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: Margarida Frazão Lozano, founder of Together Without Borders
Lisbon, Portugal—UPF and an affiliated organization participated in an online discussion marking World Refugee Day.
- Written by: UPF-Cameroon
Yaounde, Cameroon—On the occasion of the celebration of the UN International Day of Parliamentarism on June 30, 2020, the Cameroon chapter of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) held a conference at the Tripartite Hall of the Yaounde Conference Center.
- Written by: Lynn Walsh, Director, UPF Office of Marriage and the Family
New York, United States—The theme for this year’s UN Commission on Social Development was “Affordable Housing and Social Protection Systems for All to Address Homelessness.”
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—To celebrate UN International Volunteer Day 2019, UPF-Argentina held the seventh edition of its “Volunteer and the Common Good” recognition ceremony.
- Written by: UPF-International
New York, United States—UPF cosponsored a program to explore how faith-based organizations can assist in preventing crime and reforming criminal justice.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—In recognition of the UN International Day of Older Persons, UPF-Argentina visited the San José de Ciudadela Retirement Home on October 21.
- Written by: Genie Kagawa, Director, UPF Executive Office
Washington, DC—UPF’s Executive Office Took Part in the World Bank’s roundtable discussion of “The Role of Faith in the Human Capital Project.”
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina commemorated International Friendship Day by recognizing 17 new Ambassadors for Peace.
- Written by: Frederick Wakisi, Executive Director, UPF-Kenya
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—UPF inspired the participation of over 150 guests at UN forum examining the theme “Sustainable Development of Cities and Human Settlements in the Digital Era.”
- Written by: Lynn Walsh, Director, UPF Office of Marriage, Family, and Human Development
Abjua, Nigeria—From November 28 to 29, 2017, the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) held an Expert Group Meeting on “The role of African Civil Society Organization in Preventing Violent Extremism in Africa”.
- Written by: Lynn Walsh, Director, UPF Office of Marriage, Family, and Human Development
New York, United States—The fifth annual Agribusiness and Economic Industry Summit addressed chronic undernourishment, particularly in Africa.
- Written by: Lynn Walsh, Director, UPF Office of Marriage, Family, and Human Development
New York, USA—Civic and religious leaders met with future president of UN General Assembly at forum to discuss values.
- Written by: Peter Haider, president, UPF-Austria Chapter: International
Vienna, Austria—UPF organized a side-meeting to the 28th Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina celebrated International Mother Earth Day 2019 by planting trees in the country’s capital, Buenos Aires.
- Written by: Genie Kagawa, director, UPF Executive Office
New York, United States—From 2017 to 2018, UPF chaired the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns-NY.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina’s commemoration of UN International Day of friendship was appropriately highlighted by the appointment of 17 new Ambassadors for Peace.
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—In observance of the UN International Day of Older Persons, members of UPF-Argentina visited grandmothers at a nursing home in Buenos Aires province.
- Written by: UPF-Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria—United Nations Day was commemorated with a Family Unity Blessing Festival.
- Written by: Dr. Trevor Edward Jones, president, UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—UPF-Peru celebrated the UN’s International Mother Earth Day with a forum co-sponsored by the secretary general of the Andean Community of Nations.
- Written by: Wim Koetsier, secretary general, UPF-Netherlands
Utrecht, the Netherlands—With the Netherlands joining the UN Security Council in 2018, UPF organized a discussion of the nation’s greater role in international affairs and worldwide security issues.
- Written by: UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—UPF-Peru celebrated the UN International Day of Yoga with a program featuring a talk on the benefits of yoga and a demonstration of yoga poses (asanas).
- Written by: UPF–Peru
La Esperanza, Peru—UPF-Peru’s regional office in Trujillo held a celebration of the International Day of Human Rights at the town hall of the municipality of La Esperanza with more than 120 guests.
- Written by: UPF-Peru
Lima, Peru—To commemorate the International Day of Human Rights, UPF-Peru held a forum at the Congress of the Republic of Peru, on the theme, “Let’s Protect the Human Rights of All.”
- Written by: UPF-Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina participated in an event co-organized by the UN in Argentina to commemorate UN Day and highlight the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).