On December 18, the United Nations observes International Migrants Day , proclaimed by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/55/93 of December 4, 2000, coinciding with the date on which the General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families ( A/RES/45/158 ) in 1990. In his message  for International Migrants Day, the UN Secretary-General highlights that migrants contribute to economic

On December 10 the international community marks Human Rights Day, commemorating the adoption of the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights  by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris in 1948 as General Assembly Resolution 217 A. The declaration set out, for the first time, a common standard of fundamental rights and freedoms for all people, and has inspired a wide body of international human rights treaties and standards, becoming a foundation for contemporary internati

Every year on December 5, the international community marks International Volunteer Day , established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985 to recognize the contribution of volunteers to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2025 this observance takes place under the theme “ Every Contribution Matters ” and coincides with the global launch of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development  in 2026 (Res. A/RES/78/127). In this context the Univ

On the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action , widely regarded by the United Nations as the most comprehensive global program of action for gender equality, the international community takes stock of progress and identifies the gaps that still require attention. The platform's twelve critical areas  of concern – spanning education, health, violence prevention, economic participation, and women's participation in power and decision-making –  

The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) congratulates the G20 leaders on the successful 2025 G20  Summit  in Johannesburg, South Africa, held on November 22–23, 2025. This first G20 summit on the African continent advanced priorities set by the host under the themes of solidarity, equality and sustainability.  The Johannesburg Summit produced several concrete results, including strengthened representation of Africa in global governance, steps toward reforming the international f

New York, United States  – The NGO Committee on the Family, NY – of which UPF is an executive member – held a virtual program on November 20, 2025, to review the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha, Qatar, from November 4-6. The summit aimed to address the largely poor progress in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The expert panel had a special interest in the degree to which the family could potentially accelerate the attainment of Ag

From November 17 to 21, 2025, representatives of governments and international organizations will gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York for the Sixth Session  of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction. This annual meeting reviews progress toward the objective of reducing the risks associated with weapons of mass destruction in the region and provides a forum for states to discuss prac

Lisbon, Portugal – A symposium on the theme "Bridges of Peace, Sustainability, and Global Solidarity," hosted by UPF-Portugal at the Embassy of Peace in Lisbon on November 15, 2025, drew over 70 participants, despite heavy rain and competing events in the same area. While commemorating the International Day of Peace and UPF’s 20th anniversary, the event aimed to strengthen interreligious dialogue, consolidate partnerships, and promote a vision of peace, sustainability, and g

On November 16, the United Nations commemorates the International Day for Tolerance , proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1996. At a time when mistrust, polarization and targeted misinformation strain relations within and between societies, this observance calls on states, educators, media and civil society to strengthen learning, law and public life in a way that allows people with different convictions and histories to coexist peacefully. It also supports the achieveme

Each year on November 10, the international community observes World Science Day for Peace and Development , proclaimed by UNESCO in 2001 to highlight science’s role in sustainable progress and peace. The 2025 theme, Trust, Transformation, and Tomorrow: The Science We Need for 2050 , underscores the importance of transparency, inclusion, and ethics in scientific practice. These values resonate deeply with the Universal Peace Federation’s principles  of interdependence, mutual

UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference , held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 30 to November 13, 2025, marks an opportunity for global dialogue on education, culture, and ethics in the digital age. Gathering representatives of 195 member states outside Paris for the first time in nearly four decades, the conference underscores the value of intercultural understanding at a time when technology is reshaping societies faster than human consciousness can adapt.  Samarkand, a his

Paris, France  – To mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, a conference was held on November 7, 2025, at the headquarters of UPF-France at Espace Barrault in Paris. Under the theme “At 80 – What Future for the United Nations?” the event was dedicated to examining the organization’s founding principles, its evolving objectives, and its prospects in a rapidly transforming global context. Eighty years after the adoption of the San Francisco Charter, mul

The Universal Peace Federation (UPF), founded by Dr. Hak Ja Han  and the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon , an NGO in General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ), extends its greetings to all participants of the Second World Summit for Social Development ( SWSSD 2025 ), held in Doha from November 4 to 6, 2025. Marking the thirtieth anniversary of the 1995 Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development , this gathering reaffirms the globa

Meersburg, Germany  – More than fifty participants from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein met in the small but internationally known town of Meersburg, on Lake Constance in Germany, for a discussion on the theme, “The World at a Turning Point – What Values Will Secure Our Future?” The conference took part from November 1-2, 2025.   The mayor of Meersburg, Mr. Robert Scherer , opened the conference with welcoming remarks, linking his motto, “Peace begins in the m

The United Nations' Global Media and Information Literacy Week, observed each year from October 24 to 31, reminds humanity that the power to shape ideas and societies now lies in every hand. In the digital century, tools of communication have become immensely powerful, capable of building understanding or causing confusion. Such influence demands personal maturity, moral awareness, and responsibility in producing and sharing information.   The Universal Peace Federation (UPF)

New York, United States  – In celebration of the United Nations' 80th anniversary, diplomats, experts, and NGOs convened on International UN Day, October 24, 2025, calling for a reinvigoration of the founding principles of the UN Charter: national sovereignty, human dignity, and the centrality of the family. The missions of Burundi and Djibouti co-sponsored the event at UN headquarters in New York, organized by C-Fam and Campaign Life Coalition, with support from UPF, the Aso

Lomé, Togo  – At a major continental gathering in ECOWAS Hall in Lomé, on October 24, 2025, UPF-Africa launched the 100 Days of Harmony and Hope Campaign. The event took place in conjunction with the celebration of United Nations Day, reinforcing UPF’s continued partnership with the UN in advancing peace, unity, and shared human values throughout Africa. Organized in a hybrid format, the launch brought together around 100 participants in person and more than 535 virtual atten

The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) is launching the global “Harmony and Hope” campaign, a 100-day initiative running from United Nations Day, October 24, 2025, to February 1, 2026, the start of World Interfaith Harmony Week. This initiative is dedicated to advancing unity, peace, and moral leadership. In line with the UN objectives for peace and sustainable development, the campaign invites partners and Ambassadors for Peace of UPF to strengthen collaboration, compassion, a

Copenhagen, Denmark  – On Sunday, October 19, 2025, UPF-Denmark celebrated the UN International Day of Peace 2025 under the theme “Act Now for a Peaceful World.” The event took place in the historic former Landsting Chamber of the Danish Parliament, now its largest meeting room. Originally planned earlier in the autumn, the event was postponed due to Denmark’s EU presidency meetings.  The 150 participants included ambassadors for peace, politicians, religious and community le

Geneva, Switzerland  – The conference “No Peace without Women: No More War – Can We?” featured two distinguished panels of UN officials, government representatives, journalists, and civil society leaders, who highlighted the indispensable role of women and faith-based actors in peacebuilding and the prevention of war. The program was co-organized by the Women’s Federation for World Peace International (WFWPI) and the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), and held in the Palais de