The Power and Responsibility of Global Media

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) affirms that genuine literacy is not only technical skill but also moral insight, the ability to recognize values, discern good from evil, and act with integrity in a world saturated with data. Guided by the vision of its founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, UPF reminds us that real progress must unite knowledge with ethics so that freedom of communication supports human development rather than division.

Years before founding UPF, Rev. Moon created the World Media Association in 1978 to uphold journalistic ethics and to examine the social responsibility of media. Through its international conferences in cities including New York, Tokyo, Seoul, and Moscow, it gathered professionals from nearly 90 nations to explore how truthful reporting and moral leadership in communication can strengthen trust between peoples. This mission continues through the International Media Association for Peace, which encourages journalists and educators to link factual accuracy with conscience.

UPF calls on teachers, journalists, and youth leaders to promote literacy of both mind and heart, pairing skill with moral clarity. Our generation must teach the next how to use powerful media tools wisely, with care for others and respect for truth. When guided by conscience, communication becomes an act of service that safeguards communities and builds a more trustworthy public sphere.

Dr. Tageldin Hamad, President, UPF-International October 24, 2025