Abuja, Nigeria—The 2018 United Nations Day was commemorated on October 24, 2018, by UPF-Nigeria. The event featured a special family unity blessing festival with 24 couples who pledged to become united couples who would build united families as a foundation for the unity of their nation. The event was held at the Banquet Hall, National Merit Award House, Abuja.
Ambassador Babatunde Adegbesan gave the opening remarks. He welcomed participants to the commemorative event, spoke about the significance of the day, and called on member states of the United Nations to become united countries. He also praised the UPF initiative of uniting couples as a foundation for the unity of nations that should make up the United Nations.
The UN secretary general’s message was read by Rev. Imo Nkanta, FFWPU Nigeria Director of Education for the Nigeria branch of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. The message for 2018 is the following:
United Nations Day marks the birthday of our founding Charter – the landmark document that embodies the hopes, dreams and aspirations of “we the peoples.” Every day, the women and men of the United Nations work to give practical meaning to that Charter. Despite the odds and the obstacles, we never give up. Extreme poverty is being reduced but we see inequality growing. Yet we don’t give up because we know by reducing inequality we increase hope and opportunity and peace around the world. Climate change is moving faster than we are, but we don’t give up because we know that climate action is the only path. Human rights are being violated in so many places. But we don’t give up because we know respect for human rights and human dignity is a basic condition for peace. Conflicts are multiplying; people are suffering. But we don’t give up because we know every man, woman and child deserves a life of peace. On United Nations Day, let us reaffirm our commitment: To repair broken trust. To heal our planet. To leave no one behind. To uphold dignity for one and all, as united nations.
Reverend Nkanta then led everyone in a joyful song.
An Islamic cleric, Dr. Abdulfatahh Adeyemi, served as the guest speaker at the event and called for peace in Nigeria and around the world. He advised Nigerians to eschew violence and promote love among themselves for sustainable peace and development. Dr Adeyemi stressed that God brought Nigerians together for a purpose and urged the leaders to pray against forces that prevent people from accepting the message of peace. He also urged civil society organizations and political leaders to contribute meaningfully towards addressing conflicts across the country. The Muslim cleric appealed to Nigerians to de-emphasize divisive tendencies such as hatred, selfishness and violence, and embrace faith, love and peace.
UPF Nigeria Secretary General Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko Oko spoke on the Family Unity Blessing Festival as a tool for achieving national unity and peace. He said that the family is the building block of the nation and the world and that uniting the family is the way to uniting nations and to unite the families involves promoting a family centered culture. He spoke about the work of the UPF Founders with an appealed to all invited couples to participate in the blessing festival as a demonstration of their commitment to national unity and a way of celebrating the United Nations as united couples.
The Family Unity and Peace Blessing Festival was introduced as a program to unite families as foundation for unity of nations and unity of the world and that it promotes a family culture of unity between God and human beings, children and parents, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, and parents and children. The festival was introduced as program that recognizes that family as the school of love, peace and unity where we learn to grow in love, live in peace and unity and that eligible participants are already married couples committed to love, peace and unity.
All the 24 couples who attended the event as already married couples participated in the blessing festival. They expressed their gratitude for the opportunity and their excitement to be United Nations Day blessed couples. The ceremony was followed by the presentation of Ambassador for Peace certificates to three dignitaries. The couples came from different parts of the country and also included both Muslims and Christians. The event ended with a group photograph and a pledge by the couples to invite others to subsequent blessing festivals.
The event was reported by national radio and television stations.