“When we practice a lifestyle of service, truly living for others, we exemplify the highest ideals of human character.” –Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon
The 2017 Global Peace Convention (GPC) in the Philippines will highlight the culture of service, promoting social entrepreneurship and community-driven initiatives as essential tools to address global challenges, including education, poverty and quality of life.
A peaceful world begins with a new culture of peace. However, fostering a culture of peace is only possible through cultivating individual character and raising citizens and leaders who are driven by moral principles and values.
The act of serving others can be as simple as a few hours of manual labor from a volunteer. Through service, the most powerful changes happen when individuals have a vision and sense of responsibility to become an owner of the solution rather than merely a participant in the process. One of the most natural ways this mindset can come about is through the vision of One Family under God.
Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon welcomes leaders to the 2014 GPC in Paraguay.
When we are able to look at other members of our community and society as members of the same human family, we are naturally inclined to serve others. This kind of attitude provokes us to not just serve for one day, but provide long-lasting solutions to the challenges facing our brothers, sisters, children, parents and all other members of people we consider family. So, by expanding our definition of family, we are able to create a global culture rooted in a renewed identity. In this context, service tests human creativity in collaborative efforts to solve challenges, allowing people who share service experiences to develop innovation and practical skills.
The components of the Youth Leadership and Service track at the Convention will present how this perspective is implemented in practical ways.
The Global Service Forum will contribute to foster youth volunteering partnership actions in specific issue cluster areas including: health and environmental service, disaster response, interfaith and youth peace building, youth entrepreneurship and education. These topics are workshopped in a variety of sessions, including “Disaster Response and Risk Reduction and Youth Capacity Building,” which will explore case studies from the Philippines and Rise Nepal where young people served as first responders in their communities, innovatively coordinating their efforts using social media. The working session on Public Private Partnership in Community Development will explore how innovative partnerships can overcome financial and other resource limitations to provide solutions for unmet needs in local communities. Another session on Engaging Corporate Social Responsibility, will feature notable corporate leaders like Arlita Narag, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Philippines, will explore how government and non-government organizations, small and medium enterprises, and multinational corporations can develop closer ties with the community and promote a broader culture of social responsibility.
The model of collaboration amongst partners of GPC is apparent in the international network of organizations present at the Convention, showing just how much can be accomplished with a common vision and willingness to work together.
Follow live updates during the Convention on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #GlobalPeace.