UN International Day of Families
The International Day of Families, May 15, is celebrated at the United Nations headquarters and around the world. The Universal Peace Federation joins in commemorating this day because it considers the family as a microcosm of the global community and because sustainable peace is grounded in the family as the most intimate social unit, the school of love.
- Written by: Hiromi Mishima, executive director, UPF-Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador—Ecuadorian Ambassadors for Peace organized events in two cities to celebrate the International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF-Italy
Bergamo, Italy—A variety of religious, ethnic and cultural organizations joined with UPF-Italy to exalt the family in honor of International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF-Japan
Japan—UPF-Japan collaborated with the South Tokyo Assembly of Ambassadors for Peace to organize the third annual ”Family Clean Rally 246” in observance of the International Day of Families.
- Written by: Trevor Edward Jones, executive director, UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—In the cities of Lima and Trujillo in Peru, meetings were held to celebrate the 2015 International Day of Families.
- Written by: Mai Hsien Chai, secretary general, UPF-Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan—UPF-Taiwan held a seminar in observance of the UN International Day of Families at the Taipei College of Maritime Technology on May 20.
- Written by: Olga Nedzayminva, Dmitry Oficerov and Dmitry Samko
Moscow, Russia—UPF-Russia marked the 2015 United Nations International Day of Families with events in three major cities.
- Written by: Jesús A. Navarro, secretary general, UPF-Venezuela
Caracas, Venezuela—UPF-Venezuela and its partner organizations gathered to celebrate the UN International Day of Families in Caracas on May 16, 2015.
- Written by: Mihai Calestru, secretary general, UPF-Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova—To draw attention to the 2015 International Day of Families, UPF-Moldova organized a street action under the motto "Happy Families—Prosperous Nation."
- Written by: Clément Tsana, secretary general, UPF-Congo
Brazzaville, Congo—About 50 Ambassadors for Peace and other high-level guests from the Republic of Congo attended a program held to mark the UN International Day of Families 2015.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, secretary general, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway—The 2015 UN International Day of Families was observed by UPF-Norway with a program entitled “Are There Universal Family Values among Religions?”
- Written by: David Pereyra Aguilar, UPF-Bolivia
La Paz, Bolivia—A “Cultural Family Week” was organized by UPF-Bolivia in La Paz, Bolivia from May 10-17, 2015 to celebrate the UN International Day of Families.
- Written by: Andrew Halim, UPF-New Zealand
Parnell, New Zealand—UPF-New Zealand marked the UN International Day of Families by holding a family forum with two distinguished guests from Qatar.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, secretary general, UPF Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria—A UPF-organized summit marked the 2015 United Nations International Day of Families by recommending the establishment of a national Ministry of Family Affairs.
- Written by: Dr. Helen M. Osei, secretary general, UPF-Ghana
Accra, Ghana—UPF teaches that marriage and family are the cornerstone of peace, and, as we know, family decline and breakdown lead to social and national decline.
- Written by: Sokol Rexhepi, secretary general, UPF-Albania
Fier and Tirana, Albania—UPF-Albania organized observances of the UN International Day of Families 2015 in the cities of Fier and Tirana.
- Written by: UPF - Fiji
Suva, Fiji - UPF celebrated the International Day of Families by organizing lunch and entertainment for residents of the Samabula Old Peoples' Home in Suva on May 18, 2014.
- Written by: Mrs. Carolyn Handschin, Women's Federation for World Peace UN Office
Geneva, Switzerland - A conference on "Family Values and Their Link to Economic Well-being and Social Outcomes" took place at the UN headquarters in Geneva June 30-July 1, 2014.
- Written by: Allafrica.com
Abuja, Nigeria - The National Merit Award House in Abuja was the site of an International Day of Families program on May 15.
- Written by: UPF - Japan
Tokyo, Japan - It was a sunny day on April 29 for the community cleaning program organized by UPF-Japan, "Family Clean-up Rally 246," in collaboration with the South Tokyo Council of Ambassadors for Peace.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, Secretary General, UPF-Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria - A peace education conference in Lagos on May 29, 2014, commemorated the 15th anniversary of the return to democratic governance in Nigeria.
- Written by: UPF - Scotland
Glasgow, Scotland - To commemorate the International Day of Families, the Glasgow Peace Federation, an affiliate of UPF, had a meeting in the hall of St. Peter's Church in Glasgow's historic Partick burgh on May 17, 2014. The event drew around 20 people of all ages and backgrounds on a Cup-final afternoon.
- Written by: UPF - Finland
Helsinki, Finland - The Finnish chapters of UPF and the Women's Federation for World Peace observed the International Day of Families with a May 15, 2014, forum on the theme: ”The important role of a woman in the culturally diversifying Finland.”
- Written by: UPF - New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand - The UN International Day of Families celebration in Auckland took place on May 10, 2014, at the Mt. Albert War Memorial Hall in Auckland.
- Written by: Peter Haider, Secretary General, UPF-Austria