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-Japan
Tokyo, Japan—To commemorate the International Day of Families 2019, UPF-Japan, in partnership with a local NGO, organized a clean-up project in Tokyo.
- Written by: UPF-New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand—UPF New Zealand brought together 80 participants to honor the importance of families.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, secretary general, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway—Speakers emphasized that because the family is sacred, the day that commemorates families should be honored.
- Written by: Lynn Walsh, director, UPF Office of the Family
New York, United States—A large audience gathered at the UN headquarters to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina celebrated the International Day of Families in San Clemente and Haedo, recognizing couples who have been married for 25 years or more.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina commemorated the International Day of Families 2018 by honoring ten couples with longstanding marriages.
- Written by: UPF-New Zealand
Aukland, New Zealand—Diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds represented at UPF-New Zealand’s commemoration of UN International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF-Japan
Tokyo, Japan—Every year families work together to clean up the streets in honor of International Day of Families.
- Written by: Nobuhiro Igarashi, UPF-Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark—Approximately 200 people attended a UPF celebration of UN International Day of Families 2018, held at UN City.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, secretary general, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway—UPF-Norway held a program for UN International Day of Families which addressed the challenges that families face today.
- Written by: Hubert Arnoldi, UPF-Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Germany—“Family and Inclusive Societies” was the theme of a celebration of UN International Day of Families 2018.
- Written by: UPF-Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands—UPF co-sponsored a combined celebration of the 2018 UN International Day of Families and Africa Day.
- Written by: Hubert Arnoldi, secretary general, UPF-Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Germany—The 2017 UN International Day of Families was celebrated by conducting an Interfaith Peace Blessing ceremony.
- Written by: UPF-Albania
Tirana, Albania—More than 160 participants, including many prominent Albanians, attended a celebration of the UN International Day of Families in the UNESCO Hall of the National Historical Museum.
- Written by: UPF-Albania
Korça, Albania—About 120 guests attended a UPF conference held in honor of UN International Day of Families with the theme “The Importance of Family Values in an Era of Global Crisis.”
- Written by: Anja Brina, UPF-Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf, Germany—The International Day of Families was observed with a talk about the importance of the family, followed by prayers offered by an interfaith prayer circle.
- Written by: Dietmar Jorde, UPF-Germany
Nuremberg, Germany—To mark the UN International Day of Families, UPF held a discussion on “Attachment Theory, or How Love Really Works.”
- Written by: Mag. Elisabeth Cook, UPF-Austria
Vienna, Austria—More than 200 guests, including Ambassadors for Peace and NGO leaders, attended a celebration of the 2017 International Day of Families.
- Written by: Franco Ravaglioli, secretary general, UPF-Italy
Bergamo, Italy—International Day of Families was celebrated in the northern Italian city of Bergamo under the theme "The Value of the Family for the New Millennium.”
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Haedo, Argentina—Six couples who have been married for more than 25 years were honored at an event held in Haedo city in Buenos Aires province to celebrate the International Day of Families.
- Written by: Robert Bentele, secretary general, UPF-Munich
Munich, Germany—The 2017 International Day of Families was celebrated by the Munich branch of UPF with a discussion promoting true family values.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina celebrated the 2017 International Day of Families by recognizing twelve couples who have been married between 28 and 59 years.
- Written by: Maria Pammer, secretary general, UPF of Upper Austria
Linz, Austria—To commemorate the UN International Day of Families, the Upper Austrian chapter of UPF held a discussion on the topic “What Value Does the Family Have?”
- Written by: Jacques Marion, chair, UPF-France
Paris, France—In honor of the 2017 UN International Day of Families, UPF-France held a forum under the theme “The Family in the 21st Century—Evolution or Crisis?”