Youth and Service
Friendly sports competitions among people of diverse backgrounds have great potential as instruments for peace.
Taipei, Taiwan - Since August 25, 2009, UPF-Taiwan has been mobilizing Ambassadors for Peace and other volunteers to clean up after Typhoon Morakot and deliver supplies to people in hard-hit areas.
Newark, New Jersey, USA - United Initiatives for Peace in partnership with the City of Newark Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs hosted the 2nd Annual “You Got Schooled” tournament at Central High School in Newark, NJ. For two consecutive years, Religious Youth Service has been a part of the “You Got Schooled” tournament by conducting a Peace Mosaic project on site.
Darjeeling, India - Twenty-nine RYS participants, representing various faiths and cultures, gathered to construct a community center of about 1,100 sq. ft for the needy peoples of three villages, thereby providing a much-needed meeting place. Ongoing efforts are being made in the development of a global peace village, and to encourage villagers to become effective decision-makers in the development of their own communities. The community center will also be equipped with important information concerning health and education.
Choiseul, St. Lucia - The Universal Peace Federation and the Ambassadors for Peace of St Lucia conducted a five-day camp during the summer of 2009. Almost 100 teenagers participated in the learning, recreation, and service activities.
Delhi, India - Interest is growing in UPF's Youth Leadership Training programs in India. Mr. Yeqing Victor Lee, Secretary General of the Washington DC-based Youth Federation for World Peace, was a featured speaker at several events at schools and universities near the nation's capital.
Badulla, Sri Lanka - The Blackwood Village in Beragala, Badulla did not have pipe-borne water. Religious Youth Service volunteers helped renovate the existing mini reservoir which had been abandoned in recent times, thus restoring the pipe-borne water way. RYS also supported the road repair, including the reconstruction of a bridge which was badly damaged, on the roadway that lead to the Hindu Kovil, which was also in a very dilapidated state.
Kaluga, Russia - A unique Dialogue Camp for Youth was held August 20-23, 2009 in Kaluga, a city southwest of Moscow. Two hundred and fifty young people from non-commercial youth organizations participated in the project; among them were representatives from Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Baltic states, Western Europe, and foreign students attending Russian universities.
Taipei, Taiwan - UPF-Taiwan is seeking donations to provide immediate relief for people in areas devastated by typhoon Morakot, which struck on August 9 and dumped 83 inches of rain (over 2.1 m) on parts of the island. This unleashed the worst flooding there in half a century.
Petit Valley, Trinidad - Participants in the Aug. 8-19, 2009, Religious Youth Service project in Trinidad repaired the facilities at a wildlife rehabilitation center, fed and cared for the elderly at a home for the aged, and visited religious and cultural sites.
Gorkha, Nepal - A Religious Youth Service Project was held in Gorkha, Nepal August 9-15, 2009 with participants from the Baha'i, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, Unificationist, Hindu, and Islamic traditions building a new community hall, visiting religious sites, playing in a friendly football match, and spending time building relationships with children and the elderly.
Asan, Korea - On August 14 and 15, a football tournament was held in Korea among four teams representing North, South, West and East. The North was represented by the team from Russia that also included representatives from the Ukraine and Moldova.