Nadi, Fiji—Global Day of Parents 2016 was celebrated with a program for educators that stressed the importance of values education.
Approximately 90 high school teachers, principals and head teachers attended the program, which was held on June 4 by UPF-Fiji together with the Fiji chapter of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), an affiliated organization.
The program had three parts: the opening, the lectures session, and the closing, which included the awarding of an Ambassador for Peace certificate.
Mr. Jai Narayan, the former national director of secondary education for Fiji, was the chief guest in the opening session. Mr. Narayan was the very person who gave permission to UPF and FFWPU to conduct values education seminars in the high schools of Fiji. He gave a very inspiring message, pointing out that a good family is the foundation for bringing our society to a balanced development in which both external development and internal development are addressed.
Teachers are in the role of parents 24 hours a day, Mr. Narayan said: in their home to their physical children and at school to their “academic children.” He explained that building a good society needs to start with building the good character of every individual and building a family that is strongly attached to the moral standard of family values.
Mr. Greg Stone, the regional secretary general of UPF for Oceania, came from Sydney, Australia, as the guest speaker. He presented four lectures: 1) “The Need for Educating for Character,” 2) “The Purpose of Human Life,” 3) “The Family as the School of Love,” and 4) “Parenting Education.”
Mr. Stone’s passion for teaching values education has made him very popular in Fiji among high school principals and teachers and, of course, Education Ministry officials. The High School Principals’ Association of Fiji, recognizing the importance of values education, has invited Mr. Stone to be one of the main speakers at the association’s next meeting, scheduled for September 2 in the city of Labasa.
Master of ceremonies Mr. Wasu Deo, the secretary general of UPF Fiji, spoke about the significance of true love. He asserted that true love is the way to break down the barriers and solve the problems of the world. He emphasized the importance of practicing true love in one’s family and in the society in which we are living.
The third part of the program was given over to discussion by groups. The participants offered inspiring testimonies. A certificate of participation was distributed to all the attendees, and an Ambassador for Peace award was presented to Mr. Jai Narayan by Mr. Greg Stone.
Mr. Santosh Neupane, the chair of FFWPU of Fiji, was invited to speak on the importance of the program and to give a vote of thanks. Mr. Neupane focused on the importance of love, life and lineage. He explained the core teaching of the UPF founders about maintaining purity before marriage and fidelity after marriage.