Universal Peace Federation Honors the United Nations and Its Legacy of Peace

This week aligns with UN Disarmament Week and the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, marking eight decades of commitment to international dialogue and collective security. These observances offer a moment to reaffirm shared values of cooperation, trust, and responsibility that unite nations and communities.

As the world reflects on these milestones, the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) reaffirms its support for the vision of the United Nations, a vision of peace through service, moral leadership, and dialogue across all boundaries. These ideals echo the goals of the International Year of Peace and Trust 2025, reminding us that global security begins with renewed faith in human dignity and conscience.

The final week of October has often been a meaningful time in UPF’s history. On October 23 to 24, 2005, the Founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, visited Vilnius, Lithuania, as part of the inaugural world tour of the Universal Peace Federation that covered 120 nations across all continents. In Vilnius, they held the inauguration for the Baltic region. Speaking before 700 participants at the Forum Palace, they proclaimed that true freedom exists for the sake of the common good, not individual gain.

After the Vilnius inauguration, the Founders continued the world tour to Warsaw, Poland, on October 25 and to Prague, Czech Republic, on October 26, extending the message of peace and moral renewal across Central Europe.

From October 29 to 31, 2007, UPF convened an inter-religious leadership conference in Tiberias, Israel. The gathering brought together Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Druze representatives overlooking the Sea of Galilee, illustrating that faith can serve as a bridge for reconciliation. Of particular note, Sheikh Moafak Tarif played a pivotal role by rallying eighty-eight Druze sheikhs, scholars, and community leaders to participate, lending the conference significant Druze representation and influence.

Eight years later, on October 29 to 30, 2015, UPF-Ghana and UPF-Nigeria co-hosted the African Peace Conference in Accra, in partnership with the African Centre for Peace Building. Professor Edwin Korley, Dr. Helen Osei, and peacebuilder Korsi Senyo led discussions on “Peace, Security, and Human Development in Africa,” emphasizing moral education and cooperation among youth and civil society.

In Asia, the first Asian Media Conference concluded in Bangkok on October 26, 2013, with participants from twelve nations discussing “The Role of the Media in Building Nations of Peace.” Journalists and editors, including Dr. Robert Kittel and Dr. Chung Sik Yong, visited The Nation Group headquarters to explore the role of responsible journalism in advancing social harmony across ASEAN countries.

That same week in Europe, young activists from nine nations gathered in Malta (October 20–27, 2013) for the youth program “Creating Change,” co-organized by UPF Europe and the Middle East, Kids 4 Peace Jerusalem, and the U20 Volunteer Network Cairo, supported by the European Commission’s Youth in Action Programme. Participants from the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Northern Europe designed cross-cultural initiatives and artistic projects to foster understanding. Their spirit echoed the words of UPF Founder Dr. Sun Myung Moon:

“When young people inspired by true love dedicate themselves to sacrifice and service, they can begin to heal the wounds caused by difference and conflict.”

Together, these moments across continents form a living history of peacebuilding in the closing days of October. They show how, year after year, UPF has advanced dialogue, media ethics, education, and youth cooperation as vital tools for reconciliation and unity.

Across all continents, Ambassadors for Peace and partner organizations continue to host public forums, interfaith dialogues, volunteer initiatives, and educational programs, often aligning with UN Disarmament Week to reflect the deeper meaning of peace — not only as the reduction of weapons, but as the moral act of disarming prejudice and fear.

The Federation affirms: global peace begins with individual conscience and service to humanity. By connecting local programs with international observances, UPF continues to make the world’s search for peace both personal and practical.