On World Wildlife Day, March 5, the Universal Peace Federation joins the global community in striving to protect biodiversity. As part of UPF’s  100 Days of Serving Community campaign, from February 20 to June 1, 2026, the month of March is dedicated to strengthening partnerships for community service. The campaign culminates on June 1, the UN  Global Day of Parents . In the context of biodiversity, partnerships determine what can be achieved in the field, from preventing pol

Bangkok, Thailand  – In observance of Women’s History Month, the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and the International Association of First Ladies for Peace (IAFLP) convened a global webinar on March 2, 2026, entitled “No Peace Without Women.” The program highlighted the critical role of women in peace processes, conflict prevention, and human security. Around 140 women from 22 countries joined the event. Opening the program, UPF-Asia Pacific President Ms. Ursula McLackland

Washington, D.C., United States  – As part of the observance of Ramadan, the month-long period of fasting and prayer observed by Muslims worldwide, UPF-USA hosted an interfaith iftar dinner on March 1, 2026, at the Washington Times Building in Washington, D.C. Ramadan this year runs from February 17 to March 19. For the past four years, UPF-USA has sponsored an iftar dinner, the meal held after sunset throughout the month of Ramadan, with other organizations. This year, under

As March 2026 begins, the  Universal Peace Federation launches the first full month of its  100 Days of Serving Community  campaign, running from February 20 to June 1, 2026, and culminating on the  Global Day of Parents . The purpose is intentionally practical: rebuilding community trust through visible cooperation, hands-on service, and concrete support for family life. UPF works internationally as an NGO in  general consultative status  with the  United Nations Economic a

From February 20 to June 1, 2026, UPF invites cross-sector partners to advance community trust through cooperation, volunteer service, and strengthened family life. This period marks UPF’s 100-day campaign entitled, “100 Days of Serving Community.” The campaign culminates on June 1, the  Global Day of Parents . As an organization in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council , UPF connects local peacebuilding with the United Nations agenda and th

Manila, Philippines  – A UPF delegation traveled to the Philippines to pay solemn tribute to Hon. Jose de Venecia Jr., five-time speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines and ambassador for peace, who passed away on February 10, 2026, at the age of 89. Forty distinguished representatives from UPF, FFWPU, and the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC) – including Dr. Charles Yang, Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal, Rev. Yutaka Yamada, and Ms. Ursula McLackland – par

On behalf of the founders of the Universal Peace Federation, Dr. Hak Ja Han and her late husband, Dr. Sun Myung Moon, we extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Georgina de Venecia, Hon. Christopher de Venecia, and the entire De Venecia family on the passing of Hon. Speaker Jose C. de Venecia, Jr., an extraordinary statesman of the Republic of the Philippines, who passed away on February 10, 2026. Speaker de Venecia devoted decades of his life to distinguished pu

Washington, D.C.. United States  – The International Religious Freedom Summit 2026 gathered the world’s top advocates for religious liberty in Washington, D.C. from February 1-3, 2026. For the third year in a row, Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and The Washington Times Foundation (TWTF) served as title partners for this event. The summit drew over 1600 participants from 87 countries, representing dozens of faiths and beliefs. Pastor Paula White-Cain, senior adviser at the

Building on international efforts within the United Nations agenda on a culture of peace and interreligious and intercultural dialogue, World Interfaith Harmony Week , observed annually during the first week of February, provides an international framework for dialogue and cooperation among religious communities. The week was established by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution 65/5 of October 20, 2010, following a proposal introduced at the General Assembly

On January 28, 2026, the Universal Peace Federation joins the United Nations in observing the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence , proclaimed by  General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/269 , adopted on March 4, 2025 under the agenda item “Culture of Peace.” The resolution presents peaceful coexistence as a positive and participatory process that encourages dialogue and addresses disputes through mutual understanding and cooperation. It is grounded in the  Charter of the

On January 27, the Universal Peace Federation ( UPF ) joins the United Nations in observing the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust . This date marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945, an event that exposed the scale of human cruelty and the devastating impact of hatred, antisemitism, and moral indifference. Established by Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly 60/7  of 1 November 2005, “Holocaust remembrance,” th

January 24 marks the International Day of Education , established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 73/25 in 2018. Each year, this observance invites the global community to reflect on education as a foundation for personal integrity, social cohesion, and sustainable peace. The Universal Peace Federation ( UPF ) understands education not merely as a technical system of instruction, but as a formative process that shapes character, values, and social responsibility

Communities around the world mark  World Religion Day on January 18, 2025, observed each year on the third Sunday in January. First initiated in 1950 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States, the day has grown beyond its original setting and is now widely hosted by interfaith and multifaith coalitions. It invites reflection on a practical truth: when spiritual communities meet with humility and clarity, public life can regain moral depth and soc

As we welcome the dawn of 2026, I extend my warmest greetings and heartfelt gratitude to all leaders of Universal Peace Federation worldwide, and to our dedicated Ambassadors for Peace. The year 2025 was highlighted by the successful culmination of World Summit 2025, which convened current and former heads of state, legislators, diplomats, scholars, religious leaders and civil society leaders from every continent. Under the theme “Contemporary Challenges to World Order: Estab

Dear Ambassadors for Peace, partners, and leaders of the Universal Peace Federation across the globe, At this sacred and joyful season of Christmas, I extend warm greetings to each of you. As members of a diverse global family committed to peace, human dignity, and mutual respect, we are united by a spiritual vision that transcends borders and differences. Our founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, taught that true and lasting peace arises when humanity li

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

Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 14 and concludes at nightfall on December 22, 2025. Rooted in Jewish history and faith, the festival commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and is marked by the lighting of the menorah with its nine candles, each flame a testament to perseverance, memory, and the enduring conviction that light can overcome darkness. While deeply particular in its origins, Hanukkah carries a universal resonance. Across cultures and tra

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 –