UPF International January Newsletter

January 2026 As we move into 2026, UPF chapters around the world continue activities to support interdependence, mutual prosperity, and shared values in their nations and communities. For more information and activities, visit www.upf.org.

When Faith Meets the Common Good Communities around the world mark World Religion Day on January 18, 2025, observed each year on the third Sunday in January. The day is widely hosted by interfaith and multi- faith coalitions. It invites reflection on a practical truth: when spiritual communities meet with humility and clarity, public life can regain moral depth and social trust.

Challenges to Empowering Families in UN Negotiations

New York, United States – On January 22, 2026, the Universal Peace Federation, as an executive member of the NGO Committee on the Family, NY, at the United Nations, co- organized a virtual program on “Empowering the Family through National Policies: Insights from Burundi and Italy.” Speakers pointed out that negotiations at the United Nations over controversial issues often involve non-consensual language related to the family that contradicts national culture and values. A second key issue discussed was global fertility decline, particularly acute in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

UPF-Africa Marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Signs MOU with FOPA Cotonou, Benin – On January 19, 2026, UPF-Africa organized a commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Cotonou, followed by the official signing ceremony of a memorandum

of understanding (MOU) with the Ecumenical Foundation for Peace in Africa (FOPA). Held in the Conference Hall of the Permanent Representation of ECOWAS in Benin, the event paid tribute to the legacy and universal values upheld by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It also formalized a strategic partnership between UPF-Africa and FOPA, to support peace, interreligious dialogue, and social cohesion in Africa.

Rome Seminar Weighs Human Rights Principles and Realities Rome, Italy – UPF-Italy and IAPD-Italy marked Human Rights Day on December 11, 2025, at the Europa Experience – David Sassoli exhibition space in Rome. The event highlighted freedom of faith, belief and conscience as a cornerstone of peaceful coexistence and European integration.

Eco-Projects Engage Russian Students, Parents and Seniors Voronezh, Russia – UPF-Russia organized three eco-events in December in the city of Voronezh. These included an environmental quest on December 24 titled “Guardians of the Voronezh Region” for 200 secondary students; a visit to an elderly home on December 26 to make Christmas decorations with residents; and a workshop on December 28 with students and parents, making eco-friendly feeders for wintering birds.

Celebration Marks UPF-Argentina’s 20 Years of Service Buenos Aires, Argentina – To celebrate its 20th anniversary and conclude its 2025 series of activities, UPF-Argentina held an event at Galicia House in Buenos Aires on December 18, 2025. Members of UPF’s governing board and Peace Council, as well as coordinators, representatives and members of various UPF-Argentina teams were present. A number of individuals were recognized for their service and support, and congratulatory messages were shared.