History of PWPA
Korea – Japan Dialogue
The Professors World Peace Academy (PWPA) was founded on May 6, 1973 in Seoul, Korea at a gathering of 168 Professors from Korea and Japan. The professors had held discussions of historical reconciliation that political and religious leaders had been unable to accomplish. National chapters were formed in both Korea and Japan. The Reverend Sun Myung Moon thought that such discussions were beneficial and gave it support to continue and expand on a permanent basis.
Annual Conferences in Asia
In 1974, the professors associated with PWPA held the first International Conference on World Peace (ICWP). This became an annual conference in Asia, and continues to focus annually on Asia and the world.
International Expansion
Throughout the 1970s the Asian members of Professors World Peace Academy promoted the Academy’s work throughout the world. By 1979 there had been Professors World Peace Academy meetings held in Europe, America, and Africa. A chapter in the United States was formed under the leadership of Morton Kaplan in 1979. In 1980 the Professors World Peace Academy began to hold annual meetings attached to the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS). Then in 1982, Chung Hwan Kwak, the Chairman of ICF, and Hugh D. Spurgin, the Secretary General of ICF, traveled to Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Asia to meet with professors and discuss the formation of chapters in their countries.
PWPA International Formed
In December 1983, the Reverend Moon called professors from seventy nations to Seoul, Korea for the First International Congress of PWPA Presidents. Morton Kaplan was chosen to serve as President of the new PWPA International network. On December 18th, the founder presented his vision for the Professors World Peace Academy. After this meeting, an international office was established in New York. A program of international grants to the newly forming chapters of the Professors World Peace Academy was sponsored through the International Cultural Foundation. Conferences were held on issues of crucial interest to different nations and regions. Many chapters incorporated and published proceedings.
International Congresses
To develop the leadership of the Professors World Peace Academy chapters, PWPA International has sponsored International Congresses of PWPA Presidents every two years. The Second Congress studied the Soviet social system, the Third Congress studied Chinese society, and the Fourth Congress was an analysis of liberal democracies. The Fifth International Congress developed scenarios for future society. The Sixth International Congress was on “The Future of the Family.” The Seventh was on “Identity and Character.” The Eighth will be on “The Impact of the Global Economy on Society and Family.” These congresses produced texts and reference books which were sold commercially and also used by PWPA chapters.
Publications
PWPA chapters in Korea and Japan began with the publication of newsletters and journals to support their activities. These were soon followed by the publication of academic books in several countries on an ad hoc basis. In 1983, Paragon House Publishers was established to produce quality scholarly books of the PWPA. In 1983, PWPA-USA founded the International Journal on World Peace.
World University Network
In 1992, PWPA International began to implement the goal of creating a first class world university system, where young people of all races and nationalities can be educated as world citizens and as professionals able to grasp the needs of the global community. The hub of the network is the University of Bridgeport.
