Paris, France – UPF-France had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Augustin Senghor, mayor of Gorée Island in Senegal, to its headquarters in Paris on Sunday, August 9, 2026. The mayor was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Juliette Senghor, and their daughter. This meeting allowed Mr. Senghor to reflect on his experience at the African Summit in Dakar, hosted by UPF on January 18 and 19, 2018, and the visit of Dr. Hak Ja Han, co-founder of UPF, to Gorée Island. The meeting was a contin

Schwarzenberg, Austria – The annual Peace Road event at the Austria-Germany-Czech Republic tri-border area took place on August 8, 2026, beginning with a typical Bavarian “Weißwurst” breakfast at the mountain guesthouse, Berggasthaus Dreisessel, in Neureichenau. Ms. Maria Pammer, secretary general of UPF-Upper Austria, welcomed the guests from Austria and Germany. Mr. Michael Leitner, mayor of Schwarzenberg, recounted his own experience of the time when the Iron Curtain still

London, United Kingdom – Young people explored the challenges of ethical leadership in the age of artificial intelligence alongside practical approaches to peacebuilding, dialogue and conflict resolution during a UPF-UK youth leadership program on August 8, 2026. The online session included presentations from Dr. Lance Gardiner and Mr. David Fraser-Harris of UPF-UK, and Mr. Paul Gutteridge, founder of Track 2 Talks and an honorary fellow at the University of Birmingham's Edwa

Manzini, Eswatini – To address key challenges facing families and society in the country, UPF-Eswatini held a conference in Manzini on August 8, 2026. Representatives of civil society groups and local community members listened to presentations and took part in interactive games and discussions. Following an opening prayer, participants intermingled in a game called “What is Your Preference?” in which they would choose what they preferred in a certain category, and identify o

Bogota, Colombia – To commemorate the UN International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UPF-Colombia held an event at the Botanical Garden in Bogotá on August 8, 2026. This was the sixth such event under a joint project between UPF-Colombia and the Colombian Assembly of Religions and Spiritualities (ACRE). The gathering of indigenous, religious and spiritual communities included the Huitoto from the Amazon; the Nasa or Páez from Cauca, Muisca, Embera and Yanacona; Chris

San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina – The formal launch of UPF-Argentina’s 12th Peace Road in the city of San Salvador de Jujuy took place on August 5, 2026, at the NIDO Cuyaya community center. The launch was combined with a vigil for peace to mark the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in Japan, an activity promoted by the Japanese Association of Jujuy and the municipal government, as part of a worldwide movement to abolish nuclear weapons. The event was organized by

IAACP Asia-Pacific – An online program titled “Peace Through Arts and Culture: Building Trust and Understanding” served as the official launch of the International Association of Arts and Culture for Peace (IAACP) in the Asia Pacific region on August 1, 2026. The program began with a warm welcome by the MC, Ms. Mee Hwa Atimalala Yamada, president of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP) in Oceania. This was followed by an introductory video, “T

IAED, United States – In the United States, voices from all sides of the political and economic spectrum are raising concerns with the direction of the economy and its effect on social cohesion. From the concentration of economic wealth and power of global corporations, the unaccountability of large bureaucratic institutions to the feelings of many that the system is rigged against them, there is a need to find clarity on central issues and consensus on an upward path toward

Tegucigalpa, Honduras – In the context of the International Day Against Trafficking in Persons, El Global News (EGN) was officially launched as a specialized digital newspaper with global reach dedicated to informing, investigating and raising awareness of human trafficking and associated violence from a human rights, gender, diversity and inclusion perspective. The launch took place on July 30, 2026, at London Hall in the Clarion Hotel in Tegucigalpa. The International Media

Global IAPD – The 2nd Global Interfaith Prayer for the Nation and the World, “Prayer and World Peace,” sponsored by the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD), was held on July 30, 2026. Participating in the virtual program were 52 people on Zoom from different parts of the world. Three faith leaders – from Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom – shared their thoughts about the power of prayer and world peace. Patriarch George A. Stallings, Jr.,

IAACP USA – Due to music's profound effect on people, young and old, the International Association of Arts and Culture for Peace (IAACP) webinar on July 30, 2026, featured three young artists who are active in their communities in bringing a positive message to young people through their music. These young artists have embraced the ideals that IAACP advocates and they have created music videos that promote the creation of a culture of peace. To open the program, titled "Youn

Washington, D.C., United States – The July 29, 2028 biweekly UPF Stopping the Violence in America webinar featured Mr. Robert Williams, founder and executive director of Keeping Communities On Guard (KCOG), a grassroots organization based in Kansas City, Missouri. The webinar opened with an overview of UPF’s four-year initiative to address gun violence and the evolution of the National Stopping the Violence Best Practices Task Force. Participants were reminded of the initiati