Peace Ambassadors in France Review Their Mission & Responsibility
Paris, France – A discussion meeting devoted to the mission and responsibility of UPF Ambassadors for Peace was held on September 5, 2026, at the Paris headquarters of UPF-France. The meeting marked the beginning of a new season of activities for the French network, with a renewed commitment to strengthening their engagement in promoting peace, dialogue and cooperation.
Mr. Patrick Jouan, vice president of UPF-France, warmly welcomed the participants, including several new guests, before introducing the main speaker, Mr. Jacques Marion, president of UPF-France, Europe and the Middle East.
Mr. Marion began by recalling the major developments that, following the end of the Cold War, led to the launch of the Ambassadors for Peace network in 2001, at a time when UPF was still known as the “Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace.” He particularly recalled a speech delivered by UPF founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon at United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2000. On that occasion, he proposed the establishment of an Interreligious Council within the United Nations, intended to complement the General Assembly of national political representatives with a broader approach to the conditions necessary for establishing lasting peace.
He then presented the context in which the Ambassadors for Peace network was launched in 2001, notably in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States. At an international conference held in New York, Rev. Moon outlined four levels of action considered necessary for building world peace: promoting an ethic of the heart as the foundation of universal values; strengthening the family as the basic unit of a peaceful society; developing interfaith dialogue in order to foster an awareness of a common humanity; and finally, strengthening the role of the United Nations in seeking to transcend conflicts and build peace.
Mr. Marion then presented several fundamental elements of the UPF vision that underpin this approach. In particular, he recalled three ideals that inspire its commitment: loving Heaven, loving humanity and loving the nation. He also highlighted three principles regarded as essential to building a peaceful society: interdependence, mutual prosperity and universal values.
Finally, he emphasized the importance of cultivating peace with a parental heart, capable of rising above divisions, seeking reconciliation, and relating to others with a sense of responsibility and benevolence. This approach was illustrated through the examples of several major peacemakers of the 20th century, including Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela, each of whom worked with deep personal commitment to overcoming ethnic, racial or religious divisions.
Following this presentation, three Ambassadors for Peace shared their reflections on UPF activities, their perspectives and their recommendations for continuing and expanding interfaith work in France.
The speakers were Dr. Soraya Ayouch, doctor of clinical psychopathology and researcher at Paris-Diderot University; Mr. Michel Raoust, president of the French Committee of Scientologists Against Discrimination; and Mr. Alhadje Aly Garba Kounta, a member of the permanent delegation of Mali to UNESCO.
Their contributions highlighted the diversity of experiences and perspectives represented within the network, as well as the importance of continuing initiatives that promote dialogue and cooperation among different religious and cultural traditions.
An open discussion with all the participants then provided an opportunity to address a range of issues related to conflict resolution, interfaith dialogue and the role that Ambassadors for Peace can play on the ground.
The September 5 meeting thus provided an important opportunity for reflection, dialogue and renewed commitment. It reaffirmed the mission of Ambassadors for Peace and opened a new chapter in the development of the French network, with a determination to strengthen initiatives promoting interfaith dialogue, cooperation and peacebuilding within each community.
