Testimony from Professor Arnljot Strømme Svendsen

[Michel Reymond]

 

Testimony from Professor Arnljot Strømme Svendsen Oslo, Norway, 19. October 2012

Dear friends 

It is with sadness that I heard about Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s passing.

But it is with sincere joy that I am addressing you faithful idealists with my warm message 35 years ago I became involved in the Unification Movement by my friends professor Jan Brøgger and senior researcher Helmer Dahl. And I participated in the years to come in a series of conferences and seminars. 

I participated in Seoul in South Korea, in Philadelphia and New York in USA. I participated in Berlin and Frankfurt in Germany as well as in several events in Oslo, Norway. 

As an economist I represent science. But science and religion share the same value system. This was exactly the theme of the 21 ICUS conferences that Rev. Moon organized, where the theme always was about the search for absolute values. Science without a moral foundation can lead in the wrong direction. Science and religion has the same moral duties, goodness, love and wisdom. The main formula is the very simple; do unto others as you would have others do unto you. If we could all live according to this formula we would be on a good way to build a world of human dignity, which also is the main purpose of the Unification Movement. 

In addition to the academic conferences, I am thinking back with joy, on the great convention in West Berlin in 1988, during the last days of the cold war. I gave a speech for a large audience of students from the Unification Movements in an event against communist dictatorship with its denial of all human rights. The event was organized, with police protection, against communist demonstrators, and had as its slogan , “Die mauer Muss Weg” – The Wall Must Come Down. That this slogan should be fulfilled one year later gave us the feeling that we had participated in something historic. 

This action was however only one part of a mobilization spanning many years against communist ideology and expansion. Rev. Moon’s fight against communistic dictatorship deserves great recognition. 

His efforts to safeguard human values and protect against dictatorships has meant a lot for the development of a world of peace and security 

Bergen, 19.oktober 2012 
Professor Arnljot Strømme Svendsen 

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Professor Arnljot Strømme Svendsen is professor emeritus in economy. He was one of the initiators of the Rafto Price. 
This year, as 91 years old, he received the Onassis Price for his works in shipping economy in a great ceremony attended by 500 participants in London. In addition he received the Nansen Human Foundation’s National Honorary Price for his for humanitarian work.