Lusaka, Zambia—The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in collaboration with Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) and the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP) held an event to commemorate the United Nations (UN) International Day of Peace on September 29, 2023 under the theme: “Action for Peace, Our Ambition for the Global Goals.”
A fundraising campaign was conducted to support the Lusaka Central Correctional Facility, Women’s Section, seeking to provide essential food items such as cooking oil, salt, sanitary pads, bathing soaps, toothpaste, etc. to the inmates. The campaign aimed to address the nutritional needs and hygiene requirements of the inmates, ensuring their well-being during their time while incarcerated. The donation totaled US $1,000.
In his speech of encouragement, Rev. David Isaac Phiri delivered an interactive message with the female inmates. He urged the inmates to start considering God, the creator, as their Parent. He said he chose to visit the female inmates, the other image of God the creator, saying, “If I see you, I see the image of God…. The creation is made up of pairs, male and female.”
Rev. Phiri also gave many illustrations on the values of sexual purity, stating that infidelity is a root cause of the destruction of humanity. He encouraged those inmates who will be released from the correction facility soon, or later on, to consider practicing family values as part of the beginning point of creating peace. He said, “We have come because we are one family under God, no matter the situation you are in.”
He invited the inmates to consider visiting FFWPU and UPF offices as soon as they are released. He promised the inmates he will be visiting the facility to encourage them. He urged them to talk to those in charge of the correctional facility on the way forward.
UPF secretary general Rev. Rudolf Faerber said that it was important to forget about the past mistakes, adding, “From now onwards after hearing this message you can start afresh.” He cited that as UPF our message is “Peace Starts with Me.” He stated, “If you as an inmate start with peace as an individual, peace will prevail all around you. Practice the teaching of ‘peace starting with me’ in daily life.”
UPF public relations officer Mrs. Peggy Bassole said that FFWPU/UPF came up with the proposal of commemorating the International Day of Peace by visiting the female inmates with a lot of conviction. She said there was a reason why the inmates were where they are. God knows why. Maybe it was to meet this message or teaching. She said the founder of the FFWPU and UPF, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, was imprisoned six (6) times.
One of the inmates from the facility gave a vote of thanks. She said the inmates were so excited to have received the donations as well as the spiritual gift which was the word of God. She gave gratitude for the teaching, especially concerning how holy sex organs are. She said the message was very clear and mentioned the inmates welcome such kind of education and needed more teachings of this kind.
As the UPF team bid farewell, the inmates sang a song of farewell. Tears were in the eyes of the inmates as well as the UPF team. It was as though they all have known each other for a long time. The inmates and the UPF women hugged each other and interacted.
One inmate approached the UPF women entourage and hugged the UPF female staff tearfully, emotionally, and introduced herself. She was a former Minister of Community Development who in 2019 was the guest of honor during the launch of WFWP Mother’s Heart Peace Network. She and her husband attended the blessing festival officiated by Mother Moon in 2019 in South Africa. She also was endowed with the status of Ambassador for Peace.
