Ambassadors for Peace
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Japan
Tokyo, Japan—UPF continued its focus on addressing the declining birth rate in Japan through its most recent International Leadership Conference.
Tokyo, Japan—UPF-Japan and its Council of Ambassadors for Peace continued their focus on addressing the declining birth rate in Japan through their most recent International Leadership Conference, “Crisis in Families and Visions for their Revitalization-Emergency of Japan's Dwindling Childbirth and Possible Countermeasures,” which was held in Tokyo on September 29, 2015.
The keynote speaker of the half-day event was Ms. Cheryl Wetzstein, a veteran journalist with the American newspaper, The Washington Times. She has covered news on family and society, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage in June.
She said a cultural war over same-sex marriage is intensifying in America, and cited several examples of it. A local U.S. official was imprisoned because she had refused to issue marriage licenses on the grounds of her religious faith, and a baker was sued when he had refused to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple.
Speaking on the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, Ms. Wetzstein said the judges who opposed the ruling said the ruling was based on “a wrong concept of freedom” and if “same-sex marriage was legalized, it would be hard to deny legalizing polygamy.”
She said the legitimacy of same-sex marriage would be evaluated by the adult children raised by homosexual couples. Already some children have spoken out on homosexual parenthood, saying that they did not have a sound childhood or lost their right to have a mother and a father.
Representing the organizers, Mr. Hiroo Suzuki, professor emeritus of the Tsukuba University and president of the Council of Ambassadors for Peace, said that he was happy "[this] meeting [of] Ambassadors for Peace who share a similar sense of mission and are engaged [in advancing] peace” took place.
Mr. Seiichi Kikuya, secretary general of UPF-Japan, spoke on the event theme. He warned that if same-sex marriage was legalized in Japan, it would erode Japan’s marriage system and accelerate the population decline in the country.
A lively panel discussion followed, where representatives of civil society, including a member of one of Tokyo’s wards and an intermediate school teacher, exchanged views on the theme’s topic.
The event closed with UPF-Japan president, Dr. Eiji Tokuno, pointing out that Japan's numerous social problems stem from a breakdown of the family. He said over half of all homicide cases in Japan are committed by relatives of the victims, and encouraged the participants to promote the national campaign for marriage and family values.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—Dr. David Frol, a bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shared his experience participating in World Summit 2015 with members and friends of UPF-Argentina.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: Dr. Trevor Edward Jones, executive director, UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—UPF-Peru’s Peace Council organized a forum on the theme, “Senior Citizens,” where presentations were given on the current situation of older people in the country.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF, along with more than 1,000 students, educators, and representatives of different schools throughout Argentina, attended the third International Meeting of Sister Schools in August.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina participó del tercer Encuentro Internacional de Escuelas Hermanas que se realizó en agosto en San Clemente del Tuyú, Provincia de Buenos Aires, organizado por la flamante Embajadora para la Paz, Elena Paniagua, quien preside la entidad Escuelas Hermanas, con la participación de las autoridades locales e instituciones.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina participated in a celebration of Children’s Day in Buenos Aires, organized by Ambassadors for Peace.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Colombia
Lima, Peru—Ambassador for Peace Rabbi Dr. Richard Ben-Eleazar discusses the teachings of UPF founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon in several chapters of an e-Book he has published on interreligious cooperation.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Paraguay
Asunción, Paraguay—Approximately 300 educators, nonprofit leaders and professionals attended an event where new Ambassadors for Peace were appointed.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF International
New York, United States—Ambassadors for Peace participated in a concert at the UN in New York in celebration of the UN’s 70th Anniversary, on June 30.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: UPF-Japan
Sapporo, Japan—Japan’s aging and fast-declining population is a growing concern in the country. UPF-Japan has organized events in nine major cities in June to discuss solutions to this issue.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: Qamrul Khanson, UPF-Canada
Toronto, Canada—“The Essence of God” was the topic of UPF-Canada, Central District’s monthly meeting on June 6.
- Ambassadors for Peace
- Written by: Trevor Edward Jones, executive director, UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—Throughout May, UPF-Peru was very active, co-sponsoring and participating in activities organized by Ambassadors for Peace.