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 - Austria
Vienna, Austria - On the occasion of the International Day of Families, UPF-Austria in cooperation with the Viennese Family Federation held a conference on May 15 on the topic: “The Impact of Migration on Families around the World.” Various speakers, experts on the topic, as well as couples with intercultural marriage experience, gave presentations, followed by round-table discussions.
- Written by: Robin Marsh, UPF-UK
London, UK - UPF-UK sponsored an International Day of Families symposium May 16 on the theme chosen by the UN for 2010: ‘Impact of Migration on Families Around the World.’
- Written by: Myriam Nuñez Mancebo, UPF - Uruguay
- Written by: UPF - Canada
Ottawa, Canada - UPF-Canada's National Peace Council announces its annual conference June 3 in Ottawa on the theme "Making Canada’s Families Work: An Inter-Religious and Inter-Cultural Discussion."
- Written by: Rohan Stefan Nandkisore, UPF-Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland - A parade and exhibit in the town hall of Reykjavik marked the UN International Day of Families on May 15. This tiny island in the North Atlantic felt like a microcosm of all the cultures of our world.
- Written by: Ilija Kosić, UPF-Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia - On May 14 UPF hosted a seminar on the UN International Day of Families.
- Written by: Adeola Oyinlade, Youth Federation for World Peace, Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria - On the UN International Day of Families, the Youth Federation for World Peace organized a one-day seminar and a ceremony commissioning new Ambassadors for Peace.
- Written by: UPF - India
Sikkim and Punjab, India - The United Nations International Day of Families was commemorated on May 15 at the Sikkim Government College in Gangtok, Sikkim, and at the Desh Bhagat Institute of Advanced Computer Sciences in Mandi Gobind Garh, Punjab.
- Written by: UPF - Netherlands
The Hague, Netherlands - UPF Netherlands supported the International Day of Families with an event at The Hague on May 15 . The emcee, Sadikoen Wirjoredjo, typified the multinational heritage of many Dutch people: he is Dutch, with ancestry from Indonesia via Suriname, and his wife is German.
- Written by: Tetsuya Amano, UPF-Bangladesh
Dhaka, Bangladesh - The United Nations Information Centre, the Women’s Federation for World Peace, and Universal Peace Federation in Bangladesh jointly organized the seminar entitled “Challenges to the Security of the Human Family” to mark the International Day of Families.
- Written by: Steinar Murud, UPF-Norway
Oslo, Norway - "The family - the key to a warmer society?" was the topic of a May 19 seminar in commemoration of the UN International Day of Families.
- Written by: UPF International
New York, NY, USA - UPF held its annual symposium to mark the UN International Day of Families on May 17, 2010 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
- Written by: Csilla Balint, Secretary General, UPF-Hungary
Budapest, Hungary - An International Day of Families program on May 15, 2010, featured family volunteering at a temporary residence for families and a conference the following day on the role of families in protecting their members in both extreme and normal circumstances.
- Written by: Mercedes González, Coordinator, Marriage and Family Initiative, UPF-Spain
Madrid, Spain - A Family Festival on May 15 marked the International Day of Families in Madrid. Two presentations about the family opened the program at 11:30, followed by lunch, awards of families youth and children, and a dance performance by the "Asociación Todo es Arte" from Peru.
- Written by: UPF International
UPF chapters in 40 nations organized celebrations of the UN International Day of Families, May 15, 2010.
- Written by: UPF-International
The Universal Peace Federation organized over 55 celebrations of the United Nations Day of Families in 31 nations, building on the theme “Creating a World of Peace, One Family at a Time.” The final event of the two-week observation took place May 18 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Read the written report. Download the PowerPoint report (9MB); high-res (25MB).
- Written by: H.E. Mrs. Lila Hanitra Ratsifandrihamanana, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the UN
Africa has its fair of problems and carries the seeds for a solution within its rich family traditions. Our model of the extended family of relations helping and supporting each other is among the strongest in the world.
- Written by: Carolyn Handschin, Director, UPF - UN Office in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland - In the sixth event in an ongoing “Peacebuilding and Human Rights” conference series, the Universal Peace Federation, together with the Geneva Interfaith Intercultural Alliance and the Women’s Federation for World Peace International, sponsored two sessions at the United Nations in Geneva on May 15 to mark the International Day of Families.
- Written by: Michael Treacy
Pohnpei, Micronesia - Coinciding with the UN International Day of Families, UPF-Micronesia sponsored a one-day seminar for 45 participants. Most guests arrived early and were greeted and treated with the traditional headdress worn at most gatherings and special meetings.
- Written by: UPF-St.Lucia, The Voice
The Voice of St Lucia, one of St. Lucia's national newspapers, published the "Universal Peace Federation Declaration on Families" sent by our UPF media officer Terrence Scott.
- Written by: Mag. Elisabeth Cook and Peter Haider, UPF - Austria
Vienna, Austria - A lecture and round-table discussion were organized by UPF in Vienna on May 15. As an introduction the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was read by the MC, Mag. Elisabeth Cook.
- Written by: UPF - Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland—Rev. Hjörtur Johannsson, pastor of the Free Lutheran Church, hosted a celebration on May 15 promoting the universality of the family and God as the parent of all humankind. A Muslim speaker expressed concern about the degradation of the family and emphasized the equality of all humanity regardless of race, sex, or religion.
- Written by: UPF-Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan - Fifty social and political activists gathered at the Sitara Hotel in the heart of Kabul to celebrate the International Day of Families and report about their activities of service to the community and work to strengthen the families of Afghanistan.
- Written by: Christopher Davies, UPF-Netherlands
Den Haag, The Netherlands – The International Day of Families was celebrated in the Christus Triumfatorkerk in Den Haag on May 15. The program included a video on the Millennium Development Goals and the Role of Women and several speakers.