"I forgot all that was sacred. I was a broken spirit. Dehumanized, I had no value as a person and I struggled with addictions."

"I survived..."

"Now I see differently, I see the universe. In seeing my own value, I see the value of all."

Chief Joseph, Chief of the Gwa wa enuk First Nation, began to speak with these words at the Global Peace Leadership Forum, held on Tuesday, May 18^th, 2010 at the National Press Club in Washington DC.

San Jose, Costa Rica -- Newly inaugurated Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla offered warm support Tuesday to a visiting GPFF team. “In Costa Rica you will always have an open door. Costa Rica has the moral resolve that is important to promote the work that you are doing,” she told the group.

GPFF chair, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, congratulated the president on her recent inauguration and urged her to continue Costa Rica’s tradition of finding original approaches to peace building. “Costa Rica has done so much to provide innovative leadership in the world. Let’s work together to continue this great tradition and help build models of peace around the world,” he said.

Sao Paolo, Brazil – The personal warmth and the inspirational energy of their shared vision were palpable when Bishop Manoel Ferreira and GPFF chair, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon met in Sao Paolo, Monday.

The two men first met in 2008 and the rapport was immediate. Bishop Ferreira was so inspired by the GPF vision that he organized and hosted a Global Peace Festival in Brazil in December 2008. It had concluded with a rally of 20,000 at the Nelson Nilson stadium in Brasilia where Bishop Ferreira told the crowd that despite Brazil’s many social and economic challenges its most urgent problems were moral and spiritual.

Atlanta, GA – There’s an added bonus for 250 young people taking part in Atlanta’s youth employment program this summer. In addition to a welcome pay packet they will take part in GPFF’s Character Competency Program, which may prove more valuable to them than the cash in the long run.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced the program, along with the Georgia Teenwork Program that provides city jobs to 1,700 young people, to media and hundreds of youth at the city council chambers Tuesday morning. The mayor’s office said this marked the launch of a pilot collaboration involving federal, state and city agencies, and the non-profit world represented by GPFF.

Asuncion, Paraguay – Dr. Hyun Jin Moon challenged a group of Paraguayan legislators to take the lead in promoting a Latin American union in a meeting Wednesday.

The meeting was held in the VIP Deputy Delegate Hall at the legislature in Asuncion, with a striking view of the morning sun glinting on the waters of the Paraguay River. The meeting was hosted by Dr Ariel Oviedo, president of the Chamber of Deputies, the equivalent of the U.S. Speaker of the House. Deputies from the three main parties, Colorado, Liberado, and Unace, took part.