Chambumo Gyeong - 414. The unity of the sciences
True Parents founded and hosted the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS) which pursued the realization of world peace based on absolute values. This began in 1972, drawing the participation of world-renowned scholars. The first conference was held November 23-26,1972 under the theme "Moral Orientation of the Sciences" at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The second conference was held November 18-21, 1973 under the theme "Modem Science and Moral Values" at the Tokyo Imperial Hotel. It was remarkable that five Nobel laureates, including renowned physicists, participated in the second conference. From then on, each ICUS was held with the theme, ""absolute values."" As the founder, True Father spoke on each occasion. " 1 When I received the call of heaven, the question was how to put the current world in order and find a shortcut to transforming it into the ideal world that God desires. To address this question, we assembled a group of professors and created the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences. In 1971, when I went alone to America, I remember that I felt like an unprotected orphan in a desolate wilderness with a pack of wolves prowling around me. I thought to myself, "I came here to this place with the mission of turning this country upside down within three and a half years. I must turn the country upside down." The question was how to establish a foundation in that environment. (142-188, 1986/03/09) 2 When I first went to America, the annual budget of our American church headquarters was about $26,000. Now, almost ten years later, we have established an economic foundation that is several hundred times greater than when we began. As we attained this level, a problem arose in that the church's applications for long-term visas for overseas members working in the United States were being denied, and some of the foreign members had to return home. Nonetheless, before they had to leave, that foundation had been laid. Why did we have such a battle? It was because we were building a foundation to overcome communism. For that purpose, it was not adequate to have only young people. Therefore, the problem was how to bring together the most intelligent scholars of the world, those who could address that purpose. That is why I made ICUS. (110-173, 1980/11/17) 3 When ICUS was launched, I probably looked like an errand boy from the local district office. However, this is not a bad thing. I fully went along with it. If I had created opposition then, everything would have collapsed and would have been discarded long ago. There was one incident when, after I gave my keynote address, a world-renowned biologist loudly objected and stormed out. I was treated like this. But I said what I had to say. I did not dwell on that. My heart was to forgive and forget. A high mountain is struck by wind first and is buried in snow even during the summer. If it does not remain steadfast, what will happen? That famous mountain will break into pieces. While people live comfortably in the world, the snow-covered peak lives a lonely and isolated life. But in the end, that mountain, like Mt. Baekdu or Mt. Everest in the Himalayas, will be a sign of hope for the brave heroes who strive to reach its summit. (207-186, 1990/11/09) 4 According to my research, I can see that to this day communists have actively opposed the United States govern ment, in particular the administration and its foreign policy. Campus-based activities are unstable and subject to change. So, before communists appear in the open, we must try to reach eminent people who have broad influence. The country must take this on; yet as it is not able to, we must do it. The purpose is to save the United States.
We plan to form a strong union connecting Japan and Taiwan in the future. After holding conferences on science and government, we must develop global activities to prevent communist powers from establishing hegemony in the United Nations. If America does not do that, we need to do it. I have to take this action. In order to carry out this work, I have been making preparations of which you are not aware. Why are we doing this? We need to show a new direction to the United States, but we are not a recognized public voice. Therefore, we need to broaden our foundation and create a proper base. I am doing this in order to transfer this pressing mission fully to the people in the United States, so that they, in doing the will of heaven, will be able to contribute to the advancement of the democratic world. (067-314, 1973/07/22) 5 Scholars in each ICUS committee are experts. They are clearly influential in their own fields. Nevertheless, there was not one among them who had a vision or determination to influence the whole world through uniting scholars in the academic community. Nonetheless, this is the effort we are making, and for this the Unification Church deserves appropriate recognition. If I continue this work, what I see happening is that I will inspire the brightest intellectuals in America to align with and assist in our activities to save America.
Because scholars gather at international academic conferences restricted to their own fields or specialties, the themes of those conferences are often quite limited. However, we hold an assembly that interconnects all fields and specialties, so I envisage that this conference will reach the world level and gather more than 70 Nobel prizewinners. Viewed in this way, these academic conferences are unprecedented.
It is my vision that the ten major universities in America will each align with a Nobel laureate, enabling them to take the lead and indicate the direction toward the future. My hope for the science conferences is that the universities will systematically select professors to show the direction, and that students will also mobilize to build their own movement. This is my hope and vision for ICUS. (074-113, 1974/11/25) 6 The first ICUS was held in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. At that time, 32 scholars attended, and I was sitting in the corner like an errand boy without anyone noticing whether I was there or not. However, even though I could not speak English back then, I gave an address as the founder. We continued to hold such conferences over the ensuing years and the outcome was good. People started saying that it was Reverend Moon, not the chairman, who did a good job. Having come to this point, the worlds scholars began to respect and welcome me as their elder. If I were to visit any country in the world, invite the scholars who attended our science conferences and host a big banquet, I would be able to bring together hundreds of other people too. We already have a global foundation of this magnitude. (107-221, 1980/05/19) 7 ICUS was created to prepare the foundation to mobilize the great scholars of the world. The second conference was held in Tokyo, and we let famous professors, mainly from Tokyo University, lead the group of well-known scholars. As the founder of that conference, I intended to give the opening remarks. An address given by the host would be reasonable in any organization, but I discovered that my speech was completely left out of the program. Therefore, that evening I turned things upside down. I felt they held me in contempt and I corrected their attitude.
Up until that time, people who did not have a chance to meet me on previous occasions thought they would see a person wearing some sort of royal crown or having some important title and wearing a long flowing robe. People who were oblivious to my identity were still wondering, "Who is this Moon person, the founder of the Unification Church?" Even when I was walking up to the stage, people were still looking around, trying to see this person named Moon. In such upside-down circumstances, I smiled and began my speech, standing in a dignified manner. I said, "I am standing here with the destiny of Asia and the world at stake." (109-235, 1980/11/01) 8 The first ICUS was held in New York City, and the second was held in Tokyo. Now we are holding the third in London. The 4'h will be held in New York City again. In doing this, we are creating a movement that gathers the great stars of the world stage, the stars of the academic world. By the 4lh conference, when international celebrities speak again and it comes to light that a significant number of Nobel prizewinners are participating here, the conference will approach the world level and will be publicized on a grand scale. This means we are building a foundation and will no longer need to be embarrassed, even when relating with the media.
Therefore, after the New York conference, we want to call scholars from around the world to begin this work in earnest. Until that time, we will pull these scholars from in front and push them along from behind. We are taking action in order to move the world into the future. Mobilizing distinguished international scholars through interdisciplinary conferences will be the basis to move the world. (071-173, 1974/04/30) 9 In November 1975, scholars of 60 nationalities gathered for the ICUS. We invited them to New York City and hosted a banquet. It was attended by 350 world-renowned scholars, including Nobel prizewinners. This has been continuing for the past five years. By the sixth year, all scholars will have heard about ICUS. To accompany those events, I plan to strengthen the worldwide Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP) and bring it into unity with those scholars. If you are going to move the world, you start by moving university campuses. The worlds campuses create ideas that impact the media world and economic world. Therefore the one who moves the world's campuses can lead the world. (085-290, 1976/03/04) 10 Even if you hold a PhD, you must understand not only your own field, but other fields as well. That is why I formed ICUS to break down the walls in the academic world. For example, those who study the natural sciences do not know very much about other fields. They do not know the fields of economics or political science. I created ICUS to establish a common base among scholars from all these fields. (375-238, 2002/04/15) 11 I established ICUS, which gathers world-renowned scientists. At first, they said on various public occasions that they suspected we were trying to use their names. Even if we were to use them, there is nothing in what we did that would ruin them or affect them adversely. I would like to ask them, who broke down the walls in the academic world? Natural scientists usually do not talk with economists, political scientists or philosophers, even if they meet each other at their universities. By developing a movement that enables top scholars to experience each other as brothers and sisters beyond race and ethnicity, I have established a foundation that will develop a transnational realm of heart and history, and that is one of history's greatest achievements. It was I who decided the themes of the conferences. Therefore, the scholars were impressed with me. History will honor me for this great accomplishment. (351-305, 2001/08/28) 12 In relation to ICUS, our first mission is to select important people. First, you must make recommendations. Important scholars need to be selected. Second, forming long-term relationships is important. Do not form only temporary relationships. Once you make a relationship, you need to maintain it and develop it. You need to make the effort to establish long-term relationships. Scholars must not just attend the science conference once and then drop out. Third, in the future we need to organize conferences in such a way that the expenses for the professors from America will be taken care of by the professors home state. Furthermore, other nations also need to take responsibility for the expenses incurred by the professors they send. Only then will this conference expand on the international level. Fourth, we need to inspire these scholars to serve as editors. In the future, when we create newspaper companies in various countries, these people will surely be competent to some degree to act as editors. Therefore, we must prepare from now on to involve them on a practical level. You need to take this responsibility. From now on, please take an interest in ICUS. Select important people, form long-term relationships, clarify funding responsibilities, and tackle the problems inherent in mobilizing campuses, the media, and so on. (088-177, 1976/08/10) |