The Peace and Family Festival organised by the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) will be held at the National Sports Stadium, and is expected to attract thousands of people from both Zimbabwe and the world.
Briefing journalists in Harare yesterday ahead of the festival which will be open to the public and will be starting early in the morning today, FFWPU local leader Archbishop Johannes Ndanga said everyone had a role to play in embracing peace despite different religious affiliations.
The Peace and Family Festival will be graced by top Government officials and FFWPU co-founder Dr Hak Ja Han Moon and international delegates from more than 200 countries.
Archbishop Ndanga said Dr Moon was keen to use her influence and the peace festival to call for the end of illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe, which have been holding back the country’s development, thereby creating conditions which do not promote peace.
“Peace is the right way to ensure sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe are removed for the country to move forward,” he said.
“Dr Moon has so much influence in the world and her peace-making efforts have produced results, including in areas such as the dispute in the Korean Peninsula.
“Her presence will be noticed throughout the world and her call for removal sanctions will make people throughout the world sit up and think hard about this illegal yoke on our necks.
“The peace campaign came about following the invitation of Dr Hak Ja Han Moon, who happens to be the founder of Universal Peace Federation, by President Mnangagwa to spearhead peace negotiations in the country which will help in the removal of sanctions.”
Archbishop Ndanga slammed social media abusers who are misinterpreting the visit by Dr Moon, accusing her of coming to distract Christianity in Zimbabwe.
Dr Ndanga said Dr Moon was not visiting for church business, but was representing a non-governmental organisation working to help bring peace to Zimbabwe and the whole of Africa.
“She has come to bring people together to propel development, she is an expert in introducing peace, she assisted in ending the Korean Peninsula nuclear fights,” he said.
Archbishop Ndanga said Dr Moon had the capacity to convene meetings with the European Union and lobby for the removal of the illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe, adding that has been calling for introducing peace worldwide through the International Parliamentarians for Peace.
Speaking at the same Press conference, a member of the FFWPU Dr Tommy McDavids said his organisation would approach the United States Congress over the removal of sanctions.
“Universal Peace Federation (UFP) will assist Zimbabwe to engage the United States of America for the removal of economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, which have been hurting the economy for nearly 20 years,” he said.
“We want to work with people of Zimbabwe in the removal of sanctions and strengthen their hope.
“As far as sanctions are concerned, we have as many contacts in the US Congress like Criss Smith, who is USA Representative in the United States House of Representatives for New Jersey’s congressional district, as well as Chairman of the Africa Subcommittee for the US House.
“We will engage these US officials to find the root of the sanction(s) problem and try to solve it and create dialogue between Zimbabwe and the USA.”
