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: Djimadoum Fabrice, UPF-Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia - UPF-Zambia commemorated the UN International Day of Families under the theme “Families Matter for the Achievement of Development Goals” in Lusaka on May 24, 2014.
- Written by: UPF - Italy
Bergamo, Italy - UPF-Bergamo celebrated the International Day of Families proclaimed by the UN on May 17, 2014. The theme was "Faith in the Family."
- Written by: UPF - Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - The International Day of Families was observed at a program at Taman Rekreasi Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur on May 18, 2014.
- Written by: Dr. Paterne Zinsou, UPF-West Africa
Cotonou, Benin - UPF-West Africa and UPF-Benin in partnership with the Ministry of Families of Benin celebrated the UN International Day of Families 2014 from May 15-18, 2014.
- Written by: Sokol Rexhepi, Secretary General, UPF-Albania
To commemorate the International Day of Families, an event was held in the UPF-Albania headquarters in Tirana on May 17, 2014, and two other cities: Shkodra and Vlora.
- Written by: Hubert Arnoldi, UPF-Stuttgart
UPF-Germany observed the UN International Day of Families 2014 with forums in Frankfurt on May 3 and Stuttgart on May 17.
- Written by: Hiromi Mishima, UPF - Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador - At the auditorium of the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Science Education of the Central University of Ecuador in Quito, the International Day of Families was celebrated on May 21, 2014.
- Written by: Vincent Ntabala Muderhwa, UPF-Bukavu
Bukavu, DR Congo - Couples who have been faithfully married for 30 to 50 years were honored with certificates of conjugal merit at an observance of the International Day of Families in Bukavu on May 15, 2014.
- Written by: Mrs. Tomiko Duggan, Director of Public Affairs, UPF-Washington, DC
Washington DC, USA - An International Day of Families program took place at the Washington Times on June 12, 2014.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, Secretary General, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway - The UN International Day of Families was celebrated in the Diakonhjemmet University College in Oslo on May 20.
- Written by: Christopher Davies, UPF-Netherlands
The Hague, Netherlands - UPF-Netherlands and the Dutch chapter of the Women’s Federation for World Peace jointly celebrated the UN International Day of Families +20 under the designated theme "Families matter for the Achievement of Development Goals" in The Hague on May 17, 2014.
- Written by: Dr. Trevor Jones, Executive Director, UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru - UPF-Peru, together with friends from the Women's Federation and Family Federation for World Peace celebrated the UN International Day of Families in Lima on May 18, 2014.
- Written by: UPF - Barbados
Bridgetown, Barbados - The Barbados National Peace Council commemorated the International Day of Families with a gathering at a Hindu temple, a seminar and a Sunday church service May 14-18, 2014.
- Written by: UFP - India
Chennai, India - An International Day of Families program took place at the YWCA in Chennai on May 15, 2014 with 80 people in attendance.
- Written by: UPF - Indonesia
Medan, Indonesia - UPF-Indonesia chose “The Family as a School of Love” as the topic for three celebrations of the International Day of Families May 13-16, 2014 in Medan, capital city of North Sumatra, Indonesia.
- Written by: Emmanuel Tanui, Secretary General, UPF-Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya - The International Day of Families was observed at a program in in UPF's Peace House in Nairobi on May 17, 2014.
- Written by: UPF - Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Couples who have been married between 25 and 61 years were recognized by UPF-Argentina during the May 15, 2014 celebration of the International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF International
UPF chapters organized a variety of events commemorating the UN International Day of Families, May 15, 2014 in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania, and Europe.
- Written by: Mr. Jacques Marion, President, UPF-France
Paris, France - The International Day of Families was observed at a meeting in Paris on May 10, 2014, dedicated to family and peace.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, Secretary General, UPF-Nigeria
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria - Ambassadors for Peace commemorated the UN International Day of Families with a conference on "Families Matter on Achieving the Development Goals" on May 15, 2014.
- Written by: Svetlana Sorokina, UPF-Cambodia
Kanadal Province, Cambodia - Japanese women joined UPF-Cambodia in a service project at the Peaceful Children’s Home, an orphanage in rural Cambodia, on May 3, 2014, in observance of the International Day of Families.
- Written by: Dr. Robert S. Kittel, Director of Peace Education, UPF-Asia
Dhaka, Bangladesh - Speakers at May 3, 2014 forum in Dhaka on the role of "Marriage and Family in Creating World Peace" offered insights drawn from both sociology and nuclear physics.
- Written by: UPF - Rwanda
Kigali, Rwanda - A seminar on the Role of the Family in Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity took place in Kigali in May 18, in commemoration of the UN International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF - India
UPF-India organized celebrations of the UN International Day of Families in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in May 2013. Mr. Krishna Adhikari, Secretary General of UPF-India, gave talks on "The Family as the School of Love."