Bangkok, Thailand—The latest UPF Asian Leadership Conference on “Providing Vision and Leadership for Nation-building and Peace” was held at the Dusit Princess Hotel in Bangkok from March 24 to 27, 2017 with 23 participants from six nations. Twelve participants came from Cambodia; four from Myanmar; two each from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand; and one from the Philippines. Among the special guests were two members of the State Parliament of Myanmar and the deputy director of the International Relations Department of the National Assembly of Cambodia.
Presentations were given on the “Attributes of True Love,” UPF’s Principles of Peace and nation-building based on family values. The participants praised the content of the presentations as being very practical and applicable to their nation.
Mr. Bin Vicheth, president of the Tourism Association of Battambang in Cambodia, asked UPF to come to his country and help solve the problems on the family, societal and national levels. He said, “We fully support this program 100% and 120%.”
Mr. Khlang Oudam, deputy director of the International Relations Department of the National Assembly of Cambodia, said Dr. Robert Kittel, president of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace, was right when he said in his opening presentation that this will be the most important seminar the participants will have ever attended. “I attended many international seminars before but never one like this. These teachings can help build better families and societies because they are logical and universal with the focus on nation-building and peace,” Mr. Oudam said.
Mrs. Nu Nu Tin Ko from the Myanmar Institute of Gender Studies said in her reflection: “This seminar gave me new ideas and new strength. I understand the universal principle that without divine love there is no true love. True love is to give more and more and more, not to take more and more and more. I will share this marriage education with my community.”
Mrs. Muthiah Umar, a lecturer of Aisyiyah Women’s Organization in West Java, Indonesia exclaimed: “[This is an] amazing moment for me! The topic on marriage and family is very close to our organization. The Hadith says that parents attain heaven if they can guide their children to keep purity until marriage. We should spread these values to [more] communities.”
Dr. Jaturong Pengnorapat, a medical doctor and a former Thai parliamentarian, said that this was the best seminar he attended and that keeping purity before marriage and fidelity in marriage are the best way to prevent AIDS, teen pregnancy and abortion.