in North America. Rather than positioning ourselves at odds with men, she expressed the uniqueness of the GWPN: to use our innately divine feminine gifts, bringing balance and well-being to the planet and to build a beautiful culture of peace. It is with this embracing aspect of leadership that we can solve social pressing issues for women, families, and the environment.
The main feature of the morning program was the keynote address by WFWP International Senior Vice President Dr. Sun Jin Moon, who spoke on the topic of “Women as the Turning Point for Peace.” This divinely inspired landmark speech and interactive discussion encouraged us to look within ourselves for the answers to life’s questions: Where did we come from, how were we created, and why are we here? These questions effortlessly led to a reflection of the nature of parents and our divine parent God. Both a male and a female are needed as parents, and as we are created in the image of God, does it make sense to consider the parent of humankind, God, as only male? Throughout history, the predominantly male centered understanding of God has perpetuated the image that women lack in divine value. To heal this, we must know our feminine divine essence in its entirety.
A short break and two inspirational selections by vocalist Patsy Casino, “The Colors of the Wind” and “Wind Beneath My Wings,” refreshed the room for the next portion of the program. Four panelists presented applicable topics based on their areas of expertise, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences.
Vocalist Patsy Casino
Panel Speakers
Panelist Dr. Glovinia Williams, Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor and US Marine Corps, presented on “Women Building Bridges of Peace.” Dr. Williams shared how as women and peacebuilders, we have what it takes to create unity and resolve issues, but to do this we are required to seek and find the opposition and conflict. She emboldened us not to shy away from conflict, but to face it with self control and to grow ourselves. When we are able to stand up and rock the boat, new innovative solutions will come to light. She reassures, “You are a force to be reckoned with. Your femininity is grounded in sincerity and love. Love knowing, understanding and standing firm on your faith, utilizing your intuition. We have been given a peaceful leadership model. Mother Moon said it this way, ‘We women were not put on earth to be protected by men. We are individuals to help men become more complete. Through true love they are meant to be precious partners.’”
Dr. Marilou Tablang-Jimenez, Chair of the MedStar Montgomery Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, shed light on how far women have come, sharing on the “Personal Transformation as a Path to Peace.” Dr. Tablang-Jimenez painted a picture of the myriad of statistical disadvantages women face, experiencing high rates of sexual violence with coinciding PTSD, alcohol dependence, and depression. Given this backdrop of victimization, we can revel in knowing that we have not just survived, but are beginning to truly thrive. She shared incredible successes for women in business, medicine, and law in recent years, such as the increase of female attorneys in the US from 4% in 1970 to 38% currently. As we continue on the pathway to peace, we seek to transform from victims to valued equals in society. In her closing remarks she says, “Accept your weaknesses and flaws, and delight in your strengths. Love all that you have. You are not a piece of a puzzle. You are the puzzle with all the pieces in place.”
Helina T. Mekonnen, Founder and CEO of Chase the Dream - Culture, Arts & Beauty spoke next about “Women in Culture and Media: Instilling Peace in Communities.” Ms. Mekonnen recounted her experience as a young TV journalist in Ethiopia. Despite strong cultural beliefs that women should not pursue careers and remain homemakers, she was empowered by women in media who were not afraid to counter this mindset, breaking social and cultural barriers while spreading their visionary attitudes. It is with media that women can continue with spiritual strength to counter forces of destruction, from religious and racial divides, cyber bullying, and child and drug trafficking. In addition to media, she highlights the important role of culture in peacemaking. Through her desire for peace and harmony beyond ethnic and religious beliefs, she began an annual multicultural forum to celebrate diversity and humanity. She asserts, “No dream is out of reach as long as the chase is determined. To those dreamers, don’t let passing problems scare you. Never let startling thoughts turn you back, nor negative comments break your resolve. Great deeds which made the world a better place were once upon a time an idea in someone’s mind.”
The fourth and final panelist, Nadia Hassan, Executive Director of the Young Leaders Institute, spoke on her experience with “Inspiring a New Generation of Changemakers.” She described her vivid vision of a movement with one billion youth innovators rising to protect the planet and uplift humanity, centering on compassion, humility, sustainability and equity. Instead of dismissing this dream, she chose to leave her comfortable job to invest in her passion and make it a reality. Through the Young Leaders Institute, she now teaches problem solving and values based learning, using one’s moral compass to rise above challenges. She concluded by emphasizing the most highly regarded principle being love, as when we can love one another we will undoubtedly find peace!
Afternoon Program
Following the lunch break, the afternoon program activities were confidently guided by Mistress of Ceremonies, WFWP USA Newsletter Editor Natascha Phillips. Participants engaged with the panelists in a question and answer session, addressing major current issues in the media, racial divisions, religious intolerance, and the perceived threat of women in leadership. Additionally, each participant became a GWPN contributor through table discussions to design a project proposal to positively impact women’s leadership, family, or the environment. Selected projects will be further developed by GWPN committees.
Mistress of Ceremonies Natascha Phillips
Creating Project Proposals
As an additional networking tool and way to get involved with the GWPN, NGO and organization leaders were invited to sign up as a Global Friend, a new initiative of WFWP USA. WFWP USA Outreach Coordinator Kiyomi Schmidt outlined the details of the agreement, and shared about recent organizations who have signed up. CLICK HERE to find out more about the Global Friends and to apply. Further communications about this will be shared in the coming months.
Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, the Regional Chairman of Family Federation for World Peace (FFWP) in North America, came to give greetings for this final regional US launch of the GWPN. He emphasized the importance of not just talking about problems, but taking action and coming together to build our communities and renew our family relationships in the spirit of unity. Through the family we can practice peace, love, and unity and share it with the world. He thanked the leaders and staff of WFWP and applauded how our efforts have made a difference in the communities through these launches. He has seen how our message is spreading out, and is giving people much needed hope that we will come together in glorious harmony.
Presenting Global Friends
Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, the Regional Chairman of Family Federation for World Peace (FFWP) in North America
This was followed by the honoring of four exceptional women leaders who have contributed their lives to the service of others and their communities. Mary J. Park, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Little Friends for Peace, received the HerStory Award for more than 35 years of teaching others about peace. She graciously accepted the award, saying, “It goes without a doubt that I am very honored and feel humbled to be in this room. I have given up what I was going to say after hearing the morning sessions and being so inspired by our wonderful speaker / leader. I feel like this is a holy place, with holy people, doing holy work. I am moved by the call, with hope that we can make a difference.”
Mrs. Park and her husband bonded over the desire for peace as opposed to gun violence, war, and fighting. It was not until her father asked her what she was going to do about it that she realized she had to take action. She wisely recognized that we have to teach peace just as we teach math, science, and reading. And that when we teach children and all people not to fight, they also must be equipped with new peaceful tools and practices. She also attributed her family’s ability to love everyone to the journey of assuring their adopted son that he truly belonged.
The second HerStory Award recognizing Dr. Canzada Twyman, Founder and Executive Director of the Divine Exchange Ministry, was received by her spiritual mother, who had embraced and uplifted her in a dire and pivotal time in her life. Words of humility and gratitude for the award were read, and tips on how she has grown from a hopeless, homeless, and helpless situation. She transferred life lessons onto us, including demonstrating compassion and wisdom to empower lives, genuinely committing to freedom, and confronting situations and people with love.
Herstory Awards and Special Recognition
Two Special Recognitions were awarded to major contributors to WFWP throughout the years. Tomiko Duggan was awarded for her contributions to Women’s Federation for Peace in Asia from its founding and ending, from 1989 until 1991, expanding to working with Women’s Federation for World Peace in many nations, recruiting top women leaders to sisterhood conferences and International Women’s Friendship Conferences.
As she accepted the award, she shared a story that she recalled as if it were yesterday. On the first day of the international friendship conferences, January 22, 1995, 20,000 Japanese women met with 20,000 American women as a way to reconcile the two nations who fought in World War II. On that day, Susan Ford Bales, daughter of Former US President Gerald R. Ford, shared an incredible story. When their grandmother was a student, she became close friends with her roommate who was from Japan. After returning to their home countries, the two continued their friendship and correspondence even after the war broke out. Because of their close friendship, President Ford was the first US President to visit Japan after WWII, and the girls in the family continue to write to one another generation after generation. This story shows the embracing power of women and how one letter can bring two countries together.
Rev. Dr. Linda Nishikawa was then recognized for her long time dedication and service to the First Nation’s People. After receiving her graduate degree, Dr. Nishikawa was appointed as Executive Director of the United Native American Council, and worked tirelessly to better Native communities through education, healthcare, reconciliation, and ecumenical work. She also connected representatives through diversity partnerships with numerous countries. WFWP USA President Angelika Selle, endorsed by WFWP Presidents of Canada and South America, presented the award with the heart of reconciliation.
Dr. Nishikawa gratefully accepted the award on behalf of all Indigenous people. Her speech brought us all together in spirit as one family. She expressed how we are all God’s children, and we have to stand in solidarity with that love and understanding. We also share one home on this entire universe, our mother earth. And with that, we must live each day knowing that peace begins with me, as the Wampanoag people did, giving their land and food during the first Thanksgiving.
Native and While reconciliation
Violinist Makiko Taguchi
The closing portion of the day began with an exceptional performance of “Climb Every Mountain” and “Salut D’Amour” by violinist Makiko Taguchi, followed by representatives signing the Declaration to become founding stakeholders of the GWPN in the southeast region. President Selle led the call to action, outlining five points: make the commitment to become stakeholders and agents of change to make the vision a reality, become a Global Friend, take part in national and regional GWPN committees, affect a cultural change of consciousness through educational curriculums in leadership, family, and reconciliation, and most importantly to meet the Mother of Peace on December 28, 2019 in Newark, NJ. The evening concluded with a dynamic and powerful prayer by Dottie Chicquelo of WFWP Maryland, a toast for peace by WFWP DC Chairwoman Elizabeth Aihe, and a drum performance and blessing for the day by Gregory “Dawn Wolf” Woods.
Signing the Declaration
Prayer and Toast for Peace
Drum Performance by Gregory Woods
THANK YOU!
Thank you for being a part of this incredible and rewarding journey, planting seeds for the ongoing development of the GWPN throughout the United States. A special thank you goes to our WFWP International President Julia Moon and WFWP International Senior Vice President Sun Jin Moon for your continued and unwavering support of these launches. We are also incredibly fortunate to be increasing our collaboration with Canada, so expect to hear more from the combined North American continent! And we extend a warm welcome to all those who have applied as Global Friends. We look forward to staying connected!
And finally, a well-deserved thank you goes to the executive planning committee, volunteers, contributors, WFWP representatives, and staff who gave their time and resources to make these inaugurations happen!! You are the peace-makers!
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Quotes from Participants:
It was good to see many women from such diverse backgrounds come together and share their hopes and vision. It is hopeful to witness history develop before our own eyes. The Women's Federation for World Peace provides a wonderful forum for peace enhancement. Thank you!
I loved the interactive and yet profound and inspiring message of Sun Jin Moon. I loved the variety of panelists’ topics. I was also inspired by the different topics and related actions to take discussed on our different tables.
The Holy Spirit led me here to be a part of this outstanding gathering. Congratulations is in order to everyone who God has called to make this happen. We together will continue to do the greater works for His Glory. God’s blessings and love to everyone. True Sister-hood.
Excerpts from Inaugural Speech:
The Global Women’s Peace Network was launched in South Korea on July 16, 2012, by Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, with leaders from one hundred ninety-four nations present. The following are excerpts from Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s inaugural speech.
The Global Women’s Peace Network “has the mission of realizing the providential goal of creating, on earth, a world of lasting peace, without conflict or war.”
“One individual or one NGO alone cannot carry out this women’s peace movement; rather, it is only possible through a global organization exercising global solidarity. However, the work for world peace WFWP carried out until now need not remain at its current stage. It has the potential to expand and develop to the next stage, so that it can work together in solidarity and cooperation with women leaders and NGOs from all parts of the world, and strive to follow the path of the ultimate establishment of the world of peace. In order to do that, WFWP has to go beyond the level of a women’s NGO, bring together the governments, organizations and individuals across the world and march forward.”
The priority of Global Women’s Peace Network “needs to be creating a true family movement that emphasizes living for the sake of others based on true love and carried out in conjunction with education in proper values. War and conflict arise from selfish motives, desiring to take others’ land, others’ possessions and the like by force. On the other hand, peace arises from investing oneself for the sake of others, that is, giving based on true love.”
“Transitioning beyond a century of power and technology, women will be the central axis in building a new century characterized by its loving, peaceful culture, and their role will be more important than ever before.”