The PWPA International Congresses of chapter presidents are an international forum for discussion of major social issues related to world peace.
The First International Congress was held as an organizing event for the PWPA International network. The Founder of PWPA called professors from 72 nations to Seoul, Korea in December 1983. They participated in ten days of whirlwind speaking throughout Korea, giving messages at evening banquets. Then, on December 18th the professors met together for a luncheon meeting at the Little Angels Perfoming Arts Center at which the Reverend Moon set forth his vision of the mission of PWPA:
"The ultimate goal of PWPA is to help create a just and harmonious world order by encouraging scholars to search for new ideas and methods of achieving peace and prosperity."
His vision included the creation of a worldwide publishing program, of which Paragon House Publishers has become the center of this effort. It included a major monthly magazine which has become incarnate in The World & I. He expressed the need for a new encyclopedia that organized knowledge from a global and interdisciplinary value perspective. Finally, he envisioned the creation of a world university network.
That evening, at his home in Seoul, the professors met less formally and to sign "A Pledge and Resolution" which was an expression of their desire to help create the PWPA International network and their basic support for the founder's vision.
Examination of Present Society
The next three International Congresses focused on the major social systems in the world.
The Second International Congress
In 1985 the Soviet System and the transition to a post-Soviet world was examined by over eighty of the world's leading experts on the soviet system. The conference was chaired by Professor Alexander Shtromas. The vision of a world after the Soviet Union was prophetic, if not influential in the manner in which the soviet sytem collapsed.
The Third International Congress
In 1987, the Chinese system, under which over one billion people live, was examined by eighty experts chosen by the organizing chairman, Professor Ilpyong Kim.
The Fourth International Congress
In 1989, Professors Roger Michener and Edward Shils gathered world experts on democracy to discuss its strengths, weaknesses, and prospects for the future.
This trilogy of conferences served to inform the PWPA leaders about the strengths and weaknesses of each of the world's present forms of social organization. This enables them better to examine and make recommendations for their own society.
A look to the Future
The Fifth International Congress
In 1992, the PWPA Presidents were asked to develop scenarios for their own societies based on a study of technological developments that are likely to occur.
The Sixth International Congress
Bibliography on the Family