True Family Award 2008

More than 130 people gathered for the 3rd True Family Award Celebration in Vienna on the 7^th of December 2008. This has been the 3^rd year that the Austrian Family Federation for World Peace has held this event in cooperation with the major affiliated organisations of the movement. Purpose of this Award is to strengthen pro-family activists, NGOs and exemplary families in a country, where divorce and juvenile delinquency is on the rise.

History

The splendid idea for this successful project was imported from Chicago, USA where it has started in the early 90ies and grown ever since. The “True Family Value Award Banquet”- as it is called in the states- has annually drawn large crowds of up to 1500 prominent guests, NGO,- and religious leaders. Even political leaders, such as Mr. Obama have spoken at the Chicago events. In recent years it has also become a platform for the founders of the FFWPU, Rev. & Mrs. Moon, to address distinguished leaders and activist in the USA.

Program

After beautiful songs by the “Vienna Peace Choir” Peace Ambassador Mrs. Zena Eggough offered an opening prayer. Rev. Peter Zoehrer explained about the history and meaning of the “True Family Award”. He was followed by MP Mr. Nachtmann who spoke on “State responsibility for supporting the Family”. The main speech was given by Mr. Heinz Krcek who had just finished translating Rev. Joong Hyun Pak’s and Andrew Wilson’s book “True Family Values” into German. He shared some of his insights regarding the profound message of the book.

 “The family centred on ethical and religious values provides the best preparation for the social responsibilities which young people face in their lives. If they respect and keep the values which their parents and grandparents have lived by they gain strength and stability in building their own families and societies.” This is a quote from the preface of the future German edition of the book, written by a well-known Jewish scholar.     

One highlight before the Award Ceremony was the presentation of the “Aid Project for Indian Girls”: DDr. Rita Wiesinger, an Ambassador for Peace, explained that through this Charity project young girls in India get a chance to finish their school education. After the presentation the audience had a chance to support the project through their donations.

The “True Family Award” was given to seven distinguished families of international background: the leading couple of the Pakistan community in Vienna, the highest spiritual leader of the Alevits, the MP who had given the speech, an Austrian couple with eight children, a Nigerian couple who are assistant pastors of a very popular & multi-cultural Christian Church in Vienna, a Slovenian couple and a Unificationist couple, Prof. Dr. Dietrich & Elisabeth Seidel, who have been helping many families through their “Marriage Enrichment Seminars”.

The program was lifted up by beautiful classical music for violin and piano as well as a Russian singer and a young ladies’ Singing Quartet.

At the festive buffet after the program the guests felt free to share their impressions and to build friendships thus strengthening our Unification family in Austria. Many participants were inspired and expressed their determination to spread the word and bring their friends to the True Family Award Banquet in 2009.

Report by Elisabeth Cook & Peter Zoehrer