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Marriage and Family
UPF Hosts Canadian TV Program
April 2, 2016
Toronto, Canada—A television program about marriage and faith that was hosted by a UPF representative was shown at UPF-Canada’s monthly meeting.
Thailand Hosts 17th Asian Leadership Conference
March 27, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand—UPF-Asia co-hosted the 17th Asian Leadership Conference in late March.
Strong Families Strengthen Women, UPF Program Stresses
March 24, 2016
New York, United States—As a side-event to a major U.N. event, UPF co-sponsored a program that tied together women’s empowerment and the strength of the family.
Nicaraguan Faith Leaders Discuss “Family, Peace and Development”
March 16, 2016
Managua, Nicaragua—Ninety people attended a conference, organized by UPF-Nicaragua, on “Family, Peace and Development,” in Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua.
UN Event Discusses the Role of the Family, Fathers and Family-Oriented Social Policy
February 11, 2016
New York, United States—During the 54th Session of the UN Commission on Social Development at the UN headquarters in February, UPF helped organize a side event on the role of the family in strengthening social development.
UN Event on Strengthening Family as Part of the Sustainable Development Process
February 10, 2016
New York, United States—UPF helped organize a side event, calling for a family-focused approach to achieving sustainable development, during the 54th Session of the UN Commission on Social Development in February.
Values Education Tour Visits Fiji Schools
February 6, 2016
Nausori, Fiji—Students and teachers from 15 schools attended the first of six seminars in Values Education that will be given across Fiji this year.
Asian Leaders Gather in Thailand to Discuss Asia’s Role in Global Peace
January 11, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand—UPF-Asia held another Asian Leadership Conference, on the theme, “Global Peace in the 21st Century: Asia’s Responsibility,” from January 7 to 11.
Thailand Holds Peace Conference and Interfaith Peace Blessing
December 1, 2015
Bangkok, Thailand—UPF-Thailand co-hosted the 16th Asian Leadership Conference and Interfaith Peace Blessing Festival from November 27 to December 1, 2015.
Indonesians Participate in Seminar and Family Blessing
November 22, 2015
Manado, Indonesia—UPF-Indonesia, together with a local pastor and his wife, organized a seminar and marriage rededication and Blessing ceremony on November 21 and 22, 2015.
Peace Blessing Festival Held in Sikkim, India
November 1, 2015
Gangtok, India—Two-hundred and fifteen couples, including two government ministers of Sikkim state in northern India, attended a marriage rededication and peace Blessing ceremony on November 1.
UPF Participates in World Congress of Families
October 30, 2015
Salt Lake City, United States—UPF organized a session and presented at a panel discussion at the World Congress of Families IX, a gathering of scholars; political, civic and religious leaders; and advocates united to support the natural family, from October 27 to 30.
UPF-Canada Focuses on “Family Life in Marriage”
October 17, 2015
Toronto, Canada—UPF-Canada, Central District held its monthly meeting for Ambassadors for Peace on the topic, “Family Life in Marriage.”
UPF-Argentina Observes Older Persons Day
October 15, 2015
Buenos Aires, Argentina—Members of UPF-Argentina’s Peace Council met with grandmothers of a senior citizens home on October 15, 2015 in observance of the International Day of Older Persons.
Zambian Ambassadors for Peace Study Peace Principles
September 30, 2015
Lusaka, Zambia—Ambassadors for Peace and guests attended a UPF seminar with the purpose of renewing their marriages and saving their families.
UPF-Japan: Promoting Marriage and Family Values
September 29, 2015
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.
UPF and Affiliates Make a Difference in Mauritius
September 20, 2015
Port Louis, Mauritius—UPF and affiliated organizations have brought substantial benefits to Mauritius, according to a longtime UPF-Mauritius advisor.
World Summit 2015: Plenary Discusses Women’s Role as Peacebuilders
August 29, 2015
Seoul, Korea—Women’s role as peacebuilders was discussed by prominent women leaders at Plenary Session VI of the 3rd World Summit.
1,500 Attend Peace Blessing as Nepalese Lawmakers Redraw State Lines
August 8, 2015
Kathmandu, Nepal—An overflow crowd of 1,500 people attended a marriage rededication and peace Blessing ceremony co-organized by UPF-Nepal.
Marriage Blessings Spread from Capital to a Small Village
August 1, 2015
In August 2015, UPF-Cambodia held an Interfaith Peace Blessing Ceremony in the capital, Phnom Penh. One of the participants was so inspired, he organized another Marriage Blessing in his remote village shortly thereafter.