On the occasion of the United Nations International Day of Families, the Universal Peace Federation reaffirms the enduring truth that the family is the first school of peace. It is within the home that human beings first learn dignity, conscience, compassion, responsibility, cooperation, and care for others. Strong and healthy families cultivate the moral and social foundations upon which peaceful societies and nations are built. The United Nations has long recognized the fam

As May 2026 begins, the Universal Peace Federation enters the third and final full month of its 100 Days of Serving Community campaign, running from February 20 to June 1, 2026. March emphasized partnerships to strengthen local impact. April emphasized volunteer service that communities could recognize and welcome. May brings this public work to its center: the family and values-based education. This leads directly to the Global Day of Parents, and raises a practical question

Boston, United States – The International Media Association for Peace (IMAP) USA sponsored a webinar on April 28, 2026, titled “Restoring Excellence in Public Schools: Prioritizing Academics, Merit and Parental Rights." It addressed rising concerns about declining academic performance, increasing ideological content in classrooms, and the erosion of parental influence in education. It was moderated by Ms. Jennifer Trench, executive director of UPF-Western Massachusetts, with

South and Central America – A panel of leaders from South America, Central America and the Caribbean gathered in a webinar on April 24, 2026, to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, under the theme “Inclusion and Solidarity in Diplomacy: Peace and Development for All.” Organized by UPF in collaboration with the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) – a project under the UPF umbrella – Mr. Mario S

New York, United States – UPF-USA and the NGO Committee on the Family, NY (NGOCF NY) at the United Nations convened a virtual program on April 23, 2026, titled "The Demographic Turning Point: Family, Fertility, and What Comes Next." With three-quarters of the world now experiencing fertility rates below replacement level, concern over the economic and social consequences of an increasingly aged population has intensified globally. Three research policy experts addressed the c

Each year on April 22, the United Nations marks International Mother Earth Day. The message is direct: human life and the natural world cannot be separated. When the land is degraded, forests are lost, water is polluted, and climate pressure grows; the consequences do not stay in nature alone. They reach homes, food systems, health, livelihoods, migration and social stability. That is why this day belongs naturally within UPF’s Month of Service. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainabl

Europe & Middle East – UPF-Europe and Middle East (EUME) marked a historic milestone with the official inauguration of the International Association of Arts and Culture for Peace (IAACP), one of the eight pillars under UPF, on April 20, 2026. This celebratory event, held online and hosted by aspiring young Slovenian filmmaker and MC of the evening Mr. Kristian Irgl, brought together a global community – from Nigeria to Korea – to honor the transformative power of creativity i

Lima, Peru – UPF-Peru celebrated International Mother Earth Day on April 21, 2026, with a forum at the Congress of the Republic of Peru, attended by 120 guests. The event was sponsored by Congressman Dr. Raúl Huamán Coronado and the Peru chapter of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), of which Congressman Coronado serves as secretary general. The president of UPF-Peru, Dr. Trevor Jones, delivered a welcoming address via video message from London

Montréal, Canada – April 18, 2026 was a bright, sunny spring day in Montréal, where UPF-Canada held its annual Ambassadors for Peace Recognition Luncheon at Hotel Ruby Foo’s, under the theme “Interreligious Dialogue, Interculturality, and Secularity: A Contemporary Perspective.” More than 70 people attended, drawn by a theme that resonates both globally and within the Canadian and Quebec context, where such dialogue – and even more so intercultural and interreligious collabor

London, United Kingdom – Couples, families, faith leaders and guests joined the annual Celebration of Marriage, Family and Faith hosted on April 18, 2026, by UPF-United Kingdom, together with the North of the Thames Community of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). The joyful and reflective gathering affirmed the importance of marriage, family values and spiritual life in building peaceful communities. Opening the event, Mr. Robin Marsh, secretary g

Helsinki, Finland – The Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) in Finland, in cooperation with CANIP-Finland, held an Interreligious Forum for Peace on April 18, 2026. Three speakers delivered keynote messages, each highlighting different dimensions of peace, faith and human dignity. Dr. Muhammad Nadeem Asghar, the first speaker, emphasized the universal values shared across cultures by linking religion and science. Drawing on his experiences in Japan,

Budapest, Hungary – UPF-Hungary and its primary associations held several activities from February to April, 2026, promoting peace through culture, faith, history and the environment. On the evening of February 23, 2026, an online working group meeting of the International Association of Arts and Culture for Peace (IAACP) addressed the question of how to create value through the arts. They stressed that, since artists communicate with their audiences through their work, the m