Sun Myung Moon
May 18, 2011
UPF-Germany
Berlin, Germany -- Crowds packed the avant-garde Tempodrom in Berlin May 17 and 18 to see the Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet during their thank-you tour to veterans who defended freedom in Korea six decades ago and to hear UPF Founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon challenge Germans to lift up the banner of peace in our time.
From the time Father and Mother Moon arrived on May 16, the hours passed in conversation with UPF leaders and members, impromptu singing and dancing, and touring historic sites by boat and bus. They walked through the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of German reunification and the end of the Cold War that had divided both the nation and the city until 1989. On previous visits in 1965 and 1981, Father Moon had prayed for German unity on the western side of the gate. During the 1980s, he often spoke of the divided city and nation, which reminded him of his divided homeland of Korea. Joining the crowds passing freely through the city on his first visit to reunified Germany perhaps brought some closure to the memories of the earlier era.
They attended the performance of the Little Angels who are on a tour that began last year on the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War to thank members of the UN Peacekeeping Force who came to the aid of South Korea. Moreover, 57 years ago on that same day, May 17, Germans opened a hospital in Pusan on the southern tip of Korea which not only offered medical care to the Korean people at a time of great need but also trained Korean nurses.
A capacity crowd of 2,500 the following evening enjoyed music by a band from Düsseldorf, followed by a German choir. Next came a beautiful interfaith water ceremony conducted by representatives of four major religions representing their joint commitment to work for interfaith understanding and cooperation. Dr. Achim Rohde, former President of the German state of Nordrhein Westfalen, and H.E. Alfred Moisiu, former President of Albania, expressed their appreciation for Father Moon's ideals.
After Rev. Hyung Jin Moon introduced his parents, Father Moon read the prepared text and added comments about Germany. Two thousand headsets were provided to the international audience, and the speech was translated into English, German, French, Czech, Polish, and Dutch.
Afterwards, Father and Mother Moon received flowers, a painting of the Brandenburg Gate, and a "Peace Flame" presented by a descendant of the Habsburg royal line. Then the Little Angels performed, concluding an evening of receiving God's word, graced by heavenly love and beauty.