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: UPF-Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—UPF-Malaysia commemorated UN World Interfaith Harmony Week by organizing a pilgrimage to places of worship.
- Written by: UPF-Brazil
São Paulo, Brazil—World Interfaith Harmony Week was celebrated in Sao Paulo on February 19, at the Indian Cultural Center.
- Written by: Knut Holdhus, chair, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway—UPF-Norway organized an evening conference on “Finding Ways to Reconciliation” as part of the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Franco Ravaglioli, secretary general, UPF-Italy
Bergamo, Italy—"The Divine Concept in the Various Faiths" was the theme of a meeting organized by UPF to commemorate World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Susan Fefferman, UPF-DC Ambassadors for Peace program director
Washington, D.C., United States—UPF-DC held an interfaith prayer ceremony in commemoration of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: UPF-Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador—UPF-Ecuador held an event in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016 on February 4 at the Peace Embassy.
- Written by: UPF-Philippines
Mindanao, Philippines—UPF-Philippines organized a seminar and brotherhood/sisterhood ceremony in observance of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016.
- Written by: UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—More than 80 representatives of various faiths attended an event in Lima to celebrate World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016.
- Written by: David Fraser Harris, regional secretary general, UPF-Middle East
Vienna, Austria—UPF marked World Interfaith Harmony Week with a conference that asked how religions can help to bring peace to the Middle East.
- Written by: Geoffrey Fyers, secretary general, UPF-New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand—UPF-New Zealand observed the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week 2015 by asking “What should our response to ISIS be?”
- Written by: Gregory Stone, secretary general, UPF-Australia
Sydney, Australia—During World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first bimonthly Ambassadors for Peace meeting for 2015 was held with the theme “Future Directions for Interfaith: A Young Person’s Perspective.”
- Written by: Dmitry Samko, secretary general, Moscow branch, UPF-Russia
Moscow, Russia—The secretary general of the Moscow branch of UPF-Russia explained the UPF Principles of Peace at an interfaith roundtable attended by religious leaders, scientific and creative intellectuals, journalists and public figures.
- Written by: Dr. Nurit Hirschfeld, Secretary General, UPF-Israel
Jerusalem, Israel - The Jerusalem Interfaith Forum held a special session for a group of Muslims visiting from Azerbaijan, entitled “Interfaith Cooperation for Peace.”
- Written by: Susan Fefferman
Washington, D.C., United States - Representatives of five world religions attended a program honoring World Interfaith Harmony Week which was organized by UPF International and The Washington Times Foundation.
- Written by: Dr. Juraj Lajda, Secretary General, UPF-Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic - Representatives of five world religions gathered at a meeting, held in honor of World Interfaith Harmony Week, whose theme was “Harmony and Peace.”
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Oko, Secretary General, UPF-Nigeria
UPF-Nigeria organized a campaign in many parts of the nation to "Pray and Preach for Peace and Peaceful Elections" during World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Rev. Christian Lepelletier, Secretary General, UPF-Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil - World Interfaith Harmony Week was celebrated in Sao Paulo, February 12, at the Indian Cultural Center.
- Written by: Krishna Adhikari, Secretary General, UPF-India
Campus Peace Clubs were launched at three schools in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, during World Interfaith Harmony Week 2015.
- Written by: Sam Yeoh Koay Seng, Secretary General, UPF-Malaysia
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia - From the melodious chiming of kuil temple bells in Kuala Lumpur to the azan call of prayer at a mosque in Putrajaya, 52 pilgrims immersed themselves in Malaysia’s vibrantly diverse socioreligious fabric.
- Written by: UPF - Nepal
Lalitpur, Nepal - NIMS College in Lalitpur hosted a World Interfaith Harmony Week program on Feb. 5, 2015. About 70 people attended the event.
- Written by: Jacques Marion, President, UPF-France
Evry, France - One month after the terrorist events in January, in order to mark the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, UPF-France organized a gathering at the Islamic Cultural Center of Evry, south of Paris, on Feb. 8.
- Written by: Katerina Minollari, Chair, Women's Federation for World Peace-Albania
Tirana, Albania - Women’s contribution to interreligious dialogue and harmony was the theme of a forum held to commemorate World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway - Together with a Lutheran church in Oslo, UPF-Norway organized a program on the topic "Religion and Human Rights" on Feb. 5 in observance of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week.
- Written by: Christina Ishizaki Rutkauskas, UPF - UK
London, UK - A forum in a committee room of the House of Lords in London on Feb. 4 featured people from various backgrounds and religions giving their perspective on the topic of "Interreligious Harmony and Free Speech."