President’s Message
Dear Members of the HJI Community,
Thank you for your encouragement, support and generous contributions toward the fulfillment of our HJI mission that is securely rooted in our Founders’ vision, one that underscores the essential significance of religion and academia in the noble effort to establish a world of universal peace.
We can all recognize the challenges our world is facing on all fronts at this time in history: spiritual, moral, geopolitical, economic and cultural. These challenges form a context that heightens our awareness, our sense of responsibility and indeed our commitment to our mission at HJI. The direction our world takes in 2024 and beyond will be governed by many factors. HJI may play a modest part in the larger scheme of things, and yet we live and work each day with a strong faith in both the importance and the impact of our efforts on our students, our community and the wider world.
This 2023 Annual Report provides a record of many of the highlights of the year, a very momentous year in the history of our institution. It was on July 1, 2023 that the name of our institution was officially changed, and our Charter amended by the University of the State of New York; Unification Theological Seminary was renamed as HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership. This change was the result of a series of discussions and consultations among stakeholders of our HJI community, including our Co-Founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, our Board of Trustees, Past Presidents, Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Students.
We also bid a fond farewell to our beloved Barrytown property which served as the home for our institutions for more than four decades. With our main campus having been officially relocated in Manhattan, at 4 West 43rd St., the Board of Trustees approved the sale of the property to Bard College. As much as we cherish and honor the legacy and history of the Barrytown campus, we are grateful that our 43rd St. campus offers the opportunity to build and expand on the foundation established over the past 47 years.
The Annual Report offers a review of many of our programs convened over the course of the past year, including Faculty Roundtables, Chapel Services, and Special Events. In addition, we honor our Founders, Trustees, Faculty, Administrators and Staff, our Students, Alumni.
We are deeply grateful for the steadfast support HJI receives from the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification USA. Over the course of our entire history, Family Federation has always been there to provide spiritual inspiration, prudent counsel and financial support. We also thank the many donors who have offered their treasure to strengthen HJI. We all know that everyone faces financial difficulties these days, and, therefore, your generosity is especially appreciated.
In closing, I assure our readers of our commitment to our HJI mission, and our resolve to continue our proud traditions of academic excellence, ministry and public leadership in service to building a world of lasting peace.
With appreciation,
Dr. Thomas G. Walsh
President