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: Andrew Halim, UPF-New Zealand
Parnell, New Zealand—UPF-New Zealand marked the UN International Day of Families by holding a family forum with two distinguished guests from Qatar.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, secretary general, UPF Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria—A UPF-organized summit marked the 2015 United Nations International Day of Families by recommending the establishment of a national Ministry of Family Affairs.
- Written by: Dr. Helen M. Osei, secretary general, UPF-Ghana
Accra, Ghana—UPF teaches that marriage and family are the cornerstone of peace, and, as we know, family decline and breakdown lead to social and national decline.
- Written by: Sokol Rexhepi, secretary general, UPF-Albania
Fier and Tirana, Albania—UPF-Albania organized observances of the UN International Day of Families 2015 in the cities of Fier and Tirana.
- Written by: UPF - Fiji
Suva, Fiji - UPF celebrated the International Day of Families by organizing lunch and entertainment for residents of the Samabula Old Peoples' Home in Suva on May 18, 2014.
- Written by: Mrs. Carolyn Handschin, Women's Federation for World Peace UN Office
Geneva, Switzerland - A conference on "Family Values and Their Link to Economic Well-being and Social Outcomes" took place at the UN headquarters in Geneva June 30-July 1, 2014.
- Written by: Allafrica.com
Abuja, Nigeria - The National Merit Award House in Abuja was the site of an International Day of Families program on May 15.
- Written by: UPF - Japan
Tokyo, Japan - It was a sunny day on April 29 for the community cleaning program organized by UPF-Japan, "Family Clean-up Rally 246," in collaboration with the South Tokyo Council of Ambassadors for Peace.
- Written by: Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko, Secretary General, UPF-Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria - A peace education conference in Lagos on May 29, 2014, commemorated the 15th anniversary of the return to democratic governance in Nigeria.
- Written by: UPF - Scotland
Glasgow, Scotland - To commemorate the International Day of Families, the Glasgow Peace Federation, an affiliate of UPF, had a meeting in the hall of St. Peter's Church in Glasgow's historic Partick burgh on May 17, 2014. The event drew around 20 people of all ages and backgrounds on a Cup-final afternoon.
- Written by: UPF - Finland
Helsinki, Finland - The Finnish chapters of UPF and the Women's Federation for World Peace observed the International Day of Families with a May 15, 2014, forum on the theme: ”The important role of a woman in the culturally diversifying Finland.”
- Written by: UPF - New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand - The UN International Day of Families celebration in Auckland took place on May 10, 2014, at the Mt. Albert War Memorial Hall in Auckland.
- Written by: Peter Haider, Secretary General, UPF-Austria
- 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.