18th Anniversary of Universal Peace Federation
Photos courtesy of UPF
“The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) is a truly providential and revolutionary project,” True Father said during his founder’s address on Sept. 12, 2005. Nearly two decades later, UPF’s impact can be seen worldwide through its global network of peace ambassadors, heads of state, politicians, clergy, and leaders from different sectors of society who all support its core principles of interdependence, mutual prosperity, and universal values.
UPF’s inaugural convocation in New York City included 376 delegates from 157 nations who gathered at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Since then, through several global peacebuilding initiatives — including the renowned World Summit and Rally of Hope series — UPF has reached hundreds of millions of people from around the world using advanced hybrid technology.
Earlier this year, more than 80 international leaders convened with Unificationists in person and virtually for Peace Summit 2023 — held in Seoul, South Korea, from May 2 to 6 — to discuss and exchange strategies for developing a world culture of peace and reunifying the Korean Peninsula.
“Peace is not just the absence of war; it also proceeds from the achievement of economic security; social security and justice; environmental, health, and food security. It is the manifestation of humanity’s aspiration to common life and shared well-being,” said summit speaker H.E. Brigi Rafini, former prime minister of Niger, in his remarks.
UPF’s 2023 summit featured a new Elders’ Roundtable, as well as the 6th Think Tank 2022 Forum, a IAYSP Conference, and True Mother’s 80th birthday celebration. A new chairman of UPF International, Dr. Chang Shik Yang, was also announced shortly thereafter, succeeding longtime chairman Dr. Thomas Walsh who served in the role for 17 years.
UPF’s mission, True Father said, is to provide a “new level of leadership in the global arena.” He also proposed what is now part of UPF’s Peace Road project — to build a bridge tunnel for transport across the Bering Strait. True Father described this as a crucial “link” creating an international highway system that connects the world as a single community.
Over the years, UPF’s eight primary associations have steadily grown to comprise a summit council, parliamentarians, first ladies, faith leaders, the media, scholars, as well as leaders in business, and the arts and culture. UPF has also led the Unification movement’s Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI), which sponsors interfaith “Pilgrimages for Peace,” and its Northeast Asia Peace Initiative (NEAPI), which supports Korean reunification.
In True Mother’s opening remarks during the 2023 Peace Summit, she said we “cannot rely on a human-centric approach” to address the world’s problems. “Although all religions move in the direction of goodness, they have not been able to find the right answer,” she said. “The sole path to resolving [global] issues and safeguarding our future is attending Heavenly Parent as our center and working together.”
You can learn more about the history and ongoing peace work of UPF here.