Address to Middle East Peace Initiative
Jerusalem, May 18, 2004

Thank you for coming here to this area and for your willingness to see its  complexities. We appreciate your patient efforts to understand the fear,  pain and anger on all sides and for bringing your faith and hope that peace is indeed possible. Peace begins here.

Without hope peace will not be possible. Fear will take over. Your full presence in our difficult times will help bring peace and understanding.

These particular days are very meaningful for both Israelis and Palestinians as traumatic events of the past century are being commemorated…. For people of Jewish faith, last week we had Holocaust day, this evening we have entered Remembrance Day leading into Independence Day which is Naqba Day — a disaster, a catastrophe — for the Palestinians. We have yet to deal with the fear and pain generated by these experiences.

Both our peoples are very similar in many ways. We share common roots and most of our actions in this region are motivated by the fear of not surviving. We forget that our past, present and future is interconnected, like all of us here in this hall.

Your care and loving kindness is much in need.

Both sides are deeply stuck in fears, and most of our energies are still focused on being victims, feeling isolated and blaming. These are habits of years and at times it is more convenient to hold on to the familiar sufferings – than fully assuming responsibilities for ourselves or our communities.

So we ask you to embrace both sides with loving kindness to so that you may be able to nurture this quality of mind in us. This will enable us to clear hearts and to accept each other in a spirit of real acceptance.

This is something we must work at every day just as the gardener  would prepare the land, sow the seed and watch the plant develop. It does not happen because we say we would like to see it. We have to work at it. Just as mothers love and protect her children at the risk of her own life, so we can cultivate boundless love to offer to all living beings in the entire cosmos. We often say: "I know that." The real question, however, is “Do I do that?”

I would like to read you some words from the founders of this peace initiative, Dr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon:
“History is calling for reconciliation, compassion, love, service and sacrifice. Today’s problems cannot be solved by the logic of power...Our present problems can only be solved by the logic of love.”

Our responsibility now is to inherit this principle, put it into practice and become a true human being. If you accomplish these things, you are sure to become a key player in bringing about world peace.”

We thank them for their vision and their actions, which has brought us all  together,  here, in Jerusalem. With deep appreciation and gratitude we acknowledge their foresight and we thank you all for your active participation in converting their vision to reality.

I wish us success in cultivating our loving kindness together and in behaving towards those with whom we do not agree with wisdom and equanimity, so our actions will mirror our words and the vision of the founders.

This is our joint responsibility for past, present and future generations — for our families, children and grandchildren.

We wish you a most enjoyable stay, a journey of real peace in within yourselves and among others, a journey of increasing harmony and contribution towards regional and world peace. God bless you all.