South Asia Peace Initiative
In various nations of South Asia, UPF is promoting peace and cooperation through leadership consultations and grassroots activities. Bringing youth from diverse backgrounds together to build bridges of understanding respect and serve a local community are the focus of programs in Afghanistan, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In Nepal, programs focus on reconciling political divisions, addressing conflicts, and cultivating the spirit of one family under God. In India, leadership consultations promote interreligious cooperation and encourage good governance. In Bangladesh, promoting interreligious dialogue and strengthening marriage and family are ongoing programs. Scroll down for reports.
- Written by: Robert Kittel, UPI Correspondent
Kathmandu, Nepal - “The first article in Nepal’s new constitution,” suggested Jose de Venecia rather forthrightly, “should be that we are all one human family under God.” The Filipino statesman made this recommendation at a June 23 leadership conference in Nepal.
- Written by: Dr. Robert Kittel, Director of Education, UPF-Asia
Kathmandu, Nepal - The consensus at a May 20 peace conference was that Nepal’s peace process must be reborn and this time wholly owned by the Nepalese people. By coincidence, that morning the “Mt. Everest Expedition for a New Constitution and World Peace – 2009” reached the summit of the world's highest mountain.
- Written by: UPF-United States
Virginia, United States - Through Global Orphan Outreach, Families for Children, Ambassadors for Peace in Virginia launched in 2008 a sponsorship program for orphans in Nepal.
- Written by: Robert Kittel, Director of Peace Education, UPF-Asia
Kathmandu, Nepal — People climb Mt. Everest for many reasons, often for adventure or to win glory for themselves. But what about climbing the highest mountain in the world in order to help write a national Constitution? An even higher goal: How could ascending 8,848 meters above sea level help establish world peace?
- Written by: Ram Rohan Panta, Publisher, The Universal Times National Weekly, Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal - The Universal Peace Federation-Nepal, Youth Federation for World Peace, and partner organization Navajagriti-Nepal jointly organized a one-day program with the theme "Participation of Youth for Peace and Human Development" on January 20.
- Written by: Dr. Robert Kittel, UPF-South Asia
Kathmandu, Nepal - Members of Nepal’s Constituent Assembly from 14 political parties joined legal experts, academicians, military experts, human rights advocates, and peace educators for a Dec. 23 forum on “The Challenges of Governance for Sustainable Peace.”
- Written by: UPF-India
Goa, India - An International Leadership Conference under the theme, “A New Paradigm of Leadership and Good Governance” took place at the International Centre of Goa, on September 27.
- Written by: Robert S. Kittel, UPI Correspondent, and Amb. K.V. Rajan, Executive Vice-President, UPF-India
Hyderabad, India — The International Leadership Conference was honoured to have Dr. Jaya Prakash Narayan, Founder and President of Lok Satta, as the Keynote Speaker at the Inaugural Session of the Hyderabad conference on August 26, 2008. Dr. Narayan urged Indian citizens not to be “bystanders” in the task of ending corruption and ensuring better governance in the country.
- Written by: Robert Kittel, UPF Correspondent
Kathmandu, Nepal — Parliamentarians elected Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, the first prime minister of the republic of Nepal on Aug. 15, 2008, after four months of negotiations.
- Written by: Robert S. Kittel, UPI Correspondent, and Amb. K.V. Rajan, Executive Vice-President, UPF-India
Bangalore, India — The International Leadership Conference was honored to have Justice Shivaraj V. Patil, Former Judge of the Supreme Court, as Chief Guest on August 7, 2008. In his Inaugural Address, Justice Patil twice spoke about the importance of individual transformation as the basis for creating institutions of good governance. This was because governments are derived from the people.
- Written by: Robert S. Kittel, UPI Correspondent, and Amb. K.V. Rajan, Executive Vice-President, UPF-India
Cochin, India - The Universal Peace Federation of India organized an International Leadership Conference under the theme, “A New Paradigm of Leadership and Good Governance” at the Hotel ABAD Plaza, in Cochin, Kerala, on August 2, 2008.
- Written by: Robert S. Kittel, UPI Correspondent, and Amb. K.V. Rajan, Executive Vice-President, UPF-India
Chennai, India - The Universal Peace Federation of India organized an International Leadership Conference (ILC) under the theme, “A New Paradigm of Leadership and Good Governance” at Hotel Savera, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on July 31, 2008.