United Nations Relations
As an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Universal Peace Federation promotes interfaith understanding, sustainable development, strengthening of marriage and family, mediation of conflict, the empowerment of women and the revitalization of the UN. UPF supports the goals of the UN with programs on occasions such as:
- World Interfaith Harmony Week (first week of February)
- International Women's Day (March 8)
- International Day of Families (May 15)
- Global Day of Parents (June 1)
- International Day of Peace (September 21)
- Written by: Gregor Sattler, secretary general, UPF-Bonn
Bonn, Germany—UPF hosted an event attended by participants from various religious backgrounds and worldviews as a part of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2019.
- Written by: Elena Knyazeva, Director of Mr. and Miss University Pageant
Moscow, Russia—Contestants of the 2019 Mister and Miss University beauty pageant learned about a variety of faith traditions during World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Barbara Grabner, UPF-Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia—World Interfaith Harmony Week 2019 inspired a discussion of “Fanaticism and Tolerance – Obstacle and Impetus for Interfaith Dialogue.”
- Written by: UPF-Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova—A UPF celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week included visits to six houses of worship and an interfaith roundtable.
- Written by: UPF-USA
United States—Guests in Utah, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Washington, DC gather to celebrate diverse religious traditions.
- Written by: Natalia Chigrina, secretary general, UPF-Northwest Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia—A song party in support of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018 was held in the concert hall of the Bright World community center.
- Written by: UPF-USA
Washington, DC—The 2018 observance of World Harmony Week in Washington, DC, centered on the theme “Love of God and Love of Neighbor.”
- Written by: UPF-Nepal
Lalitpur, Nepal—More than 190 people, including local faith leaders and youth, attended an event at Nagarjuna Academy organized by UPF-Nepal to commemorate U.N. World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018.
- Written by: Yevgeny Skvortsov, secretary general, UPF-Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg, Russia—Maintaining one’s traditions while respecting the traditions of others was the theme of a World Interfaith Harmony Week event.
- Written by: Natalia Chigrina, secretary general, UPF-Northwest Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia—UPF marked World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018 with a roundtable held at the St. Petersburg Jewish Community Center.
- Written by: UPF-Japan
Tokyo, Japan—UPF-Japan commemorated UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018 by holding a forum with approximately 80 Ambassadors for Peace and representatives of Shintoism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, secretary general, UPF-Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria—UPF-Nigeria organized a series of activities to commemorate the 2018 United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW).
- Written by: UPF-Nicaragua
Managua, Nicaragua—In observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018, UPF-Nicaragua held a forum at a local university.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, secretary general, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway—UPF-Norway celebrated the 2018 World Interfaith Harmony Week with an event in the Oslo Jewish Museum.
- Written by: Dmitry Samko, secretary general, UPF-Moscow
Moscow, Russia—Young people from 13 nations took part in a Religious Youth Service (RYS) volunteer project related to World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Beni Vitai, UPF-United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom—The power of people of faith to solve the world’s crises was the theme of the 2018 celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: UPF-Italy
Bergamo, Italy—Sincere brotherhood and intense spirituality marked the 2018 celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Maria Pammer, secretary general of UPF of Upper Austria
Gramastetten, Austria—Forty-five guests representing eight religious denominations celebrated the 2018 World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Peter Haider, president, UPF-Austria
Vienna, Austria—More than 200 people attended a World Interfaith Harmony Week program that culminated with an Interfaith Peace Blessing.
- Written by: Jacques Marion, regional vice president of UPF for Europe and the Middle East
Paris, France—UPF marked World Interfaith Harmony Week with a program about an individual who strived to build bridges between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
- Written by: Dr. Juraj Lajda, president, UPF-Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic—UPF, in cooperation with the Christian Community, organized an interfaith gathering on the occasion of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: UPF-Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia—To mark World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF held a roundtable on “Wisdom Sharing: Our Attitude toward Enemies.”
- Written by: Dmitry Samko, secretary general, UPF-Moscow
Moscow, Russia—Ambassadors for Peace, representatives of traditional religions, and leaders of public and charitable organizations were the speakers at a World Interfaith Harmony Week event.
- Written by: Barbara Grabner, UPF-Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia— A new national law that limits the rights of faith groups was the focus of the UPF observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.