WFWPI General Assembly and WFWPI Special Educational Sessions

Written by: Mion Tsuchiaka

Women's Federation for World Peace International (WFWPI) hosted the 2022 General Assembly and Special Educational Session to provide an international platform to communicate and educate WFWP leaders and members around the world. The two-day event, held on March 4 and 5, was educational, empowering and featured panels, keynote speeches, inspiring entertainment, and discussions for the annual plans at the international and regional levels.
All sessions were open to the public, with nearly 400 people worldwide joining each session live via the Zoom and YouTube platforms. The webinars were interpreted into six languages: Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, Thai, and Chinese.

The first day, March 4, began with opening remarks by Dr. Paris Moon, WFWPI Secretary General. She welcomed the audience to the assembly amid the serious situation in Ukraine and Russia and prayed for a peaceful resolution between the two countries. She then introduced Dr. Julia H. Moon, WFWPI President, who noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the WFWP. “In 1992, the co-founders of the WFWP proclaimed the coming of the ‘global era of women’ and launched the WFWP with the special mission of becoming the core organization of the world peace movement by women. They brought a new understanding of the central role of women. We advocate for women's right to be happy and free from oppression, but we also recognize that we have placed part of the responsibility for changing our environment on ourselves. I know that you are all looking forward to this General Assembly so that we can accomplish more work for our common dream of peace.”

In the Special remarks by Dr. Sun Jin Moon, she shared “You all are the living testament to our Founders’ reach and great partnerships, to grow and enlighten multiple generations of peace-loving global citizens who will never give up on this noble dream of peace. Although these current times and crises are disheartening, we know that there is hope on the horizon. That great hope resides in your hearts, your work, your support, and your ongoing commitment to saving all life on earth. We have inherited the great vision of ‘One family under our Universal Creator, our Heavenly Parent.’”

Ms. Hye Ryun’s powerful piano performance "Perdon" captured the hearts of the audience. Ms. Jung is a South Korean currently living in Spain. She studied the piano at the Superior Conservatory of Music in Madrid and has dedicated herself to teaching the piano and organizing concerts with her students every year. In April 2021, she released her first album "En Silencio Contigo."

Dr. Paris Moon then presented the annual plan for the International Headquarters for 2022. This year is especially important for the organization as it marks the 30th anniversary of its founding. WFWP IHQ has also set the global themes for the year to unite the hearts and spirits around the Co-founders’ vision and set common goals and plans for further international and regional events, programs, and campaigns. The Global themes are Peace and Reconciliation and Heavenly Unified Korea; Environment and Climate Change; Women’s Leadership and Education.

The second part of the General Assembly began with Ms. Amaele Cunningham’s performance of “L’envie d’aimer” from the famous French musical “The ten commandments.” Ms. Cunningham has been involved in the performing arts since she was a child and has been exposed to all genres of art, including dance, singing, and acting. As a Brussels-based music artist, she, as a young professional, views music as the most powerful form of communication in the world and a way to bring people together.

The Meet-and-Greet that followed provided an interactive platform for global participants to meet their international colleagues and friends. 15-minute sessions were still not enough for leaders and members who were meeting for the first time since the beginning of 2022.

The climax of the day was the regional annual planning reports by the leaders of the 11 regions (Africa, Asia Pacific 1, Asia Pacific 2, Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, Japan, Korea, Latin America, North America, and UN Offices), led by the International Vice Presidents and Regional Secretary Generals. Each presenter had 5 minutes to deliver an excellent presentation, professionally organizing the focused content and explaining key goals and commitments that will certainly benefit the people of the local community as well as the world.

The ceremony concluded with Eurasia's young professional, Ms. Misoon Nemirovskaya, singing "Never Enough." Her powerful voice touched the hearts of many. Ms. Nemirovskaya is a young professional who teaches vocal and instrumental music. She studied in the College of Music and Aesthetics in Yekaterinburg and also promotes her music activities via YouTube and Instagram. She loves Korean culture and people and hopes for the fast reunification in the Korean peninsula and peace in the world.

The International President thanked all the leaders and members who continue to build and develop the foundation of the WFWP and delivered her closing remarks. She also expressed her hope for the audience to learn more from the special educational session the following day and be empowered to accomplish more work for the common dream of a peaceful world.

On March 5, WFWPI's special educational session covered topics related to IT-related skill development and self-sufficient finance, which are currently the focus of attention. As the world changes and moves, the way people think and work is evolving based on the environment and people's needs. NGOs, aiming to achieve the 2030 SDGs, are also developing and creating innovative ways to help people and communities "efficiently" and "effectively.”

In Session 1,“Introduction to Creative Coding,” WFWPI introduced the IT world, especially creative coding which can help keep the tone of the future of development for better engagement in digital marketing and cost-effective to reach a large number of people. Mrs. Elina Razena, a social entrepreneur and modern education enthusiast introduced to the world of programming by sharing her personal experiences and best practices. She is the founder and CEO of LearnIT, the first nationwide programming school in Latvia that encourages students and teachers to become creators of their digital world and use technology as a tool of modern creativity. Since its foundation, more than 1500 children and 500 Computer Science teachers have attended Learn IT’s courses, created digital solutions for their daily issues, and participated in various events, hackathons and competitions. Besides that, she advocates the importance of creativity, coding, and digital literacy for the wider public by volunteering as a European Union Code Week Ambassador of Latvia, sharing her experience as a TEDxRiga 2018 speaker, and speaking at various events. Mrs. Razena has been acknowledged as one of the most influential, creative, and outstanding women in Latvia in the field of technology in Pastaiga Magazine's top “Woman of The Year 2021,” as well as one of the brightest and most promising game-changers under the age of 30 in the field of education and science by Forbes Latvia. Her ideas and social impact have been recognized by Reach for Change, the Embassy of Sweden, One Young World.

In Session 2, “NGO and Self-Sufficiency,” WFWPI concentrated on the role of NGOs as non-profit organizations, how to make finance, and how women can become economically independent through learning. Dr. Jennifer Huang, with the interactive presentation on NGO and small business cash management for economic self-sufficiency, explained the latest financing and funding solutions. Dr. Huang is a finance lecturer who regularly speaks on financial literacy for Generation Z, hosting seminars and workshops from schools to non-profit organizations. She has made it her mission to empower others financially through education. A former corporate executive in Kaplan Financial and the Walt Disney Company China, she has managed and delivered financial training programs, including treasury management, financial planning, and credit analysis, to thousands of financial professionals and advisors. She realized that many people were seeking financial help but lacked the minimum knowledge to have a meaningful start. Since 2017, she dedicated herself to helping young students and women to build a financial foundation by offering practical financial courses focused on topics like investment management and personal wealth management. She holds a doctorate in banking and finance from RMIT University Australia. Dr. Huang is an Associate Financial Planner and a Certified Treasury Professional. She has served as a board member of the Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. and is a member of the Financial Planning Association Australia. She is also a member of the Victoria Advisory Committee of WFWP Australia.

The panel presentations were followed by a question and answer session during which participants were able to interact with the speakers and ask further questions. Participants wrote comments in the chatbox, expressing their appreciation for what they found to be an informative session that answered their questions and concerns as they lead their organizations and carry out various activities in their respective countries. The session empowered women leaders around the world to take action and make positive changes for a brighter future.

The two-day WFWPI General Assembly was both fun and educational, and WFWPI believes that at this critical time, participants have become more courageous and confident as women leaders representing the vision of our founders to serve people and to raise a promising future generation of filial piety and wisdom. This time became a “spring” for each one to make a difference in the lives of the people in their regions and around the world.

- WFWPI General Assembly
- WFWPI Special Educational Sessions