On Saturday, August 26th, 2023, 70 women and men gathered at The Washington Times Building for a transformative “Bridge of Peace” program. As a signature initiative of the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), the Bridge of Peace serves as a powerful tool for reconciliation and healing. It was developed to unite individuals from conflicting backgrounds in an act of forgiveness for the past and a shared vision of hope for the future. Since its inception in 1995, thousands of women have crossed this symbolic bridge, each taking a courageous step toward a more peaceful and harmonious world.

A Call for Peacebuilding

WFWP Washington DC member and emcee, Emaculate Mungye, set the tone for the program by addressing the participants with a heartfelt message: “Your presence here today means you are committing to forgiveness, to being a part of and an active contributor for peacebuilding in your community.” Her words captured the essence of the Bridge of Peace, a profound reminder that true peace begins with the individual’s decision to forgive, let go, and work toward a future built on unity.

Lessons from a Life of Peacebuilding

Kaeleigh Moffitt, President of WFWP USA, highlighted the profound wisdom of the organization's founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. “I started to see that some of the practices that Mother Moon teaches are truly essential to peacebuilding, and it is something missing in today’s academic and professional approaches.” Drawing from Mother of Peace, Dr. Moon’s memoir, Mrs. Moffitt offered three guiding principles for creating peace: live a life for others, practice true love, and embrace the heart of a mother. These simple yet profound lessons emphasize that peace is not just an external pursuit, but an internal transformation rooted in care, empathy, and service to others.

Building Bridges from the Heart

Vice-President of WFWP USA, Katarina Connery, introduced the bridge crossing ceremony, emphasizing its symbolic journey “from the head to the heart.” The act of crossing the bridge, she explained, represents more than a physical movement; it is a commitment to becoming a bridge of peace oneself, a living embodiment of reconciliation.

During the ceremony, each pair of participants shared personal peace pledges, committing to healing the divides between them. These pairs spanned various divides, including racial reconciliation, religious differences, and historical conflicts such as those between indigenous Central American tribes and Spanish colonizers. As they crossed the bridge, each pair made a powerful promise: to overcome prejudice and embrace one another as sisters in heart and purpose.

A Powerful Testament to Healing

Ms. Vondale Mack, one of the courageous women who crossed the Bridge of Peace, shared her deeply moving peace pledge:

“I viewed you as a white woman that is considered to be the world’s most protected individual and looked at myself as a black woman as one of the most unprotected women. This journey of coming together to share that pain, to apologize and share our tears and share our commitment to change has been powerful and eye-opening. We have taken a stand of sisterhood, against violence, hurt, and pain. I am grateful that we get to share this journey not just with ourselves, but we are committed to other women joining this journey.”

Ms. Mack’s words encapsulate the spirit of the Bridge of Peace: a radical act of reconciliation where the pain of the past is acknowledged, but the future is embraced with hope, compassion, and sisterhood. Her pledge serves as a reminder that peacebuilding is not just about mending broken systems—it’s about mending hearts.

Envisioning a Peaceful Future

After the emotional ceremony, Vice President Connery led the audience through a guided meditation, inviting them to envision what a peaceful world would look like. Participants were encouraged to reflect on the inner barriers they had built—walls of prejudice, fear, or resentment—and consider how they could break them down through understanding and compassion. The meditation concluded with an invitation for attendees to build their own bridges through meaningful dialogue and genuine connection with others in the room.

The Bridge of Peace: A Timeless Tool for Global Reconciliation

The Bridge of Peace is more than just a symbolic gesture; it is a living practice of reconciliation, healing, and transformation. Every bridge crossed is a step toward building a global human family, where the walls that divide us crumble, and where hearts once hardened by conflict open up to love, forgiveness, and understanding. For those who participated in the August 26th event, the journey didn’t end when they crossed the bridge—it continues in their lives as they become peacebuilders in their own communities, committed to nurturing peace from the inside out.

This timeless initiative of WFWP continues to inspire, reminding us all that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice, empathy, and love in our shared human experience.