United States – Across the United States, UPF chapters celebrated National Parents’ Day in July, with programs honoring exemplary parents, strengthening community partnerships, and promoting the family as the cornerstone of peaceful societies. Twenty-one local chapters held events from July 18 to 26, 2026, recognizing outstanding families and community leaders. Many celebrations featured proclamations from elected officials, musical performances, family tributes, interfaith p

From February 20 to June 1, 2026, UPF invited its chapters, associations, Ambassadors for Peace and partner organizations to take part in the 100 Days of Serving Community campaign. March focused on partnerships, April on service and May on families. The campaign concluded on the United Nations Global Day of Parents. The campaign began with a question: How can an international peace organization become more useful in the communities where its members and partners live? Peace

New York, United States – Following the July 10, 2026, final hearing before the Seoul Central District Court in the judicial proceedings concerning Dr. Hak Ja Han, co-founder of the Universal Peace Federation, UPF issued the following statement: The Universal Peace Federation affirms its profound respect for the judicial process and its confidence that the principles of due process, judicial independence, impartiality, the presumption of innocence, and the rule of law will gu

UPF Summer Events 2026 invite practical contributions from regions, associations, and national chapters ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Universal Peace Federation has launched UPF Summer Events 2026, a series of programs under the public theme “Restoring Trust: What Can Be Done for Peace Now?” ahead of the opening of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in September 2026. The series invites UPF regions, associations, national chapt

When a child can study after sunset because reliable electricity has reached the home; when a school has access to safe drinking water; when neighbors work together to protect a public space, sustainable development becomes tangible. It may be measured through policies, systems and indicators, but it is ultimately experienced in families, schools, neighborhoods and local communities. As the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) convenes at United Nation

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo – UPF’s work in the DRC took an important step forward with the official launch of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace on July 4, 2026. The inaugural conference, organized by UPF-Africa, UPF-DRC and the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was held at the People’s Palace in Kinshasa, with approximately 200 participants, including senior parliamentary leaders, members of Parliament, UPF re

Lima, Peru – A special Pastor’s Day celebration at UPF-Peru headquarters in Miraflores on June 27, 2026, honored those who dedicate their lives to serving their faith communities. More than 70 religious leaders from Christian and other faiths joined the event, which was co-sponsored by UPF-Peru and the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) Peru. The program began with congratulatory remarks from Dr. Trevor Jones, president of UPF-Peru, sent in a video fr

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – In commemoration of World Environment Day, UPF-Burkina Faso organized an event under the theme “Promoting Peace through Sanitation and Environmental Protection” on June 20, 2026. Although World Environment Day is officially observed on June 5, UPF-Burkina Faso chose June 20 to maximize local participation and public mobilization. The event emphasized the direct link between environmental degradation, community tensions, insecurity and social confli

Copenhagen, Denmark – A Summer Festival at the UPF Peace Center in Copenhagen on June 13, 2026, drew around 100 participants for an afternoon of music, friendship and fellowship. Although the weather was far from summery, the atmosphere more than made up for the rain and wind. The festival, held in cooperation with FFWPU Denmark, was coordinated by Ms. Kamala Mais, a UPF ambassador for peace and music teacher, together with Mr. Kerim Elhan from the Denmark – Azerbaijan Associ

South and Central America – Continuing its webinar series commemorating UN international days, UPF-Latin America and the Caribbean held a forum on June 5, 2026, on "The Importance of Being a Good Role Model for Those We Are Raising." This event was timed to mark the Global Day of Parents on June 1. In his introduction Mr. Mario Salinas, secretary general of UPF-Latin America, who moderated the event, stated: “In accordance with the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of th

By the time the United Nations Global Day of Parents arrives on June 1, UPF’s 100-day campaign has already passed through many rooms: an iftar table in Washington, D.C., a charity market in Madrid, a remote school in Sri Lanka, a public hall in Lima, a family gathering in Paris, youth service in Asia, celebration of Africa Day in Benin, and community conversations in Latin America and Nepal. In each place, people tried to serve someone beyond their own circle. This is a fitti

Fatima, Portugal – The event "Path to Peace" was held at the José Saraiva Auditorium in Fátima on May 29, 2026, organized by the Order of the Christian Templar Knights and the International Templar Confederation (OCTC-CTI) in partnership with UPF-Portugal. The event brought together representatives of different religious traditions; humanitarian, cultural and social organizations; spiritual leaders; and members of national and international Templar orders, including the Sover

Abuja, Nigeria – To celebrate the International Day of Families, UPF-Nigeria held a commemorative event in Abuja on May 28, 2026, focused on the United Nations’ designated theme, “Families, Inequalities and Child Wellbeing.” The program also formed part of UPF’s third 100 Days Campaign of Hope and Peace, focused on “100 Days of Community Service.” The event opened with introductory remarks by Dr. George Charles Ikpot, secretary general of UPF-Nigeria, followed by a presentati

Godomey, Benin – A joint commemoration of World Football Day and Africa Day brought together more than 100 participants on May 24, 2026, in a lively and fraternal atmosphere marked by unity and celebration. The event was organized by UPF-Africa, UPF-Benin, and the Youth Department of FFWPU-Benin. The program included a celebratory segment in support of the ten African nations that qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026; the official launch of the Play Soccer, Make Peace initiative

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – A two-day Peace Leadership Seminar, organized by UPF-Tanzania at the Tulivu Centre in Dar es Salaam from May 23-24, 2026, focused on the theme “Building One Family Under God: Principles of Peace and Service.” The seminar brought together 65 participants from faith communities, youth groups and civil society organizations. Facilitated by Prof. Benezer David Mwang’ombe, secretary general of UPF-Tanzania, the training covered the UPF founders’ vision an

On May 21, 2026, the international community observes the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a United Nations observance led by UNESCO. It was declared by the UN General Assembly in 2002 following UNESCO’s adoption of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. The day draws attention not only to the richness of the world’s cultures, but also to the role of intercultural dialogue in peace and sustainable development. It recalls a central truth

Yaoundé, Cameroon – A conference at the Deputy Hotel in Yaoundé on May 16, 2026, brought together religious leaders, community representatives, couples, families and youth to honor the International Day of Families. The event, organized by UPF-Cameroon and FFWPU Cameroon, aimed to promote family values, strengthen social cohesion, raise awareness on inequalities affecting families and children, and encourage dialogue on child protection and family stability as foundations for

South and Central America – On May 15, 2026, a group of professionals from South America, Central America, and the Caribbean joined a webinar to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Families, under the theme “The Family as a School of Love and Peace: Inequalities and Child Wellbeing.” The event was organized by UPF and three of its associations – the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), International Association of Academicians for

Montreal, Canada – At a large community center in Montreal, on May 2, 2026 the Lions Club District U-1 of Québec hosted UPF-Canada as a collaborating organization in the service of the larger community in Québec and beyond. Since April 29 the Lions had been convening the annual district meeting of their members in the region, with the presence of prominent international visitors. The partnership between the Lions Club and UPF dates back to August 26, 2023, when a friendship a

Florianópolis, Brazil – A peace forum held on April 29, 2026, at the Legislative Assembly of the State of Santa Catarina brought together approximately 120 participants, including government officials, religious leaders, and representatives of civil society, with the aim of promoting peace as a collective asset. UPF Peace Ambassador Ms. Silvana Sousa, president of Eleva Mulher Brasil, hosted the event. In her opening remarks she offered a thoughtful reflection on how peace