WCSF 2007 - Grand Opening Ceremony

Cheonan, Korea - July 4, 2007

Dr. Rev Sung Myung Moon

The 12th World Culture and Sports Festival opened on July 4th, 2007 in Cheonan,
Korea, with the 1200 participants of the Interreligious Peace Sports Festival
joining more than 6,000 applauding guests at the Cheonan Sports Stadium.

Congratulatory speakers included Sir James Mancham, chair of the UPF Global Peace
Council and founding President of the Seychelles and former Korean Prime Minister
Sang Joo Lee. WCSF chair Hyun Jin Moon congratulated the athletes of the IPSF,
representing more than 60 nations. True Parents delivered the keynote peace
address, and an exciting martial arts dramatic presentation finished the official
ceremony.

True Father said in his speech:

...Calling ourselves lords of creation and acting according to our own desires,
we human beings have been creating a disastrous history. We have perpetrated
terrible massacres and suffered incredible natural disasters. Despite this, we
have survived and have continued to multiply until this day. We still seek a
bright and happy world, although with only a vague concept of what that might be.
Why is it that the human race is still unable to escape from this mire of sin and
disease? ...

... The first of these roles is to become a true parent. God created us as His
children. We were to become true children by perfecting our character as
individuals. We do this by first going through a period of growth and
responsibility, living according to the moral laws and principles established by
God. Upon reaching spiritual maturity, we were then to become true couples, have
children, and thus attain the position of true parents. In short, we were to
perfect ourselves in love and life by practicing and embodying the true love that
was bestowed on us by God with the act of our creation.

However, in reality moral values in our world today are deteriorating
uncontrollably. The moral laws governing the relationship between parents and
children have been thrown to the ground; fidelity between couples is being
discarded as an old-fashioned concept of the older generation, and brotherly love
between siblings has become a rare commodity, buried in the swamp of self-
centered individualism.

This is why in order to establish peace, we must first and foremost establish
true families based on true love. These will be families in which three
generations can live together in true love, centered on the true parents.

1200 participants shouted "YES"

The second of the three roles we must each fulfill is to become a true teacher.
One way or another, during our lifetime all people enter relationships where one
is a teacher and the other a student. Our first teachers are our parents and our
first school is in the family. Indeed, our parents should be the first and
greatest teachers among all teachers. Parents have the primary responsibility, in
the position of true teachers, in raising true children.

Children who are raised well by true parents through a true and good family
education will easily progress into their school education. Although at school we
receive an institutionalized level of education, even within that framework
teachers have the responsibility not only to impart knowledge but also to raise
and educate their students to become true children, with the heart of a parent.
By this I mean that horizontal academic education must be carried out on the
foundation of vertical character education. Thus, a true teacher must first
become one who possesses the heart of a true parent.

As part of WSCF 2007, an international blessing of marriage under the title "2007 Cross-cultural Marriage Blessing Ceremony in the Sacred Reign of Peace" was held on July 4, 2007

The third of the three roles is to become a true owner and a true citizen of
God's kingdom of peace. God, who created the universe, is of course the original
and true owner and lord of all the things of creation. God's creation is the
fruit of His complete investment, carried out on the standard of his own absolute
faith, absolute love, and absolute obedience to the heavenly law of living for
others. God wants all of us to gain the wisdom that will allow each one of us to
inherit everything he has and to become a true owner. I am referring to the
secret wisdom of being able to live for others by investing true love on the
basis of God's absolute standard. The prerequisite to becoming a true owner is to
first possess the heart of a true parent.

The "Three Great Subjects" principle is an organic relationship that is mutual,
absolute, and indivisible. In other words, each of the three primary roles of
parent, teacher and owner is related to each of the others. Once you attain the
position of a true parent, the positions of a true teacher and true owner emerge
from there. Once you reach the position of a true teacher, the positions of true
parent and true owner are included. Once you attain the position of the true
owner, you will immediately become a true parent and true teacher...

After the opening, the rest of the day was taken up with practices of the various
sports teams, in diverse locations around Asan and Cheonan cities. The soccer
field, located directly across from the Sun Moon University dining hall, has
become a natural place for people to relax and watch the various teams play, and
for impromptu matches to take place as well. Various delegations have still been
arriving, some held up by visa and other regulatory problems.

The cultural programs were once again a time of fun and inspiration. An impromptu
dance between the Thailand Phrae dance troupe and the participants took place
during the evening celebrations, with a delightful team in a Llama costume,
elegant Thai dancers, and the joy-filled participants. Later, the Sri Lankan
dancers seemed to bring to life some beautiful tableau in a rare book, with their
beautiful poses and graceful movements accentuated by colorful costumes.

In a moving example of the unifying nature of faith, the final prayer was chanted
in unison by a trio of Muslim participants from Afghanistan and Indonesia. The
sports competitions for the 12th World Culture and Sports Festival began on July
4th 2007.