Ambassadors for Peace Reports

Vrindavan, India - American TV personality Oprah Winfrey visited the Guild for Service's Shelter Home in Vrindavan in January 2012. On April 29 her OWN cable TV network will feature its shelter home and widows at 9:00 PM Eastern Time/Pacific Time.

My decision to attend the International Leadership Conference in Mindanao, Philippines, March 29-31, 2012, was not taken lightly. As I called up to the heavens for answers, what impressed my way of thinking was the purpose of my NGO, Wahine Maori of Queensland Inc., to promote a culture of peace around the world.

Change is inevitable with the current flow of access to information, media expansion, technologies, communications, and the tendency of human nature to seek peace and truth. With all of above, we can be hopeful for gradual change. But what is important is how to channel the human potential towards the expected change.

Oujda, Morocco - Youth for Peace invited many religious and spiritual leaders to a meeting at the Moulay Slimane Fondation to celebrate the second World Interfaith Harmony Week. We celebrated by gathering together and  strengthening our ties, sharing news of our interfaith activities and our future plans; it was an occasion for meeting new friends and creating new partnerships.

Washington, DC, USA - A professor of women's studies at the University of Tunis in Tunisia, Mrs. Houda Zaibi Belhassen shared insights into the "Arab Spring" in her native Tunisia to a select audience at The Washington Times on January 25. She particularly noted the progressive Personal Status Code that offers special protection to women and children.

Ottawa, Canada - Ernest G. Tannis, LL.B., C.Med., won a national award from the Canadian Ethnic Media Association for an episode of his radio show on Alternative Dispute Resolution entitled "Common Values of the Abrahamic Faiths."

Kathmandu, Nepal - The Diplomatic Courier, a global affairs magazine, announced their selection of the “Top 99 Under 33 Foreign Policy Leaders” in their latest issue. Their selection lists Santosh Shah, 29, a Nepali and the only Asian. The founder president of Today’s Youth Asia and the anchor and producer of the television talk show “Power Talks,” he served as a panelist on the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel from 2008-2010. He was appointed a UPF Youth Ambassador for Peace in 2008. For details click here.

Gisborne, New Zealand - Ambassador for Peace Tiotira Rauna represented UPF-New Zealand at the annual Te Unga Mai voyaging festival on October 8 at the Gisborne Conference Center. The commemoration of Captain James Cook’s arrival in 1769 “and the sad events that happened at that time” included interfaith readings by members of Presbyterian, Muslim, Anglican, Hindu and Baha’i faiths. Addressing the gathering on behalf of UPF-New Zealand, Tiotira Rauna expressed its belief that "peace is going to start in Oceania.” For more details click here.

Abuja, Nigeria -UPF Global Peace Council member Ernest Shonekan addressed an October 4 conference in Abuja  on "Shelter and Urban Renewal," in commemoration of World Habitat Day. World Habitat Day is a day set aside for commemoration by the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-HABITAT), to ensure that everyone in the world lives in decent houses and environment.

Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ambassador for Peace Rob Schrama spoke at a UPF gathering on August 4 about the origins and his motivation for creating the Jerusalem Hug,in which people hold hands around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, singing and praying for peace and respect for all humankind.

Parnu, Estonia - On the Baltic seacoast in Parnu, Estonia, the annual Parnu Summer Cup youth football tournament took place from June 30 to July 3 under the slogan of "Play Football Make Peace." During the period of several days, more than 100 football players from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Ukraine, and Russia competed with the desire to become the best of the best.

Bogota, Colombia - With deep gratitude to the Creator of the universe and with great joy I report that the Hebraic Theological Seminary in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, has given me the title of Doctor of Theology, specializing in the field of Hebrew-Christian Doctrine.

Dhaka, Bangladesh - On the occasion of the 112th birthday of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the National Poet of Bangladesh, the Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue of the Department of World Religions and Culture of Dhaka University held a seminar on “Kazi Nazrul Islam and Interfaith Harmony” on May 25.

Dhaka, Bangladesh - Ambassador for Peace Professor Kazi Nurul Islam chaired an International Seminar on Religions for Peace and Harmony in Dhaka on April 26. Professor Kazi Nurul Islam is chairman of the Department of World Religions and Culture at the University of Dhaka.

Bangkok, Thailand - Mrs. Nittaya Laksanavisit, representating Thai Ambassadors for Peace, gave a donation of money to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan to Mr. Kamol Thananopavarn, Assistant Secretary General of UPF-Thailand.