Universal Peace Federation (UPF) UK commemorated the United Nations Day last night while considering proposals for UN renewal. The keynote speakers were Rev. Dr. David Hanna: President of UPF North Europe Region and Mrs. Carolyn Handschin: Women's Federation for World Peace International Vice President (Europe), Director, United Nations Offices. The programme was held both in person at 43 Lancaster Gate, London, W2 3NA and online (Zoom, Facebook, and Youtube.) Please see https://fb.watch/grxhtIGvrE/ for the video of the programme.
The Universal Peace Federation and the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP) have General Consultative Status at the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN). A status that is shared by only 140 International NGOs. The two organisations were inaugurated by the same founders, Father and Mother Moon, who had a strong sense of the role the UN should fulfil.
Both organisations strongly support the original vision of the UN that has made it a beacon of hope to many of the world's population. Rev Dr David Hanna explained that Father Moon emphasised the need for the religious and spiritual elements to be included within the UN structure in order to build lasting peace. He outlined the stages that UPF took to encourage greater openness to inter-religious dialogue and greater awareness of the religious-cultural spheres across the world.
The United Nations has brought groundbreaking developments such as the Millennium Development Goals and now the Sustainable Development Goals that were a breakthrough in the consciousness of humanity as a global interdependent family. However, it was found that those nations that were in conflict struggled to fulfil their Millennium Development Goals. The United Nations' purpose "To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" are among the first very words of the UN Charter (in its Preamble), and those words were the main motivation for creating the United Nations, whose founders had lived through the devastation of two world wars by 1945. Without peace in every area of the world Sustainable Development Goals, including the response to Climate Change and many other areas of the UN's vision will falter.
Since the Russia and Ukraine war is having such a major effect on the world, hard won human development is losing ground. Other conflicts such as in Yemen, Libya, Ethiopia and ongoing struggles in several other nations have made this situation even worse. The fact that the United Nations cannot end the war peacefully has many discussing UN renewal once again. The world has changed since the end of the Second World War and the structures in the UN do not correspond to the world today.
Robin Marsh: UPF-UK Secretary General, Mobile: 07956210768
Margaret Ali: UPF-UK Director, Mobile: 07723024750
www.uk.upf.org
Universal Peace Federation (UPF) - UK
UK Charity Number 1185412
UPF is an NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations