Where Values Meet Vision: Building Blocks for Peace
The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and the Peace Starts With Me Alliance hosted an inspiring educational seminar on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at The Washington Times building in Washington, DC. Centered on the theme of God’s ideal—original values, contemporary challenges, and human responsibility as the building blocks for peace, the seminar brought together 55 participants, including 25 Ambassadors for Peace, for a day of reflection, learning, and meaningful dialogue. The gathering reflected UPF’s enduring mission to promote peace through moral leadership, strong families, and cooperation among people of faith and conscience.
The main presentation was delivered by Dr. Robert S. Kittel, a respected scholar and educator with nearly five decades of experience living and working in Asia. Drawing from his extensive research, publications, and firsthand experience, Dr. Kittel emphasized that peace at the national and global levels begins with the family. “Building families is building nations,” he explained, outlining universal and unchanging principles that undergird healthy societies. His presentation explored the value of marriage and family, the origins of human suffering, and the vital role families play in nation-building and lasting peace. A lively question-and-answer session followed, allowing participants to engage deeply with the material and share thoughtful reflections.
Tomiko Duggan, Senior Vice President of UPF USA, offered warm welcoming remarks and outlined UPF’s core values, rooted in the vision of its founders, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. She addressed the challenges facing today’s world while affirming hope for the future through education, dialogue, and principled leadership. During the luncheon program, Kaeleigh Moffitt, Director of Public Affairs for FFWPU-USA and representative of the Peace Starts With Me Alliance, spoke on pressing concerns related to religious freedom in Korea, highlighting the importance of vigilance and advocacy in protecting fundamental human rights.
Adding a personal dimension to the program, Larry Moffitt, Secretary General of UPF USA, shared reflections from his own marriage and family life, illustrating how the principles discussed during the seminar can be lived and embodied in everyday life. His remarks resonated with many in attendance, reinforcing the seminar’s message that peace begins at home and grows outward into society.
A highlight of the program was the appointment of new Ambassadors for Peace, including Rev. Dr. Yvonne Washington-Tray and Mr. Andrew Rozario Biraj of Bangladesh, along with his wife. This recognition affirmed their commitment to UPF’s ideals and their dedication to advancing peace through service, leadership, and cooperation.
The seminar concluded with expressions of gratitude to the organizers, speakers, and volunteers whose dedication made the event a success. Participants departed encouraged and inspired, carrying forward a renewed sense of purpose and responsibility. The gathering served as a powerful reminder that peace is not merely an abstract ideal, but a living practice—nurtured through strong families, shared values, and the willingness to work together for the greater good.