Dr. Moon advocates that peacebuilding starts with peace within oneself.
Dr. Moon has emphasized that the framework for lasting peace is rooted in universal aspirations and spiritual principles and values.
However, conflict resolution has often been viewed as a political or diplomatic process. Such approaches are confining, rooted in self-interest, economic solutions, and diplomatic relations. In the 20th century, a time of tremendous conflict, political and diplomatic attempts have not been able to secure lasting peace.
The Global Peace Foundation is bringing a spiritual component into the peace process. It is often forgotten that moral authority is needed to initiate the peace process on any level. Moral authority is grounded on the merit of living for a higher purpose.
Thus the peace making process begins with the greatest challenge: to find harmony within the oneself. This starts from having a higher purpose. For most spiritual and religious people, their sense of purpose and meaning in life is grounded in their personal relationship with God, the Creator, and their efforts to embody fundamental principles such as living for others.
Peace found in having a clear purpose in life then extends to the family and tribe, and eventually to the nation and world.
In other words, everyone can participate in the peacemaking process in any large or small way. The foundation is a good life, driven by humanity’s ageless dream of for lasting peace.
The following is composed from a recent interview with Dr. Moon.