Conference in Kiev Promotes a 'Great National Idea'

Jacques Marion
October 18, 2012
UPF -- Ukraine

Kiev, Ukraine -- An international conference on "Toward a Great Country through a Great National Idea," attended by 110 participants, took place in Kiev, Ukraine, on October 18. At the beginning of the event the Trio of Bandura Players of the National Radio Company performed for the participants, creating by their music a special atmosphere for the conference because a very urgent theme was to be discussed.

After a video presentation about UPF activity all over the world, in Eurasia, and Ukraine, participants in the conference honored the memory of UPF Founder Dr. Sun Myung Moon, who passed away on September 3, by a minute of silence.

Thereafter, Secretary General of UPF-Eurasia Jacques Marion took the floor. The audience was very impressed by his speech. Four professors expressed their desire to publish the materials of the conference in the periodicals of their universities. The Rector of the Kiev University of Law invited Jacques Marion to conduct a master class in his university. Ambassador for Peace from Japan Makino Sumiko shared about how the Japanese people have ben promoting development and prosperity of the nation.

The head of UPF-Ukraine, Mikhaylo Ilin, summed up the results of the conference emphasizing that the national idea of Ukraine should be based on the principle of living for others. He also proposed to organize in the coming year a number of meetings of Ambassadors for Peace on the theme of promoting the Ukrainian national idea.

The Ukrainian national idea is a frequent topic of current discussion as people seek a strategic vision for the future.

This time, five people committed to the ideal of world peace were presented with Ambassador for Peace certificates. At the end of the program, participants enjoyed the performance of the folk-song ensemble "Namysto." During informal sharing, the participants in the conference wished the initiators much success and expressed their desire to cooperate in promoting the ideas of the Universal Peace Federation.