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 –  

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

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

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

Islamabad, Pakistan  – A UPF delegation participated in the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers Conference (ISC) in Islamabad from November 11-12, 2025. Convened by the Senate of Pakistan and the ISC Secretariat, the event focused on the theme, "Peace, Security and Development." Delegations from over forty national parliaments attended, represented by speakers, presidents, deputy speakers and senior legislators. Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Hon. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani  highl

As the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization ( CTBTO ) convenes at the Vienna International Centre from November 10-12, 2025, the Universal Peace Federation emphasizes the role of scientific cooperation and the CTBTO's verification regime in ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty ( CTBT ) has not yet entered into force as international law, as it requires ratification by 44 specific

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

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

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)

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

With profound sorrow and hearts filled with compassion, on behalf of Dr. Hak Ja Han, co-founder of the Universal Peace Federation International, we express our deepest condolences to Dr. Ida Odinga, to the entire Odinga family, and the people of Kenya, during this moment of national and continental mourning over the passing of the Right Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga. The passing of this beloved statesman and former prime minister is a great loss to the Republic of Kenya, to th

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 heartfelt condolences to the family of Ambassador Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, former foreign minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2006–2007) and former ambassador and permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (2008–2017). Ambassador Ugwu passed away on October, 13, 2025. UPF wishes her family, friends, and all who knew her pe

The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) is deeply concerned by the detention of its co-founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han (82), by South Korean...