London, UK - UPF-UK convened its annual Peace Council meeting on Dec. 7, 2013 in its Lancaster Gate headquarters to review progress in its peace initiatives during the year. The day included sessions on values, activities promoting peace, humanitarian efforts and a Youth UPF concert to raise funds for a peace project in Jerusalem. (Youth UPF Team in photo left)
Mark Brann, the Secretary General of UPF in Europe, gave an update on UPF activity around the world as well as the direction of future activity. Justina Mutale spoke of the 'Positive Runway: Global Catwalk to Stop the Spread' work she has done with celebrities to prevent the spread of HIV Aids as well
as her other activities for gender equality and development in Africa.
Jack Corley, Chairman of UPF-UK, followed Justina Mutale to emphasize the role of character education and abstinence to prevent the spread of HIV / AIDS. He had worked on a project in the Soviet Union and China to teach character education and emphasized the importance of marriage and family life in bearing and nurturing children.
Robin Marsh gave a talk about UPF-UK activities in the last year. Mekki El-Sayed offered a minute of silence and a eulogy in memory of Nelson Mandela.
After lunch the conference included reports on Youth UPF, South London UPF Branch and the International Relief Friendship Foundation.
Youth UPF gave updates on several ongoing programs and described new developments. Some of the core team had just returned from a Malta project funded by EU Med. The project had included young adults from around the Mediterranean. A group will also participate in a Religious Youth Service project in Jerusalem. (View photos by Ingrid Marn)
There were contributions from Anna Prior about the Unity of Faiths Festival's plans for the coming year. A poem from Alan Rainer and Armina spoke of the pain of being ostracized as a witch in her childhood. A moving testimony from Charlotte Simon about her experience working with UPF in order to articulate her campaign for peace and justice in the eastern realm of the Democratic Republic of Congo. She expressed appreciation for the support and love that she had received after being blocked from expressing the pain of her people in other groups or in other meetings.