HUMAN RIGHTS TEA EVENT IN SEATTLE

Participants at the Seattle Tea and Forum for Human Rights

A Tea and Forum for Human Rights and Religious Freedom was held on the University of Washington's Seattle campus on Saturday, November 20, 2010. After the event received student attention, The Daily of the University of Washington published an article, which includes quotes of forum speakers, including one of 4,300 Unificationist victims of religious persecution in Japan.

The forum's program director, ChunMi Araki, later recalled to familyfed.org that the idea for this forum to raise awareness was inspired by Unification Church President and CEO, Rev. In Jin Moon's visits to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressmen in order to garner their support in lobbying the Japanese DIET to enforce its policies towards the kidnappings of Unification Church members in Japan.

Rev. Larry Krishnek, pastor of the Unification Church in Seattle and Chun Mi Araki, executive secretary of the Washington chapter of the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), had previously set up an appointment for Rev. Moon to meet with a Washington Congressman. At that time, they also had the opportunity to meet Mr. Luke Higuchi, President of Survivors Against Forced Exit (S.A.F.E), and Mr. Raymond Mas, Deputy Director for the International Coalition for Religious Freedom (ICRF).

After hearing Rev. Moon's communication with the Congressmen, and seeing their immediate responses for action, ChunMi wanted to bring this issue to the grassroots level.

The event was supported by the combined efforts of Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), Universal Peace Federation (UPF), Collegiate Association for Research of Principles (CARP), and American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC).