IIFWP Wants Middle-East Crisis Resolved
The Inter-religious & International Peace Council (IIPC), a project of the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) in continuation of the World Peace Pilgrimage, has invited continents of the world to go to Israel in support of the Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI).
The Founder of the IIPC, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, who extended the global invitation, said Latin America, Africa, Oceania, Europe, North America and Asia are expected to send 500 pilgrims each to Israel to participate in the event
IIPC documents circulated under the signatures of Dr. Thomas Walsh and Rev. Michael Jenkins, Secretary -General and Co-Chairman for the US based IIFWP said the Pilgrimage for these continents would run as of July up to August, September, October and November.
The IIPC has for more than one year been sponsoring Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, making great strides in inter-religious reconciliation and cooperation among religions and ethnic groups of that historical area which experiences a debacle for ownership in the hands of the Palestinian and Israelis.
“Africa’s time to travel to the Holy Land for the World Peace Pilgrimage is November 5-18. Clergy, professors, women leaders, political leaders, and all ambassadors for peace are invited,” the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), a local branch of the IIFWP told The Analyst.
The pilgrimage, according the President of the FFWPU, the Rev. Augustine Akoi, will include a special ‘Bridge of Peace” Ceremony as well as tours throughout the Holy Land including luncheons in Jewish, Christians, and Muslim Communities.
Rev. Akoi also hinted that the luncheons would bring together pilgrims, ambassadors for peace from the Holy Land and Mayors, members of the Knesset, key Imams, Rabbis and Pastors from Middle East.
Pilgrims would be allowed to visit major holy sites to include such as Bethlehem, Sea of Galilee, Garden of Gethsemane, Dead Sea, Upper Room, and Al Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall, Rev. Akoi disclosed.
The Inter-religious Federation of World Peace formally launched the Middle East Initiative with an international consultation held on February 27-March 2, 2003 in Washington DC.
The Consultations were held on the theme “Beyond Coexistence Toward a New Culture of Peace: Focus on The Middle East”.
The FFWPU President said the pilgrimage is a subsequent consultative meeting designed to offer broad approach to the challenges facing the Middle East with a focus of bringing religious leaders to the table along with political academic, and activist experts.
“The issues range from deeply detailed reflections on Israel and Palestine to broader, theoretical reflections on the clash of or dialogue among civilizations,” he emphasized.
At the pilgrimage, the National Transitional Government would be represented at the highest executive level, a Liberian members of IIFWP, Rev. Augustine Arkoi hinted The Analyst.
Meanwhile a meeting of pilgrims and the leadership of the FFWPU will meet this soon to discuss details of the pilgrimage.