UPF International: Against Racial Hatred, For Human Dignity — Tageldin Ibrahim Hamad

Each year, from March 21 to 27, the United Nations observes the Week of Solidarity with Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, proclaimed by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/34/24. The week begins with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, rooted in the memory of the Sharpeville massacre of 1960, when 69 peaceful protestors in South Africa were killed under apartheid. It also stands within the legal and moral framework of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

For the Universal Peace Federation, this observance is not only a time of remembrance. It reminds us that racism is never merely a private prejudice. It becomes exclusion, humiliation, inherited inequality, distorted memory, and at times violence embedded in institutions and public life. As an NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, UPF affirms the responsibility of civil society to support the work of the United Nations in advancing equal human worth and peaceful coexistence.

This responsibility is closely linked with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, with Sustainable Development Goal 10, Reduced Inequalities, and with Sustainable Development Goal 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Reducing inequalities and building just, peaceful, and inclusive societies are inseparable tasks. Peace remains fragile while racial contempt survives, while some communities remain unseen in public memory, or while historical wounds are ignored in the name of convenience.

For UPF, this conviction is inseparable from the vision advanced by Dr. Hak Ja Han and the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Their teaching points to humanity as one family under God, where each person, as a child of God, is worthy of equal respect and love regardless of race or origin. In that spirit, peace includes the restoration of relationships, the rejection of inherited contempt, and the practice of service and

reconciliation in daily life.

UPF also affirms that the family is a foundation of peacebuilding. The UPF founders encouraged marriages across racial and national lines as one practical way to overcome racism, since families formed across former boundaries can help dissolve inherited prejudice and embody reconciliation, mutual respect, and shared human dignity.

UPF’s own history includes practical efforts that resonate with the spirit of this observance. In Bolivia, UPF convened public dialogue under the theme “Let’s End Racism. Build Peace,” bringing together parliamentarians, faith representatives, educators, journalists, and civil society leaders. In Georgia, UPF programs related to the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination brought students together under the message “Stop Racism, Take Action,” combining educational outreach with activities that fostered encounter and mutual respect among young people from different backgrounds.

Another important dimension of this work is historical memory. In Senegal, remembrance on Gorée Island and at the House of Slaves was connected with reconciliation, interreligious presence, and youth engagement. This acknowledges that present inequalities do not exist in a vacuum, but are tied to histories of enslavement, degradation, and dehumanization whose consequences endure across generations. In this respect, the moral horizon of anti-racism also touches UNESCO’s Routes of Enslaved Peoples initiative. That connection is especially timely in the context of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, 2025 to 2034, proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 2024 and launched on January 1, 2025.

UPF has also repeatedly honored the legacy of Nelson Mandela, whose life remains one of the clearest modern examples of resistance to institutionalized racism, joined with a disciplined commitment to reconciliation. His witness matters not simply because he opposed apartheid, but because he showed that justice without revenge and dignity without hatred are both possible.

Such initiatives demonstrate that the struggle against racism requires more than condemnation. It also requires the deliberate creation of habits, institutions, and relationships that make mutual respect more natural and inherited contempt less likely. Racism is weakened when young people learn to encounter one another as persons rather than categories, when painful history is remembered without transmitting bitterness to the next generation, and when civic, religious, educational, media, and cultural leaders address extremism within the rule of law while protecting the equal dignity of all.

The Universal Peace Federation stands in solidarity with peoples and communities who continue to endure racism and racial discrimination, and with all those who labor to build societies shaped by justice, memory, reconciliation, and peace. We invite joint efforts in this work.

PRIMARY ASSOCIATIONS CORE PROGRAMS ONGOING INITIATIVES WHO WEARE RESOURCES

Written by: N ely Almanza, General Secretary, UPF-Bolivia

~ WORLDWIDE CHAPTERS

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UNITED NATIONS RELATIONS Sustainable Development Goals Interfaith Council Proposal La Paz, Bolivia-Within the framework of support for t he International Day of Peace. established by the United Nations in 1981. the Universal Peace Federation. together with the Second Vice Presidency International Day: of Peace of the Chamber of Deputies in Bolivia, held a Conference with t he theme: “Let’s End Racism. Build 2023 Peace.” The event took place on September 22. 2022 at t he Multipurpose Hall of the Plurinational 2022 Legislative Assembly in La Paz w ith seven parliamentarians in attendance. 2021 There wer e 11 7 participants from different areas. among which were Dr. Betty Yai’liquez, president of 2020 the Human Rights Commission of the Chamber of Deputies; Deputy Bertha Acarapi; Sabina Condori; 2019 Veron ica Chall co; and Amanda Iriarte. Also in attendance were representatives of the Islamic community in Bolivia, t he Catholic Church, the Civic Committee for Peace, the Ministry of Education, 2018 FEJUVE. and civil society. 2017 2016 The speakers included: M s. Marfa Elena Pachacute. National Deputy and president of the Commission of Nations and Peasant Nat ive Indigenous Peoples. Culture and lnterculturality of the 2015 Chamber of Deput ies; Mr. Carlos B. Mamani, director of the Institute of Anthropological and 2014 Archaeological Research of the Universidad Mayor de San Andres and university professor; Mr. Jorge 2013 Medina Barra, executive director of the Afro-Boliv ian Center for Comprehensive and Community Development (CADIC); Mr. Edwin Rosas Urzagaste, second vice president of t he Chamber of 2012 Deputies; and Nely Almanza, general secretary, UPF-Bolivia. 2011 2010 Opening remarks were given by Lie. Gustavo Mejfa, who emphasized the need to end racism in its two aspects: acts of discrimination. and the feeling of being discriminated against for personal reasons. 2009 He advised: avoid discriminating actions and stop feeling discriminated against. emphasizi ng that 2008 personal m aturity is expressed in the principle of respect for the other person and their individual International Women’s Day va lue.

Interfaith Harmony Week The first p resentation was given by Ms. Marfa Elena Pachacute who stressed the need to practice International Day of Families respect between cultures and t he importance of prior consultation by the Stat e in relation to t he exploitation of mineral wealth found in t he territo ries of indigenous nations and peoples. Violent. Global Day of Parents confrontational societies divide and become ineffect ive societies in the face of the difficulties of our Japanese Tea Ceremony fellow cit izens. She called for reflection on the suffering t hat our brothers and sisters go t hrough under Other Reports on the UN racism and discriminat ion and how important it is that before being politicians we need to remembe r t hat we must be human. Partners Next, Mr. Carlos Mamani stated that since long ago, we Indians, now called indigenous peoples, have been victims of discrimination, t hat work for peace cannot be carried out without ending it. Our indigenous ancestors were not considered human by the Spanish invaders. During Spanish LANGUAGES colonialism , many native peoples were not considered human. Peace in Aymara is “Moxas,” referring to Fran,;ais - French sweet individual existence: a sweet home, a sweet homeland, t he pleasure of living. The opposite of Espanol - Spanish Moxas is “Jaru,” referring to t he bitter. Today we have companies t hat exploit t he wealth of natural resources in indigenous territories without respect for the Pachamama (an “Eart h Mother’’ goddess). pyccK111~ - Russian and despite the fact that t he Pachamama is used in political discourse. He reca lled t hat the Aymara Italiano - Italian have not always been pacifists; however, they have a longing for a sweet, harmonious life.

To achieve peace. it is necessary t o heal from anger and t hat is only possible with a sott heart like a cotton ball. We need to go t hrough a process to balance feelings and develop a heart of sharing everything.

“What does race matter, what does color matter? If we are brothers, long live love. “ Martfn Luther King, Jr.

Mr. Jorge Medina Barra stated t hat discrimination and racism have killed our peoples, because they have stereotyped us for our customs. for our color. for our way of life. They have excluded us and they have seen us as “t he other.” We are not others. WE ARE HUMANS JUST LIKE YOU, beyond the difference in skin color. Afro-descendants in the Americas have been displaced throughout t he slave trade era. Black slaves told us, “They never told the truth. They brought our ancestors here to enslave them. but in Africa they were not slaves.” Much has to happen for people to understand t hat beyond the color of our skin, we are also people and deserve the same respect. Afro-Bolivian women are t hree times mo re likely to be discriminated against: first for being a woman. second for being poor and third

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that makes us believe t hat the whiter you are, the more accepted you will be, there are no whites. We are all mestizos. We are all human and we must respect each other. We do not only need declarations in favor of our people. We want actions, public policies and equity development to achieve the thematic axes for the decade: Justice, Recognition, Development. We want to make ourselves visible.

Mr. Edwin Rosas Urzagaste mentioned Article 10 of the Constitution, pointing out that Bolivia is a pacifist State that promotes a culture of peace. During the General Assembly of the United Nations, several presidents of Latin American countries such as Hon. Gustavo Petro from Colombia and Hon. Nayib Bukele from El Salvador, have expressed t he need for respect and demanded that t he great powers must have respect towards developing countries. Respecting small countries means that they must respect their way of governing themselves, the internal decisions made by each country in search of development. I agree with the speech given by President Luis Arce. Bolivians are peaceful, and we are going to demand peace in all scenarios. Everything has to start from home, from work, from avoiding discrimination against our fellow men. In our country there is a lack of respect for d iverse cultures and the religions t hat the inhabitants of our country have. We must ret urn to the zero point and train the next generations with a zero-racism culture, so t hat t he future leaders already have the subject of respect for others inscribed in t heir education, written in their conscience.

The world of peace has been longed for throughout the ages. We who are gathered here today are the ones chosen to establish that unified world of peace with our hands and the hand of God. Such a world is built upon t he principles of coexistence, mutual prosperity, and shared universal values which should be applied in the fields of economy, politics, religions and cu lture.

The indivi dual lives for the whole. The state must ensure the best conditions for its cit izens. The family is the foundation for society and provides the vision for the global family which does not permit discrimination and racism.

The following new Ambassadors for Peace were appointed:

1. Edwin Rosas Urzagaste, National Deputy, Second Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies 2. Dr. Consuelo Torrez, activist for the rights of ch ildren and adolescents 3. Jorge Medicna Barra, executive director of the Afro-Bolivian Center for Comprehensive and Community Development (CADIC} 4. Dr. Frida Choque de Claros, t rainer and promoter of Women’s Rights, promoter of Bolivia’s Law 348: Comprehensive Law to guarantee Women a Life Free of Violence

UPF-Cochabamba held an event, “End Racism. Build peace,” at the Salon Aescum on September 24, 2022.

Welcoming remarks were given by Dr. Lucy Margoth, Ambassador for Peace. Next, Mr. Sergio Nunez Ayala, president of UPF-Cochabamba, introduced the speakers: Pastor Luis Abad, director of FFWPU; Dr. Jorge Vasquez, Cochabamba School of Parents; Lie. Humberto Aillon, journalist from the newspaper El Deber; and Lie. Nelson Rodriguez, pastor of lvirgarzama, who, due to geographical distance, sent a commemorative video.

The entertainment included the recitation of a poem by Lie. Nancy Abaroa and a KOi dance presented by a young man from 2nd Megumi Miyasaka generation. The forum concluded by recognizing the urgent need t o create a culture of peace where t he areas of law, science, religion, education and the media can work together. Likewise, a proclamation was made to work with the Cochabamba Federat ion of Journalists and media in its different television, press and radio through conferences on Leadership and Good Governance.

Recognition was given to the previous director of UPF for his unparalleled and sacrificial work.

Copies of Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s memoir, Mother of Peace, were given to Lie. Humberto Aillon, Lie. Y Jhoselin Cabrera, Lie. Miguel, Dr. Lucy Margoth, and Lie. Nancy Abaroa.

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