The World Summit 2013 Report

February 22, 2013

Day 1 - Opening reception and networking with high-level delegates from around the globe. Gala entertainment and multimedia presentations set the stage for serious work in the days ahead.

Welcome Banquet

February 23, 2013

Day 2 - The highest level delegates from throughout the world delivered their keynote addresses at the opening plenary. In the afternoon, expert speakers described how the Republic of Korea is dealing with the challenges of peace, security, and development, and offered steps that could help leaders from other regions.

Session I: Opening Plenary - World Summit "Global Assembly"

Chair: Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, President, UPF International [video]

Interfaith Prayer and Candle Lighting
Congratulatory Remarks: Hon. Choung Byoung Gug, Member of the National Assembly, Korea [video with both the original Korean and English translation audible]
Welcome Remarks: Dr. Chang Shik Yang, Vice Chair, UPF International [Text]
Opening Address: Rev. Hyung Jin Moon, Chairman, UPF International [Text | video]

Global Assembly Part I

The keynote speakers addressed the overall conference theme of “Peace, Security, and Human Development,” offering their reflections, insights, and recommendations concerning the critical issues that face their nation, their region, and the world. Drawing on their experience as leaders, the keynote speakers recommended steps that may be taken to achieve peace and prosperity. Recommendations focused on the role of government as well as civil society, the private sector, and the media. 

Keynote Speakers:
Afghanistan: H.E. Mohammad Karim Khalili, Vice President [text in English, video in Persian]
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: H.E. Zivko Budimir, President [text | video]
Guinea-Bissau: H.E. Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo, President [text in English, Portuguese]
Kosovo: H.E. Hashim Thaci, Prime Minister [text]
Mali: H.E. Mintou Doucoure Traore, First Lady [text in English, French]
Sao Tome and Principe: H.E. Alcino Martinho de Barros Pinto, President of the National Assembly [original text in Portuguese; translations into French | English]

Global Assembly Part II

This session featured speakers who addressed the critical issues facing East Asia and especially the Korean Peninsula itself. With a number of new-generation leaders in China, Japan, and both South and North Korea, there remain many wide-ranging challenges, including nuclear weapons development in North Korea, economic dominance and military development in China, disputes over island territories, trade relations, and a global shift toward the Asia Pacific. Speakers offered insights and analyses that provided perspectives and recommended solutions to the critical challenges.

Chair: Mr. Tajeldin Hamad, Secretary General, UPF International

Keynote Speakers:
Solomon Islands: Mme Bronwyn Noda Lilo, Wife of Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo [text]
Sri Lanka: H.E. D. M. Jayaratne, Prime Minister [text]
Tanzania: Mme Tunu Rehani Pinda, Wife of the Prime Minister [text]
Timor-Leste: H.E. Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister [text]
Zimbabwe: H.E. Morgan R. Tsvangirai, Prime Minister [text]

Plenary Session III: Peace and Security in East Asia

Chair: Dr. Anthony J. Guerra, President, The Washington Times Foundation, USA [text]

Speakers:
Rev. Jeung Rho Yoon, Chair, UPF Korea [text]
Hon. Dong Won Lim, Former Minister of Unification, Korea [video in Korean | text in English]
Amb. Tetsuo Endo, Former Ambassador in Charge of Japan-North Korea Normalization Talks, Japan [text]
Hon. Dennis Hastert, Former Speaker, House of Representatives, USA [text]

February 24, 2013

Day 3 - In high-level briefings, leaders explored the challenges facing their nations and the regions, offering constructive advice and innovative solutions.

Focus on Africa and the Middle East

Africa and the Middle East are two of the most dynamic regions of our contemporary world, evidenced in developments such as the “Arab Spring” across much of North Africa and in Arab nations of the Middle East, as well as the rising, positive economic trends in Africa and the strengthening of the African Union. In contrast, there is widespread poverty and insurgencies that continue in countries such as Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo. What are the critical issues facing these regions, and what are steps that can be taken toward peace, security, and human development?

Chair: H.E. Jean Ping, Former Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union; Former UN General Assembly President

Speakers:
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Former Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, UN [text | video]
H.E. Domitien Ndayizeye, Former President, Burundi [video in French; text in French | English]
H.E. Jerry Rawlings, Former President, Ghana [video | text]
H.E. Mr. Lambert Mende Omalanga, Minister of Information, Democratic Republic of Congo [video in French | text in English translation]
H.E. Hisham Badr, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Egypt [video | text]
Dr. Sonia Ramzi, Former Head of the Promotion of Cultural Heritage, UNESCO [video in French; text in French | English]
Hon. Ran Cohen, Former Knesset Member, Israel [video | text]
Dr. Hamdi Murad, Professor, World Islamic Sciences and Education University, Jordan [video | text]

Questions and answers [video]

Focus on the Americas

The Americas represent a diverse range of countries, cultures, and peoples who reside in nations from Argentina to Canada, from the Antarctic to the Arctic. While the USA has been the undisputed superpower of the region, if not the world, recent trends in globalization, a re-centering of power toward the Asia Pacific, and multilateralism are changing the dynamics. Nations such as Brazil and Mexico have vibrant, growing, dynamic economies. Parts of Canada are booming due to the discovery of energy products needed by the world. How are we to understand the current challenges facing the nations of the region in a global context?

Chair: Mr. Thomas McDevitt, Chairman, The Washington Times, USA

Speakers:
Amb. Sam Zakhem, Former Ambassador to Bahrain, USA [text]
Hon. Dan Burton, Former Member of Congress, USA [text]
H.E. Arnoldo Aleman Lacayo, Former President, Nicaragua [text in Spanish, English]
Hon. Roxana Mendez Obarrio, Mayor, Panama City, Panama [text in Spanish, English]
Hon. David Kilgour, Former Canadian Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa [text]
Hon. Dr. Donald Meredith, Senator, Canada [text]

Focus on Europe and Eurasia

Europe and Eurasia represent two major economic, political, and military power blocs in our world. Three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council are included in the geographic region that reaches from the Atlantic to the Urals. The European Union represents one of humanity's noblest and most challenging efforts toward a united, regional association of sovereign states, and the USSR was itself an effort to form a union of states, albeit in a very different way. Contemporary Europe, post-Soviet Russia, and Eastern Europe have undergone rapid and profound changes. How are we to understand these changes and challenges in light of our theme, “Peace, Security, and Human Development”?

Chair: Mr. Mark Brann, Regional Secretary General, UPF-Europe

Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Arta Musaraj, Deputy Minister of Defense, Albania [video | text]
Dr. Werner Fasslabend, Former Defense Minister, Austria [text]
Dr. Willem van Eekelen, Former Defense Minister, Netherlands [text]
Rev. Dr. Marcus Braybrooke, President, World Congress of Faiths, UK [text]
H.E. Stanislav Shushkevich, Former Chair of the Supreme Council, Belarus [text]
H.E. Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat, Former President, Mongolia [text]
H.E. Elena Drapeko, First Vice Chair of the Committee of Culture, State Parliament, Russian Federation [text]

Session VII: Focus on the Asia-Pacific Region

Much is said about the emergence of the Asia-Pacific era. What are the central characteristics of this rise? What are the opportunities? What are the challenges? What is the significance of the rise of China as a superpower nation and India as the world’s largest democracy? What is the significance of the ASEAN nations, the Pacific Forum, and other nations of South Asia? Asia is our most populated region and increasingly the center of economic and political power. It is also the birthplace of the world’s great religions. Speakers will address contemporary trends and directions in Asia as well as challenges and problems, offering constructive recommendations toward the expansion of a realm of peace, security, and human development in the region.

Chair: Hon. Jose De Venecia, Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Philippines; Chairman, International Conference of Asian Political Parties

Speakers:
Amb. Yoichi Yamaguchi, Former Ambassador to Turkey and Myanmar, Japan [text]
Dr. Mingjun Jiang, General Director, International Eco-Safety Cooperative Organization, People’s Republic of China [text]
Hon. David John Clarke, Parliament of New South Wales, Australia [text]
Mr. Colin Craig, Founding Leader of the Conservative Party, New Zealand [text]
Hon Ek Nath Dhakal, Minister of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Nepal [text]

Closing Session

February 25, 2013

All Day

Departures and Optional Programs