June 12, 2002 The Little Angels Performing Arts Center, Seoul
Right in the middle of the World Cup–but before South Korea had experienced its miracle run against the great European footballing powers–True Parents took the bold step of creating a completely new international soccer tournament. Father acknowledges that there may be those who will scoff at the initiative. He believes, however, that football–a game that is played the world over–can serve as a vehicle for the advancement of peace. In the following excerpt from his speech at the Inaugural Banquet, he explains why.
Respected guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: It gives me great joy to be able to share this meaningful time with you today. In particular, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to those leaders participating in the 17th World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan, who are honoring this rally with their presence in spite of their busy schedules. Today, the twelfth of June, is the thirteenth day of the World Cup. Soccer fever is heating up around the world. Each day, we see the drama of competition played out in the midst of upset and upheaval, joy and disappointment. In the midst of this, a celebration of friendship and excitement is unfolding that transcends race, ideology and national boundaries.
As we gather here today, we must think deeply about how to work through sports to bring peace to all humanity.
The Bible says, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Throughout my life, I have attended God in the context of religion, academia, media, culture, the arts, sports and other fields by putting these words of the Bible into practice in accordance with the will of Heaven. My life of more than eighty years has been a continuous offering of sincerity and dedication for the establishment of God’s will and His ideals of freedom and happiness and the realization of a world of peace….
This is a rally of leaders in the world of soccer. Soccer fever is sweeping Korea and Japan and the entire world has come together in a festive atmosphere.
Ultimately, though, the proper way for world of sports is that the Olympics and the World Cup should guide the world’s people along the way of reconciliation and peace. Occasionally, there is cause for concern over money and power combining to contaminate the pure spirit of athleticism. It is necessary to examine carefully whether salaries offered top players are excessive and whether wealthy parties are engaging in unethical speculative or monopolistic practices.
In an effort to contribute toward world peace through sports, I have invested in the development of soccer in Korea by founding, some time ago, the Ilhwa professional soccer team. More recently, Sun Moon University began a soccer team. In Brazil as well, we are managing the Cene and Sorocaba professional soccer teams.
My interest in the management of soccer teams goes beyond business pursuits. My first priority is to teach sportsmanship to young people of the university soccer teams, so that they can be trained to join professional teams and contribute to world peace through sports.
It is well known that soccer began in England. It was developed at Eton College, a school for the sons of aristocrats, where, in addition to knowledge, physical fitness was considered an important quality for leaders. Because of the importance of teamwork in soccer, however, it did not take long for soccer’s popularity to grow beyond the aristocracy and encompass the larger society.
Even if one player is exceptionally skillful, it is still difficult for a team to win unless the other members can back up this individual. The ball is round and can roll this way or that, but the ball is honest and it rolls where a player kicks it. There is a principle of purposeful community underlying the game of soccer. In this game, there is no way for established powers to use trickery to preserve their own position. Neither is there an order according to which teams are allowed to score goals. In soccer, it does not matter whether a country is large or small, strong or weak. Goals are scored honestly, bringing joy and happiness to everyone. In soccer, there is only the energetic communal harmony that comes from team play.
Soccer and other sports, as well as the entirety of leisure culture, have developed over a long period of time. Sports were originally created in order to create strong bodies and maintain safe societies. Today, they have developed globally and bring enjoyment and enrichment to the lives of billions of people. So, it is important that we seek ways by which sports can contribute to the achievement of peace for all the world’s people.
The world stands at the dawn of a new millennium. Astonishing developments in information technology are bringing the ideal of one world family into reality. On the other hand, it is also true that the world faces a moral crisis with the danger that spiritual values will be destroyed. We must look to sports for constructive proposals on how to overcome hedonism and self-centered values among young people.
Sports employ rules to ensure fair competition. Thus defined, competition differs from conflict; the two exist on different levels. Conflict appears in the savage and bloodthirsty law of the jungle by which animals live. Here, one side uses physical and military strength to negate the other side’s existence and annihilate him. Competition in sports is different from this. Rules are established, the winner is decided in accordance with these rules, and each side acknowledges the other. A gentlemanly spirit governs sports.
As large numbers of people watch, the athletes demonstrate the attitude of fair play and sportsmanship as they compete based on their talents, abilities and strength. They follow the laws and rules that have been agreed upon, and they submit themselves to fair judgment by the referees.
Fair play is considered the most important aspect of the game. It requires obeying laws and following the rules. Breaking the rules and committing fouls result in the loss of points, expulsion from the game and the eventual loss of the privilege of participation. The offending players are punished. Athletes pour out all their energy, sincerity and courage for the sake of the victory and glory of the individual and his or her country. The victorious players receive a crown of laurels, a gold medal and a bouquet of flowers. They are congratulated with thunderous applause and their national anthem is played as their country’s flag is raised. Such a ceremony brings the height of emotion, the ultimate glory and a celebration for us all. The virtue of sports is when the loser does not dwell on his own disappointment, but applauds the accomplishment of the winner.
In sports, there is the beautiful fragrance of friendship and love among like-minded people. The beauty of the players appears when they demonstrate sportsmanship. They must work hard, shed sweat and tears and achieve incredible standards of skill. They must be trained in the virtues of fairness, proper order and etiquette.
The realm of sports has made large contributions to modern society. It has contributed to our physical and mental health and has provided excitement through skillful play. The love of sports can transcend religious dogma and political ideology. All people can become one through sports, so sports can spread a banquet of reconciliation and peace, where the hearts of all the world’s people can come together as one.
Though the Cold War has ended, the world is yet unable to throw off its common yoke of suffering. As the September 11 tragedy demonstrated, the world is in agony over conflict and strife between religious and ethnic groups. In addition, the world’s natural environment is being destroyed. Young people who are to be responsible for the future are becoming cynical, fascinated with materialism and hedonism, falling prey to drugs and abandoning civil norms.
In order to solve these problems, we need to graft the authentic spirit of sports onto a foundation of the truth that teaches us to live, like God, for the sake of others, and we need to put this spirit and truth into practice. In this way, we will be able to build a world of harmony, peace and unification.
For this reason, I am happy to announce the establishment of the Sun Moon Peace Cup. The Sun Moon Peace Cup is the Cup of the Sun and the Moon, the Cup of the Parents of Heaven and Earth and the Cup of Peace. May it shine forever with the light of pure love. The Sun Moon Peace Cup is different from existing trophies, for they exclude God, emphasize entertainment and idolize celebrity. We must know God and the spirit world thoroughly. We must walk the path of truth.
The Sun Moon Peace Cup will be a festival. It will bring together efforts toward the original world of God’s ideal in the fields of religion, science, politics, economics and sports, including the unique contributions of women and youth. In it, people will express their desire for humanity to come together as one large family. It will serve as a particularly important starting point for our progress toward the ideal of true peace centering on God’s true love, transcending barriers between races, countries, ethnic groups, religions and ideologies.
The Sun Moon Peace Cup will not only celebrate a healthy spirit of humanity. As our spiritual nature continues to develop, it will become a festival of internal and external reconciliation and harmony within the world community. It will be a place where people unite in one mind, as one family, and in one heart, to open the way toward God’s ideal of creation, a world of peace, freedom and happiness. I want to inform you that Pelé has already promised to work with me for this great cause. I would like to ask FIFA, Pelé Promotion and everyone here to take a leading role and contribute significantly toward the development of the Sun Moon Peace Cup.
I pray that God’s love and blessing will flow abundantly upon you and your families. Thank you.
