Protecting Civilians, Restoring Dialogue in Middle East

The Universal Peace Federation expresses deep concern over the escalating violence in the Middle East. Each escalation places civilians at the center of the crisis causing loss of life, displacement, and severe disruption to essential services and daily life.

UPF stands in solidarity with civilians across the region who are enduring the human cost of conflict. We call on all parties to exercise restraint, prioritize the protection of civilian populations, and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access.

Working alongside religious leaders and people of faith from many traditions, UPF reaffirms the inherent dignity and sacred value of every human life. Across cultures and faith traditions, this principle is often expressed through the belief that each person is created in the image of God. This conviction underlies universal human rights and international humanitarian law and serves as a moral foundation for efforts to protect civilians and pursue peaceful resolution of conflict.

This statement is issued during UPF’s 100 Days of Serving Community campaign, which promotes collaboration among civil society, faith communities, and institutions to strengthen service, dialogue, and cooperation in addressing global challenges.

Even in the most difficult moments of conflict, compassion, restraint, and moral responsibility must prevail. If humanity is truly one family under God, no conflict can erase the dignity and worth of human life. War ultimately tests the human conscience by asking whether we will allow suffering to become ordinary, invisible, or acceptable.

UPF’s concerns align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 17, which highlights the importance of partnerships in addressing global challenges, including conflict prevention and peacebuilding. They also reflect the United Nations Security Council’s long-standing agenda on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

To reduce human suffering and prevent further escalation, UPF encourages all parties to pursue sustained diplomacy through United Nations-mediated channels, consistent with the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.

UPF contributes to these efforts through long-standing interfaith and Track II initiatives in the region. Through the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD), UPF convenes religious leaders to address the ethical and spiritual dimensions of peacebuilding. Through the Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI), UPF facilitates dialogue and trust-building among communities in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Jordan.

 As a non-governmental organization in general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UPF seeks to complement official diplomacy by fostering dialogue across religious, cultural, and political divides.

UPF’s founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, emphasized that peace begins in the family and expands outward through a life lived for the sake of others. This ethic links personal responsibility with community healing and affirms the dignity and value of every human being.

Peace will endure only when families, communities, and nations choose responsibility for one another, service to their neighbor, and sustained dialogue, instead of dehumanization. Guided by the vision of One Family under God, UPF remains committed to cooperation across religions, nations, and cultures.

In this urgent moment, UPF invites religious leaders, civil society organizations, and multilateral partners to collaborate in initiatives that promote reconciliation, humanitarian cooperation, and sustained dialogue.

Dr. Tageldin Hamad, President, UPF-International March 9, 2026