Celebrating the 51st Anniversary of ICUS

Photo courtesy of Sunhak Institute of History

On November 26, 1972, True Parents launched the first International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS). With 20 scientists gathered at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, True Father addressed the program’s theme, “The Moral Orientation of the Sciences,” and talked about unifying all areas of science as a means for uniting the world.

“The purpose of science is to realize people’s dreams,” True Father said in his Founder’s Address before pointing to ICUS as the blueprint for achieving unity among the sciences. “Science belongs to all humanity and must not be monopolized by any particular nation or bloc,” he said.

In 1973, the second ICUS in Tokyo drew five Nobel Prize laureates and attracted much attention. By 1981, the 10th ICUS in Seoul had swelled to 808 scholars from about 100 nations — making it the leading global forum of its kind. Throughout the 1990s, ICUS paved the way for more interdisciplinary and collaborative scientific endeavors.

“For years, the ICUS forums led to countless scientific collaborations and new friendships,” True Mother recalled in her memoir, Mother of Peace (2020). “We proposed the free and generous exchange of technology among nations, something that had never been imagined in history. Our view is that because science and technology are revealed and given by God, they are the common wealth of all humanity.”

“We emphasized that no country should monopolize these common assets,” she continued. “We wanted developed countries to globalize the cutting edge standards of science and technology by sharing their tools and methods with developing nations.”

Renewed by True Mother in 2017, ICUS now celebrates 51 years since its inception and continues to bring together distinguished figures at the forefront of science and related industries who address a range of challenges facing the global community. As we celebrate the long-standing achievements of ICUS — which also inspired the first International Conference on Science and God (ICSG) in 2020 — let’s remember the vision and fortitude of True Parents who championed that science and technology are a gift from God that belongs to all humanity.

You can learn more about the legacy of ICUS here.