Birmingham, United Kingdom—A diverse audience of 150 attended an interfaith service, "One Family of Humanity,” which was co-sponsored by UPF.
The meeting was held on July 2, 2023, at the Al Mahdi Institute in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham and was hosted jointly by the local chapters of UPF and Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an affiliated organization.
The audience represented many of the religions, cultures and ethnicities of the Birmingham/West Midlands region.
The program began with seven women offering prayers and readings from their faith traditions. After that, Imam Shahed Tameez, Rev. Marcia Levine, and Swaran Talwar commented on the main theme, "One Family of Humanity,” from Muslim, Christian and Hindu perspectives, respectively.
These were followed by talks on UPF and WFWP activities, Father Moon's visit to North Korea in 1991 to reconcile with his “enemy,” and youth activities for peace and reconciliation, particularly in the Balkan region of Europe.
Five Ambassador for Peace awards were presented to men and women leading very public lives, and £300 was raised for a Birmingham mosque community's efforts to support displaced women and children in Syria.
The final hour was a time to enjoy refreshments, renew old friendships, and build many new ones. All in all, it was a very warm and meaningful occasion, filled with a genuine sense of being “One Family of Humanity.”