“Become sparks that light up this dark world.”
Mother Moon, July 2017
Mother Moon, July 2017
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon was born on February 10, 1943 in Anju, South Pyeongan Province, in what is now North Korea. At the age of six, she fled to South Korea with her mother and grandmother, risking their lives to cross the border in the dead of night.
From a very young age, Mother Moon developed a deep relationship with God in a close father-daughter bond. When she married the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon in 1960, their mutual desire to see a true world of peace led her to join him on a pioneering course as the Mother of Peace.
As the Parents of Peace, Father and Mother Moon presented models for bridging conflict, division, and resentment in the fields of education, politics, arts, sciences, media and human rights, all united under the banner of the Unification movement.
Since the first Marriage Blessing officiated by Father and Mother Moon in 1960, this tradition has expanded to become an inter-religious affirmation of the universal importance of marriage and family. The Marriage Blessing transcends boundaries and religious affiliations, and creates a shared experience as one family under God.
Mother Moon teaches that women, as true daughters of God, must play a central role in creating a just and peaceful society. To this point, she established the Women’s Federation for World Peace in 1992, championing the vital role of women in peace building at the United Nations, the United States Capitol, the Great Hall of the People in China and the Korean National Assembly.
Since her husband’s passing in 2012, Mother Moon has lead the worldwide ministry of the Unification movement. She is prioritizing the education of young people, challenges facing the environment, and human disasters, such as the growing refugee crisis.
Mother Moon’s most recent humanitarian efforts include the founding of the prestigious Sun Hak Peace Prize, which honors exceptional men and women working to solve global issues, and the Peace Starts With Me world tour of rallies which have brought thousands of people together, challenging them to become peacemakers, starting with themselves.
Mother Moon has invested in loving all of God’s children as her own. She has lived her life for the sake of lasting world peace, securing a bright future for generations to come.
Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Bloomfield College, NJ, USA (1990)
Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Bridgeport University, USA (1995)
Honorary Doctorate of Literature from Taiwan University of Culture (1999)
Honorary Doctorate of Pedagogics from Stefba Theological College of Bahia State, Brazil (1999)
Honorary Doctorate of Pedagogics from Kyrgyzstan State Pedagogical University (2000)
Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Upper Volga University, Russia (2000)
Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Federico Enriquez Carbahal University, Dominical Republic (2000)
Awarded with the Grand Prix Peace Award of UN IAEWP (2001)
Honorary Doctorate of Literature from Sunmoon University (2002)