Executive report of a Universal Peace Federation conference in Jerusalem, Dec. 19-22, 2013, on "Interreligious and International Relations in the Middle East: Toward Peace and Stability," by Dr. Nurit Hirschfeld, Director, Jerusalem Forum for Interfaith and Cooperation among Religions
The CSRCS at Elon University promotes interdisciplinary study of religion, culture, and society. In 2014-15, the center convened discussions on prominent global religious issues, including the conflicts in Israel/Gaza, the rise of ISIS, and global refugee crises. Events explored the complex political and religious roots of these issues through panels of experts, including officials from the Syrian opposition coalition. The center aims to foster understanding of religion's role in society through rigorous intellectual programs and dialogue.
The document discusses inter-faith harmony and sectarianism. It defines inter-faith harmony as a condition signifying peaceful coexistence among different religious beliefs, aimed at eliminating discord. The World Interfaith Harmony Week was established at the UN to promote mutual understanding and respect among people of diverse faiths and cultures. Several organizations worldwide and in Pakistan work to encourage dialogue and understanding between religious groups through activities and education. However, sectarian violence still occurs in some areas due to militant groups and tensions between religious subdivisions.
The Universal Peace Federation and its global network of Ambassadors for Peace bring universal, spiritual principles to the task of resolving conflict and reconciling the divided human family. International Leadership Conferences, symposia and peace councils offer opportunities for high-level consultations. These are complemented by "track II" diplomacy and grass-roots programs that build support for a culture of peace.
World peace can be fully accomplished only when the wisdom and efforts of the world’s religious leaders are combined cooperatively and respectfully with the endeavors of national political leaders. Absent the recognition of spiritual principles, the world has drifted increasingly toward analyses and prescriptions that are materialistic and secular in nature. In so doing, we have lost sight of the profound wisdom to be found in humanity’s spiritual heritage.
Global institutions must be built on a foundation that takes into account the full potential of the human being, not only as a political, economic, and social being, but also as a spiritual being with spiritual needs and a capacity for spiritual wisdom and insight. The legacy of the world’s great saints, prophets, sages, and spiritual leaders cannot be denied or discounted without ignoring what is most fundamental about the human being.
In too many ways the history of religion has been marked by narrow sectarianism, strife, and competitive struggle with other faiths, all to the detriment of the cherished goals and teachings of the founders and scriptures. This cannot continue. The need to eliminate corruption, selfishness, and bad governance applies not only to all nations but also to all of the world’s religions.
Lasting peace depends on cooperative partnerships between governments and religions, as well as NGOs and representatives of the private sector. The United Nations can benefit from a council of religious and spiritual leaders to bring broad vision and wisdom to the effort to address critical global problems. International conferences, publications, networking, and on-the-ground activism are mechanisms for interfaith cooperation and lay a foundation for spiritual renewal at the United Nations.
[Dr. Verma] Paper: Religious Ethics and Interfaith UnderstandingGlobalPeaceFoundation
Date: Dec. 5th 2013
Session: Creating Unity in Diversity in Asia: Including Others in Our Sphere of Moral Obligation
Speaker: Dr. M.M. Verma: President, Interfaith Foundation, India
This document discusses the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and Salafism through the process of globalization. It argues that Salafism emerged in response to feelings of lost glory and cultural imposition from the West. Salafism aims to return Islam to a puritanical past and resist Western influence. The document examines how globalization has spread Salafism and allowed militant groups like Al-Qaeda to gain influence. However, it notes that terrorism is often a response to geopolitical and socioeconomic issues rather than religious doctrine alone. Alienated members of Western societies may be most prone to radicalization, feeling torn between cultures. Overall, the document analyzes how global interconnectedness has contributed to the rise and spread of Islamic fundamentalism
This document provides an overview of the Bahá'í Faith and its view of religion's role in advancing civilization. It discusses how the world's great religions have historically animated civilizations and fostered cooperation. However, humanity now faces challenges that require unity at a global level. The Bahá'í Faith, founded by Bahá'u'lláh, teaches that all of humanity is one family and that the world's religions come from the same divine source and represent progressive revelations of one unfolding religion. Bahá'u'lláh provides teachings to help humanity advance to the next stage of a just global civilization based on the oneness of humanity.
Religion makes the people to put their lives on the way for salivation through having a vision of reality that transcend temporal world into a becoming world where everyone lives in a situation that is, full of an everlasting peace. But the role religious institutions play in ensuring the desired goal is a bone of contentions among scholars. The focus of the study was to explore the implication of religious institutions for sustainable peace in Amhara National Regional State with a particular reference to East Gojjam selected woredas.
The CSRCS at Elon University promotes interdisciplinary study of religion, culture, and society. In 2014-15, the center convened discussions on prominent global religious issues, including the conflicts in Israel/Gaza, the rise of ISIS, and global refugee crises. Events explored the complex political and religious roots of these issues through panels of experts, including officials from the Syrian opposition coalition. The center aims to foster understanding of religion's role in society through rigorous intellectual programs and dialogue.
The document discusses inter-faith harmony and sectarianism. It defines inter-faith harmony as a condition signifying peaceful coexistence among different religious beliefs, aimed at eliminating discord. The World Interfaith Harmony Week was established at the UN to promote mutual understanding and respect among people of diverse faiths and cultures. Several organizations worldwide and in Pakistan work to encourage dialogue and understanding between religious groups through activities and education. However, sectarian violence still occurs in some areas due to militant groups and tensions between religious subdivisions.
The Universal Peace Federation and its global network of Ambassadors for Peace bring universal, spiritual principles to the task of resolving conflict and reconciling the divided human family. International Leadership Conferences, symposia and peace councils offer opportunities for high-level consultations. These are complemented by "track II" diplomacy and grass-roots programs that build support for a culture of peace.
World peace can be fully accomplished only when the wisdom and efforts of the world’s religious leaders are combined cooperatively and respectfully with the endeavors of national political leaders. Absent the recognition of spiritual principles, the world has drifted increasingly toward analyses and prescriptions that are materialistic and secular in nature. In so doing, we have lost sight of the profound wisdom to be found in humanity’s spiritual heritage.
Global institutions must be built on a foundation that takes into account the full potential of the human being, not only as a political, economic, and social being, but also as a spiritual being with spiritual needs and a capacity for spiritual wisdom and insight. The legacy of the world’s great saints, prophets, sages, and spiritual leaders cannot be denied or discounted without ignoring what is most fundamental about the human being.
In too many ways the history of religion has been marked by narrow sectarianism, strife, and competitive struggle with other faiths, all to the detriment of the cherished goals and teachings of the founders and scriptures. This cannot continue. The need to eliminate corruption, selfishness, and bad governance applies not only to all nations but also to all of the world’s religions.
Lasting peace depends on cooperative partnerships between governments and religions, as well as NGOs and representatives of the private sector. The United Nations can benefit from a council of religious and spiritual leaders to bring broad vision and wisdom to the effort to address critical global problems. International conferences, publications, networking, and on-the-ground activism are mechanisms for interfaith cooperation and lay a foundation for spiritual renewal at the United Nations.
[Dr. Verma] Paper: Religious Ethics and Interfaith UnderstandingGlobalPeaceFoundation
Date: Dec. 5th 2013
Session: Creating Unity in Diversity in Asia: Including Others in Our Sphere of Moral Obligation
Speaker: Dr. M.M. Verma: President, Interfaith Foundation, India
This document discusses the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and Salafism through the process of globalization. It argues that Salafism emerged in response to feelings of lost glory and cultural imposition from the West. Salafism aims to return Islam to a puritanical past and resist Western influence. The document examines how globalization has spread Salafism and allowed militant groups like Al-Qaeda to gain influence. However, it notes that terrorism is often a response to geopolitical and socioeconomic issues rather than religious doctrine alone. Alienated members of Western societies may be most prone to radicalization, feeling torn between cultures. Overall, the document analyzes how global interconnectedness has contributed to the rise and spread of Islamic fundamentalism
This document provides an overview of the Bahá'í Faith and its view of religion's role in advancing civilization. It discusses how the world's great religions have historically animated civilizations and fostered cooperation. However, humanity now faces challenges that require unity at a global level. The Bahá'í Faith, founded by Bahá'u'lláh, teaches that all of humanity is one family and that the world's religions come from the same divine source and represent progressive revelations of one unfolding religion. Bahá'u'lláh provides teachings to help humanity advance to the next stage of a just global civilization based on the oneness of humanity.
Religion makes the people to put their lives on the way for salivation through having a vision of reality that transcend temporal world into a becoming world where everyone lives in a situation that is, full of an everlasting peace. But the role religious institutions play in ensuring the desired goal is a bone of contentions among scholars. The focus of the study was to explore the implication of religious institutions for sustainable peace in Amhara National Regional State with a particular reference to East Gojjam selected woredas.
Building Community Resilience to Violent Extremism – Government approaches”FRSA Communications
1) Australia has adopted a whole-of-government approach to countering violent extremism (CVE) through programs aimed at challenging terrorist propaganda, intervening in the radicalization process, and empowering communities.
2) Key aspects of Australia's CVE efforts include monitoring approximately 400 high-priority counter-terrorism investigations; challenging terrorist propaganda online and limiting access to extremist materials; and operating intervention programs in each state and territory to address the drivers of radicalization.
3) Empowering communities is seen as the best way to build resilience to radicalization through resources like the Living Safe Together website that provide information on radicalization and where to seek help.
World peace is an ideal state of non-violence between all nations where conflicts are resolved cooperatively without warfare. While theoretically possible, some believe human nature prevents world peace due to inherent violence, while others argue war is not innate and this view prevents progress. As long as war exists, world peace cannot, but war may be necessary to protect human rights or when there is no peaceful resolution. All wars have consequences like death, injuries, disease, destruction and refugees. Education is seen as key to developing a culture of peace, which governments, organizations and individuals should promote through revising education, economic development, human rights, tolerance, communication, and international cooperation.
Our responsibility to the seventh generation indigenous peoples and sustain...Dr Lendy Spires
This document summarizes an report from 1992 titled "Our Responsibility to The Seventh Generation: Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Development". The report discusses indigenous perspectives on sustainability and their relationship with the environment, how traditional indigenous economies have been disrupted by integration into the global economy, and the importance of indigenous knowledge and culture for sustainable development. It calls for policies that protect traditional indigenous ways of life, promote indigenous knowledge, support healing programs, cultural education, and economic self-reliance to empower indigenous communities.
The United Nations declares October 2nd, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, as the International Day of Non-Violence to honor Gandhi's ideals. Non-violence requires hard work and sacrifice but leads to the highest ethics and is the goal of evolution. Violence destroys lives, breeds fear and insecurity, and negatively impacts development. A culture of peace is generated when priority is given to children and families, who make up the majority of populations and are naturally peace-loving. On this International Day of Non-Violence, we should pledge to work towards social justice, economic growth, environmental protection, religious tolerance and peace.
The document discusses enlightened moderation from Islamic, social, and political views. It defines enlightened moderation as showing a moderate, balanced path through guidance. Socially, some argue it does not emanate from Islamic tradition. Politically, some see it as a Western strategy to eliminate Muslim culture and impose single values. The Islamic view is that true enlightened moderation follows the Quran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Peace education aims to foster changes that make the world more humane by teaching values like harmony, cultural diversity, and conflict resolution. Programs vary globally in their objectives and content due to political and social contexts. For example, Australian peace education challenges ethnocentrism and promotes cultural diversity, while Japanese programs target issues like nuclear disarmament and responsibility for past violence. A holistic understanding of peace includes both an absence of direct violence and a presence of social justice, human rights, and ecological well-being. Peace education seeks to transform societies by cultivating awareness, concern, and challenges to structures that enable nonviolence and justice.
Unity concept from islamic perspective and the reality of unity in malaysiaAlexander Decker
This document discusses the concept of unity from an Islamic perspective and examines unity in Malaysia. It begins by defining unity and discussing how disunity can undermine society. It then explores the concept of unity in Islam based on the Quran and Hadith. Some key principles of unity from an Islamic view are discussed, including having faith and piety as the fundamental basis for unity, and obeying leaders/rulers. The document also briefly examines findings related to unity and national integration in Malaysia. In under 3 sentences, the document explores the Islamic concept of unity, some principles such as faith and obedience to rulers, and briefly discusses unity in Malaysia.
1. The document discusses the complex relationship between religion and globalization. While globalization can increase religious pluralism and dialogue, it has also aggregated religious fundamentalism and fractionalization as religions push back against cultural homogenization.
2. Religions both utilize tools of globalization like social media and technology to spread their messages more widely, but are also a source of resistance to globalization as people turn to religion and traditionalism in response to feelings of instability from global forces.
3. The rise of groups like ISIS exemplify the contradictions, as they promote a global caliphate through social media recruitment, but also turn to religious violence and extremism that disrupts global integration and cooperation. The
2020 sunhak peace prize introductory brochure (Eng)
The founders of the Sunhak Peace Prize, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, have presented models for lasting peace in the fields of education, politics, arts, sciences, media and human rights, with particular focus on women, youth and the family. Dr. and Mrs. Moon see the human potential in terms of committed relationships, where each person, each family, each community and each nation exists for one another and lives for the greater good. Differences of race, religion, nationality and ideology are transcended under the vision of One Family Under God.
Frequency of Award: Biennial
Category: Peace
Prize: USD 1 million (KRW 1.1 billion)
Awards: Medal, Plaque
Nomination and Selection Process
Eligibility
· Individuals or organizations must have contributed significantly to the promotion of peace outlined in the Peace Mission affirmed by the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee.
· The achievements of the individual or organization must have had a positive impact on the realization of peace for people of diverse nations, races, religions, or ideologies.
Nomination
Nominations may be submitted from any among 1,000 qualified nominators around the world who represent a wide range of fields and areas of professional expertise, and diverse geographical, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.
· Qualified Individuals: Recipients of international prizes, highly respected individuals
· Qualified Organizations: International NGOs & academic associations, Organizations previously awarded international prizes
Review Process
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee carefully reviews the nominees with support from the Secretariat and in consultation with experts to come up with a short list of the most promising candidates. The Committee meets periodically throughout the year for this purpose.
Laureate Selection and Official Announcement
After careful review of the nominees on the short list, the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee arrives at its final selection and makes a public announcement through the media.
Muslim Ummah in Facing the Challenges of Globalization (Presented in Tehran)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
This presentation on globalization among others discusses the nature and differences that exist between the modern and Muslim concepts of globalization. Since it is not possible for the Muslims to live in total isolation from the things that are happening in a globalized world, they can at least come up with a strategic plan in how to position themselves in dealing with the issues and problems related to globalization. Besides that, this presentation also highlights the ideal scenario that should be prevalent in the Muslim world that can be beneficial for the Muslims as well as for others who share the space with them in this world. In realizing how the internet and social media have been wrongfully used in a globalized world, the presenters suggest on how the Muslims can use them in a productive and ethical manner. The last thing that this presentation intends to highlight is the philosophy of co-existence which should be given due consideration by people of different civilizations that live on this planet. It is the conviction of the presenters that people of different civilizations can learn all that are positive from one another and can live in peace and harmony.
This document discusses harmony of religions from the perspectives of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. It notes that while diversity of religion raises philosophical questions, it also has social and political consequences like religious conflicts and wars. It states that true religion itself does not cause conflicts, but that politics and manipulation of religion by institutions have historically incited people to acts of violence. It emphasizes recognition of religious differences, and distinguishes harmony from mere toleration. It also discusses intrareligious harmony within religious sects as well as interreligious harmony among world religions.
This document contains data and analysis on terrorism in Pakistan from various sources. It includes quantitative data on fatalities from terrorist violence from 2003-2014, sectarian attacks since 2001, drone attacks from 2005-2013, and numbers of internally displaced people and refugees. It also provides the results of a survey of 1036 people on their views and experiences related to terrorism. The survey found high levels of concern about terrorism and its impacts on life, security and community. Respondents identified terrorism, political instability and poverty as the biggest threats to Pakistan.
Global peace refers to an ideal state of happiness, freedom and peace among all people and nations on Earth. Various organizations aim to achieve world peace through addressing issues like human rights, education, and diplomacy to resolve conflicts without war. International relations studies the relations among states and political units and aims to establish rules to govern interactions between nations. It helps avoid world wars by analyzing countries' aims and policies to maintain peace. As countries become more interdependent, international relations grows more complex with goals like improving standards of living and ensuring full employment through cooperation on issues like trade.
The Qur’anic View of Interreligious Dialogue and Harmonypaperpublications3
This document discusses the Quranic view of interreligious dialogue and harmony based on a journal article. It makes three key points:
1) The Quran preaches love, tolerance and respect for all people irrespective of their religion. It encourages understanding between religions through dialogue.
2) Examples of religious harmony in history include the constitution of Medina established by the Prophet Muhammad that protected citizens of all faiths, and religious coexistence in Muslim Spain and under Ottoman rule.
3) The Quran recognizes prophets of other monotheistic religions and their scriptures. It advocates finding common ground and rejecting persecution or compulsion in religion. Interreligious dialogue is important for establishing peace.
1) The document discusses the effects of globalization on integrating Muslims into the world, including increased migration, multiculturalism, and cultural integration.
2) It argues that Muslims have failed to realize their potential from Islamic teachings and need to adapt to the 21st century by integrating with other cultures instead of blaming the West for problems.
3) Muslims living in Western countries are called to play a more active role through politics and economics to foster cultural integration and avoid conflicts between Muslim and Western communities.
This document discusses inter-faith dialogue and its importance in a multicultural society. It provides definitions of religion from scholars like Radhakrishnan, emphasizing religion as a spiritual practice rather than dogma. Inter-faith dialogue is described as both possible and desirable for discovering shared truths and fostering understanding between faiths. Guidelines are presented for conducting respectful dialogue based on mutual understanding and trust. The document also examines different approaches to inter-faith dialogue and the need to promote cooperation over theological differences.
The document provides an overview of the World Summit 2013 hosted by the Universal Peace Federation in Seoul, Korea from February 22-25, 2013. The summit brought together over 800 participants from more than 120 nations under the theme of "Peace, Security and Human Development". It featured addresses from heads of state and other prominent leaders. The summit was a major step forward for the Universal Peace Federation in convening global leaders. It served as a tribute to the founder of the organization, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, who had passed away six months prior.
The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) is a global network dedicated to building peace through spiritual and moral values. UPF brings people together through international conferences and grassroots programs to resolve conflicts. It has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council and supports the UN and Millennium Development Goals. UPF's 2014 World Summit on "Peace, Security and Human Development" will be held in Seoul, Korea from August 9-13 and will bring together global leaders to discuss these issues.
Building Community Resilience to Violent Extremism – Government approaches”FRSA Communications
1) Australia has adopted a whole-of-government approach to countering violent extremism (CVE) through programs aimed at challenging terrorist propaganda, intervening in the radicalization process, and empowering communities.
2) Key aspects of Australia's CVE efforts include monitoring approximately 400 high-priority counter-terrorism investigations; challenging terrorist propaganda online and limiting access to extremist materials; and operating intervention programs in each state and territory to address the drivers of radicalization.
3) Empowering communities is seen as the best way to build resilience to radicalization through resources like the Living Safe Together website that provide information on radicalization and where to seek help.
World peace is an ideal state of non-violence between all nations where conflicts are resolved cooperatively without warfare. While theoretically possible, some believe human nature prevents world peace due to inherent violence, while others argue war is not innate and this view prevents progress. As long as war exists, world peace cannot, but war may be necessary to protect human rights or when there is no peaceful resolution. All wars have consequences like death, injuries, disease, destruction and refugees. Education is seen as key to developing a culture of peace, which governments, organizations and individuals should promote through revising education, economic development, human rights, tolerance, communication, and international cooperation.
Our responsibility to the seventh generation indigenous peoples and sustain...Dr Lendy Spires
This document summarizes an report from 1992 titled "Our Responsibility to The Seventh Generation: Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Development". The report discusses indigenous perspectives on sustainability and their relationship with the environment, how traditional indigenous economies have been disrupted by integration into the global economy, and the importance of indigenous knowledge and culture for sustainable development. It calls for policies that protect traditional indigenous ways of life, promote indigenous knowledge, support healing programs, cultural education, and economic self-reliance to empower indigenous communities.
The United Nations declares October 2nd, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, as the International Day of Non-Violence to honor Gandhi's ideals. Non-violence requires hard work and sacrifice but leads to the highest ethics and is the goal of evolution. Violence destroys lives, breeds fear and insecurity, and negatively impacts development. A culture of peace is generated when priority is given to children and families, who make up the majority of populations and are naturally peace-loving. On this International Day of Non-Violence, we should pledge to work towards social justice, economic growth, environmental protection, religious tolerance and peace.
The document discusses enlightened moderation from Islamic, social, and political views. It defines enlightened moderation as showing a moderate, balanced path through guidance. Socially, some argue it does not emanate from Islamic tradition. Politically, some see it as a Western strategy to eliminate Muslim culture and impose single values. The Islamic view is that true enlightened moderation follows the Quran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Peace education aims to foster changes that make the world more humane by teaching values like harmony, cultural diversity, and conflict resolution. Programs vary globally in their objectives and content due to political and social contexts. For example, Australian peace education challenges ethnocentrism and promotes cultural diversity, while Japanese programs target issues like nuclear disarmament and responsibility for past violence. A holistic understanding of peace includes both an absence of direct violence and a presence of social justice, human rights, and ecological well-being. Peace education seeks to transform societies by cultivating awareness, concern, and challenges to structures that enable nonviolence and justice.
Unity concept from islamic perspective and the reality of unity in malaysiaAlexander Decker
This document discusses the concept of unity from an Islamic perspective and examines unity in Malaysia. It begins by defining unity and discussing how disunity can undermine society. It then explores the concept of unity in Islam based on the Quran and Hadith. Some key principles of unity from an Islamic view are discussed, including having faith and piety as the fundamental basis for unity, and obeying leaders/rulers. The document also briefly examines findings related to unity and national integration in Malaysia. In under 3 sentences, the document explores the Islamic concept of unity, some principles such as faith and obedience to rulers, and briefly discusses unity in Malaysia.
1. The document discusses the complex relationship between religion and globalization. While globalization can increase religious pluralism and dialogue, it has also aggregated religious fundamentalism and fractionalization as religions push back against cultural homogenization.
2. Religions both utilize tools of globalization like social media and technology to spread their messages more widely, but are also a source of resistance to globalization as people turn to religion and traditionalism in response to feelings of instability from global forces.
3. The rise of groups like ISIS exemplify the contradictions, as they promote a global caliphate through social media recruitment, but also turn to religious violence and extremism that disrupts global integration and cooperation. The
2020 sunhak peace prize introductory brochure (Eng)
The founders of the Sunhak Peace Prize, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, have presented models for lasting peace in the fields of education, politics, arts, sciences, media and human rights, with particular focus on women, youth and the family. Dr. and Mrs. Moon see the human potential in terms of committed relationships, where each person, each family, each community and each nation exists for one another and lives for the greater good. Differences of race, religion, nationality and ideology are transcended under the vision of One Family Under God.
Frequency of Award: Biennial
Category: Peace
Prize: USD 1 million (KRW 1.1 billion)
Awards: Medal, Plaque
Nomination and Selection Process
Eligibility
· Individuals or organizations must have contributed significantly to the promotion of peace outlined in the Peace Mission affirmed by the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee.
· The achievements of the individual or organization must have had a positive impact on the realization of peace for people of diverse nations, races, religions, or ideologies.
Nomination
Nominations may be submitted from any among 1,000 qualified nominators around the world who represent a wide range of fields and areas of professional expertise, and diverse geographical, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.
· Qualified Individuals: Recipients of international prizes, highly respected individuals
· Qualified Organizations: International NGOs & academic associations, Organizations previously awarded international prizes
Review Process
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee carefully reviews the nominees with support from the Secretariat and in consultation with experts to come up with a short list of the most promising candidates. The Committee meets periodically throughout the year for this purpose.
Laureate Selection and Official Announcement
After careful review of the nominees on the short list, the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee arrives at its final selection and makes a public announcement through the media.
Muslim Ummah in Facing the Challenges of Globalization (Presented in Tehran)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
This presentation on globalization among others discusses the nature and differences that exist between the modern and Muslim concepts of globalization. Since it is not possible for the Muslims to live in total isolation from the things that are happening in a globalized world, they can at least come up with a strategic plan in how to position themselves in dealing with the issues and problems related to globalization. Besides that, this presentation also highlights the ideal scenario that should be prevalent in the Muslim world that can be beneficial for the Muslims as well as for others who share the space with them in this world. In realizing how the internet and social media have been wrongfully used in a globalized world, the presenters suggest on how the Muslims can use them in a productive and ethical manner. The last thing that this presentation intends to highlight is the philosophy of co-existence which should be given due consideration by people of different civilizations that live on this planet. It is the conviction of the presenters that people of different civilizations can learn all that are positive from one another and can live in peace and harmony.
This document discusses harmony of religions from the perspectives of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. It notes that while diversity of religion raises philosophical questions, it also has social and political consequences like religious conflicts and wars. It states that true religion itself does not cause conflicts, but that politics and manipulation of religion by institutions have historically incited people to acts of violence. It emphasizes recognition of religious differences, and distinguishes harmony from mere toleration. It also discusses intrareligious harmony within religious sects as well as interreligious harmony among world religions.
This document contains data and analysis on terrorism in Pakistan from various sources. It includes quantitative data on fatalities from terrorist violence from 2003-2014, sectarian attacks since 2001, drone attacks from 2005-2013, and numbers of internally displaced people and refugees. It also provides the results of a survey of 1036 people on their views and experiences related to terrorism. The survey found high levels of concern about terrorism and its impacts on life, security and community. Respondents identified terrorism, political instability and poverty as the biggest threats to Pakistan.
Global peace refers to an ideal state of happiness, freedom and peace among all people and nations on Earth. Various organizations aim to achieve world peace through addressing issues like human rights, education, and diplomacy to resolve conflicts without war. International relations studies the relations among states and political units and aims to establish rules to govern interactions between nations. It helps avoid world wars by analyzing countries' aims and policies to maintain peace. As countries become more interdependent, international relations grows more complex with goals like improving standards of living and ensuring full employment through cooperation on issues like trade.
The Qur’anic View of Interreligious Dialogue and Harmonypaperpublications3
This document discusses the Quranic view of interreligious dialogue and harmony based on a journal article. It makes three key points:
1) The Quran preaches love, tolerance and respect for all people irrespective of their religion. It encourages understanding between religions through dialogue.
2) Examples of religious harmony in history include the constitution of Medina established by the Prophet Muhammad that protected citizens of all faiths, and religious coexistence in Muslim Spain and under Ottoman rule.
3) The Quran recognizes prophets of other monotheistic religions and their scriptures. It advocates finding common ground and rejecting persecution or compulsion in religion. Interreligious dialogue is important for establishing peace.
1) The document discusses the effects of globalization on integrating Muslims into the world, including increased migration, multiculturalism, and cultural integration.
2) It argues that Muslims have failed to realize their potential from Islamic teachings and need to adapt to the 21st century by integrating with other cultures instead of blaming the West for problems.
3) Muslims living in Western countries are called to play a more active role through politics and economics to foster cultural integration and avoid conflicts between Muslim and Western communities.
This document discusses inter-faith dialogue and its importance in a multicultural society. It provides definitions of religion from scholars like Radhakrishnan, emphasizing religion as a spiritual practice rather than dogma. Inter-faith dialogue is described as both possible and desirable for discovering shared truths and fostering understanding between faiths. Guidelines are presented for conducting respectful dialogue based on mutual understanding and trust. The document also examines different approaches to inter-faith dialogue and the need to promote cooperation over theological differences.
The document provides an overview of the World Summit 2013 hosted by the Universal Peace Federation in Seoul, Korea from February 22-25, 2013. The summit brought together over 800 participants from more than 120 nations under the theme of "Peace, Security and Human Development". It featured addresses from heads of state and other prominent leaders. The summit was a major step forward for the Universal Peace Federation in convening global leaders. It served as a tribute to the founder of the organization, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, who had passed away six months prior.
The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) is a global network dedicated to building peace through spiritual and moral values. UPF brings people together through international conferences and grassroots programs to resolve conflicts. It has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council and supports the UN and Millennium Development Goals. UPF's 2014 World Summit on "Peace, Security and Human Development" will be held in Seoul, Korea from August 9-13 and will bring together global leaders to discuss these issues.
The document summarizes a conference held in Amman, Jordan from October 11-13, 2013 called "The Prospects for Dialogue and Reconciliation in Syria." Over 40 participants from 19 countries attended, including religious leaders, academics, diplomats, and NGO representatives. They represented diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. The summary highlights the diversity of the participants and perspectives shared, regional views on the Syria conflict, international analyses provided, and religious and spiritual viewpoints expressed. The overall goal of the conference was to have in-depth discussions on resolving the Syrian crisis through dialogue and reconciliation.
“Toward a New Paradigm for Peace and Human Development” was the theme of an International Leadership Conference that drew people from 50 nations to Seoul, Korea, from Feb. 9 to 13, 2014. Distinguished diplomats, scholars and peace activists offered insights into current events on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East to the 165 conference participants. Religious leaders, educators, journalists and women leaders described their work to build understanding and improve relations among diverse people in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
The document discusses terrorism and some religious responses. It provides context on the history and toll of terrorism, noting that religious communities have sometimes used terrorism with flimsy religious justification. After events like 9/11, people commonly respond religiously through prayer, memorials, and discourse. The document examines teachings in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism regarding adversaries, noting a diversity of interpretations but priorities of peace in most traditions.
The document summarizes information about the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and its World Summit 2015 event. The UPF is an NGO dedicated to building peace through spiritual values. It organized the World Summit 2015 in Seoul to address issues of peace, security, and development. The summit brought together international leaders, including heads of state, to discuss how to prevent and resolve conflicts from spiritual perspectives.
[Ambassador Hassan] Speech: Presentation by Ambassador S. Azmat Hassan (Ret.)...GlobalPeaceFoundation
Date: Dec. 6th 2013
Session: Interfaith Partnerships: Faith and Diversity: Toward a Global Ethic for Inclusive and Moderate Societies
Speaker: Ambassador S. Azmat Hassan; Former Pakistani Ambassador to Malaysia, Syria and Morrocco, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
A handbook for Universal Peace Federation Ambassadors for Peace. The Universal Peace Federation is a global network of individuals and organizations dedicated to building a world of peace centered on universal spiritual and moral values along with principles of good governance. See www.upf.org
This document discusses the relationship between religion, national security, and harmonious coexistence in Nigeria. It provides definitions and conceptual frameworks for these terms. Specifically, it examines three theories of religion - evolutionary, Marxist, and functional - and how they link religion to concepts of security. It analyzes how religion could serve as an instrument to enhance national security and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria but has instead contributed to threats. The document aims to motivate further research on how to properly harness religion for these purposes in Nigeria's diverse society.
Need for an Ethics Education for Peace book 8 chap 1Miguel Cano
This book presents a proposal for ethical education for peace that includes a character and heart education, and a civic and intercultural education, to be taught in the family, school and society.
What is clear is that a superficial education of democratic values is not enough to solve the current crisis of values and solve the problems of individual, family and social moral degradation that paradoxically affect more to democratic advanced nations.
Rather, it would require a genuine silent revolution that will bring people to a moral maturity, form healthy families, and create communities and nations that live in peace and harmony.
The document discusses ethnic group conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It explores how concepts of cultural conformity relate to both groups and how their negative social perceptions of each other contribute to ongoing conflict. The two groups have very different worldviews informed by their religious beliefs and upbringings. Changing social perceptions through interreligious communication and dialogue between younger generations may help resolve some issues over time, though the conflict is complex with deep historical roots on both sides.
Nigeria is a secular state in theory, religion supremacy functions has been the expression of political identity and facts obviously in conflicts over resources, land, and political offices. Increasing clashes between religious groups, predominantly Muslim and Christian have taken the nation from what used to be peaceful coexistence to violent disharmony. For the course of this paper, region in politics is as old as the history of the Nigerian state. What is new in the current exclusion is the extent to which religion dominates national life. The myth of the secular Nigerian state that purports to separate the institutions of religion from those of the government has failed to translate into reality. Indeed, there is evidence to show that Nigeria's troublesome religious conflict, especially during election and beyond will negatively affect national development. It is against this backdrop that the paper traces the historical and contemporary issues of religion plurality in the challenge of national development, with particular attention to the security dilemma for Nigeria in the 21st century, paying attention to the growing influence of the unchecked religion in politics, and its significance to modern politics and how this accounts for increasing manners of conflict in Nigerian states. This paper therefore makes some recommendations and concludes that there cannot be any meaningful national development without proper interreligious peace and harmony.
Refocusing the Social Studies Curriculum for Religious Tolerance, Unity and P...iosrjce
The state of peace and tolerance in Nigeria is gradually collapsing and the nation is gradually
disintegrating. The clamor by many eminent Nigerians for a sovereign national conference, spells doom for the
once united „giant of Africa‟. The unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria is under the threat of collapse by
the growing level of religious intolerance. The increase in religious conflicts has led to the loss and destruction
of many lives and properties. According to Williams (2004), religious intolerance seems to be the cause of most
wars and sufferings in the world. The on-going religious violence unleashed on many Nigerians especially in the
northern part of the country by the fundamental Islamic sects, the Jama‟atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda‟awati Wal-Jihad,
popularly known as Boko Haram‟s insurgency, mainly in northern Nigeria, has left more than 3,600 people dead
since 2009. There is an increasing need to unite the citizenry despite the odds against her peaceful coexistence.
There is need to ensure that Nigeria remains a united entity where all citizens will see themselves first as
Nigerians before seeing themselves in the light of their ethnic group or religious affiliations. Religious conflicts,
has caused a wide spread of suspicion and distrust among the various ethnic and religious groups in the country.
The increasing perception of some parts of the country as „dangerous‟ due to its restiveness, has led to
skepticism and suspicion, which inhibits cooperation (Otuenu 2011). This further confirms one of the
predictions implied in Huntington‟s (1996) thesis, that conflicts that occur on the fault lines between major
religions will run a higher risk of spreading across borders due to kinship alliances and intra-civilizations
solidarity. The inauguration of the council of Inter-religious harmony by the Federal government stands out as
one of the government‟s effort to ensure peace and stability within the adherents of the two major religions
(Christianity and Islam) in Nigeria. The Council of Inter-religious Harmony is co-headed by the president of the
Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs and the national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria. Despite
all efforts made by the government to ensure peace and stability within the country, there have been several
pockets of violent clashes among the followers of the two religious groups.
The Role of Youths in Peace Building A Response to Insurgency in the Northeas...ijtsrd
This paper aims to investigate the role of youths in peace building, as a response to Boko Haram insurgent activities in the northeastern Nigeria. The paper used secondary data and discussions of the findings have been made qualitatively. The finding of the study indicated that the northeast geopolitical region has been a peaceful region, notably Kanem Borno Empire since before the colonial rule. This was possible because of the role played by the rulers of that era in promoting peace and peaceful coexistence, such as establishing the concept of unity of God none to be worshipped but Allah alone , rule with justice as Allah and His messenger gave judgment, by the Book Quran and the Sunnah Hadith , and not to oppress any of the servants of Allah, as Allah averts oppression from the two worlds, etc. However, there were some emerging challenges to peace as a result of Boko Haram insurgency in the region, such as unleashed great fear and suffering upon individuals, displaced great number of people causing an enormous economic Barden upon the society and total destruction of educational system where students were been killed and schools were destroyed. The finding also indicated youth have played important role in peace building. The paper gave some recommendations on the expected roles of youth in peace building in the North East, view to proffering solutions and relevant policy options that could be implemented, for a strong, lasting, beneficial, acceptable, strategy that will eradicate violence, social conflicts and other vices which constitute threat to our peaceful coexistence. Dr. Kalli Alkali Yusuf Gazali "The Role of Youths in Peace Building: A Response to Insurgency in the Northeastern Nigeria" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-7 | Issue-1 , February 2023, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd52715.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/other-scientific-research-area/other/52715/the-role-of-youths-in-peace-building-a-response-to-insurgency-in-the-northeastern-nigeria/dr-kalli-alkali-yusuf-gazali
This document discusses international understanding and the role of education in promoting it. It defines international understanding as developing insight into other cultures beyond one's own interests and seeing all people as part of a global community. Narrow nationalism can create conflicts, so education must foster world citizenship. The document outlines principles of international understanding like respect for all people and awareness of interdependence. It also discusses barriers like secrecy, inequality and prejudice. Education is seen as crucial for providing knowledge of other cultures and developing critical thinking to appreciate diversity and work towards global cooperation.
This document discusses international understanding and the role of education in promoting it. It defines international understanding as developing insight into other cultures beyond one's own interests and seeing all people as part of a global community. Narrow nationalism can create conflicts, so education must foster world citizenship. The document outlines principles of international understanding like respect for all people and awareness of interdependence. It also discusses barriers like secrecy, inequality and prejudice. Education is seen as crucial for providing knowledge of other cultures and developing critical thinking to appreciate diversity and work towards global cooperation.
The book makes clear that when the early Muslims overpowered major empires and took over vast areas, their motives were not to subjugate people or to enrich themselves.
THIS PPT WAS UPLOADED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ANYONE CAN ACCESS THE LINK/PPT THOUGH DOWNLOAD AND FOR SUBJECT MATTER LEARBING ONLY.
- The Declaration of World Peace
- Spreading a Culture of Peace “Talk&Walk to Prevent Violent Extremism”
- Global Communities Seek a Culture of Peace to Overcome the Threat of Violent Extremism
- Youth Speak about HWPL Peace Walk
- Companion of HWPL: ECPAT Indonesia Program Director Fitri Noviana
This document discusses the role of social, geographical, and political environments in maintaining national and international peace. It examines factors like religion, equality, gender issues, and the roles of governments, NGOs, and corporations in social peacebuilding. Geographically, it discusses the responsibilities of developed and developing countries towards each other. Politically, it analyzes the United Nations, international courts and organizations, and how education, trade, and diplomacy can promote peace. Gandhi's principles of non-violence and India's role in founding the Non-Aligned Movement also contributed to global peace.
Similar to Toward Peace and Stability in the Middle East (20)
The document provides an overview of events organized by the Universal Peace Federation from 2000 to 2015, including assemblies, conferences, tours, and summits focused on peace, governance, and interreligious harmony in locations like New York City, Washington D.C., Seoul, and Tokyo. Some of the key events mentioned are the inaugural UPF convocation in 2005, a 100 city world peace tour in 2005, and annual world summits held in Seoul, Korea starting in 2013 to address topics like peace, security and human development.
The United Nations International Day of Peace is observed annually on September 21 to honor a cessation of hostilities and promote peace. In 2015, over 35 chapters of the Universal Peace Federation celebrated in at least 11 regions and 35 countries with events such as peace walks, interfaith ceremonies, and appointing new Ambassadors for Peace. Celebrations involved thousands of participants, including students, educators, religious and community leaders who discussed topics like conflict resolution, interfaith harmony, and building a more peaceful world.
The Universal Peace Federation and its Ambassadors for Peace have organized commemorations of the International Day of Peace each year since 2008 in over 104 nations and 250 cities worldwide. They have held various events annually on or around September 21st to honor the UN's call for peace, including celebrations in the Dominican Republic in 2008, activities in Afghanistan in 2009, and youth programs in Burkina Faso in 2010.
In order to have citizens capable of creating peace in the world, we need stable families that instill values and capacities for peacebuilding. Marriage and the family serve a unique and essential purpose for optimum human development. Research is showing that straying from that purpose weakens the family, increasing disadvantages for the next generation and the future. Clarifying the value of the family will help us strengthen this essential building block of peace.
Observances by the Universal Peace Federation and partner organizations of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2013
World peace can be fully accomplished only when the wisdom and efforts of the world’s religious leaders are combined cooperatively and respectfully with the endeavors of national political leaders. Absent the recognition of spiritual principles, the world has drifted increasingly toward analyses and prescriptions that are materialistic and secular in nature. In so doing, we have lost sight of the profound wisdom to be found in humanity’s spiritual heritage.
Global institutions must be built on a foundation that takes into
Observances of UN International Women's Day 2011
The Universal Peace Federation upholds the essential value and central role of women in peacebuilding and human development.
UPF affirms the need for women to serve in leadership positions throughout the world in all sectors of society.
UPF recognizes the equal value of men and women. Their absolute value derives from a common origin, God. God is the origin of both men and women, and all of God’s creation manifests complementary masculine and feminine aspects.
Men and women are extensions and manifestations of God’s harmonious masculinity and femininity. The complementary relationship between men and women expresses the wholeness of human experience. Thus, there should be no gender discrimination but rather harmony of the sexes through love.
Throughout history, women have taken the leading role in cultivating families as the dwelling places of peace, love, and health in shaping the individual character of children, and in fostering harmonious social relationships. In the family, both father and mother are equally entitled to reverence and honor. The path toward establishing global peace begins with strengthening families.
The ideal of peace is at the core of all religions. Through dialogue and mutual understanding, there can be peace among religions, and peace among religions is a necessary prerequisite for world peace. Women can and should play a central role in promoting interfaith understanding and cooperation.
UPF emphasizes the essential importance of women in addressing issues of peace and development in all sectors, including politics, business, culture, and religion. Women must be encouraged and empowered to assume leadership roles in the resolution of conflict, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.
UPF supports the achievement of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which include improved status, education, health, and physical well-being of women. Six of these eight goals are related to women; therefore, by uplifting the condition of women, the Millennium Development Goals will be advanced.
Highlights of the Universal Peace Federation's activities around the world in 2014.
On local, national, and global levels, interreligious councils provide a platform for people of diverse faiths to contribute their wisdom and work effectively for peace alongside representatives of government, business, and civil society.
UPF acknowledges the need for careful and measurable use of enforcement such as political, military, and civil power to sustain lasting peace. At the same time we strongly emphasize the pursuit of internal solutions that are essential to peacebuilding. UPF has been a leading exponent of “track two” diplomacy, with particular emphasis on the role and responsibility of religious and spiritual leaders to transcend historical self-interest and pursue the ideal of “One family under God.”
UPF is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. We support and promote the work of the United Nations and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Marriage, parenting, and the family are the foundations of sustainable human development and the building blocks of society. Educational programs present the personal and social benefits of marriage, promote a marriage-friendly culture, teach relationship skills, and encourage spiritual growth through relationships.
UPF's leadership conferences and seminars focus on the urgent need for new vision and leadership based on core values and universal principles of peacebuilding.
Service-learning programs bring together youth from different cultures and religions in order to promote mutual understanding and respect. Participants serve a community in need, visit religious and historic sites, and learn communication and team-building skills.
Observances of the UN International Day of Peace, September 21, 2014 organized by the Universal Peace Federation in Albania, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, DR Congo, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Gabon, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, LIthuania, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Russia, San Marino, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, and the US.
The theme for the International Day of Peace 2014 was "The Rights of Peoples to Peace."
Along with human rights, there are human responsibilities. In order for human rights to be honored, respected and practiced, each individual should appreciate and practice his or her own portion of responsibilities. Likewise, in order for "we the peoples" to enjoy the "right of peace" it is necessary for each of us to work to build a world of peace, that is, a world of mutual respect and cooperation that goes beyond barriers of religion, ethnicity, culture and nationality.
Marriage and family are the fundamental building blocks of society. When the family is healthy and stable, society becomes healthy and stable. When husband and wife love and respect one another, fully appreciative each one's value and each one's dignity, then respect for rights naturally follow. The family is the school of ethics and, in this capacity, the school of human rights. Through good parenting practices that underscore the value, dignity and rights of each and every human being, we move the world toward peace, one family at a time.
For many people of faith, human rights have their root and origin in our Creator. There are compelling arguments to suggest that the largely secularized understanding of human rights has its foundation in spiritual and religious understandings of human beings as inherently sacred, and each one equally valuable.
Universal Peace Federation's World Summit 2014, Seoul, Korea, August 9-13, 2014 on "Peace, Security and Development" with sessions on the Americas, Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and the relevance of religion for peace and development.
An overview of the vision in the US and Russia for a Bering Strait Crossing going back more than 100 years, including adventurous swimmers and kiteboarders, engineering challenges, architectural concept drawings, and comparisons with notable canals, tunnels, and transcontinental railway systems that have transformed commerce, transportation, history and culture.
Observances of the UN International Day of Families, May 15, 2014, with the theme "Families Matter for the Achievement of Development Goals."
The Universal Peace Federation affirms the value of the family as the core unit of society. The family has formed the basis for communities, societies and civilizations throughout the ages. Virtually all the world’s religions teach the sacred value of marriage and family. The family is the school of love. It is also the school of virtue, ethics and citizenship.
The cohesion and stability of the family are prerequisites for a healthy and stable society. Conversely, the breakdown of the family contributes to a wide range of social problems. By strengthening the family, we can build a stronger base of social capital that will enhance the overall quality of life for everyone.
The natural family is grounded in marriage, the cornerstone of the family. Children benefit from having loving parents, a mother and father, who are committed to the well-being of their sons and daughters. There is no greater joy and no greater responsibility than that of raising boys and girls to become mature, socially-engaged and successful men and women. This is the role and responsibility of parents and grandparents.
Traditional marriage and family are being challenged in a variety of ways at this time in history, by poverty, migration, displacement, urbanization, conflict, disease, etc. In addition, some question the value of traditional marriage and family. Others seek to redefine them. Despite these challenges, men and women the world over still aspire to build strong, loving, lasting marriages and, as parents, to raise children who prosper and flourish.
The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) was launched in 2005 to promote peacebuilding initiatives around the world. UPF focuses on interfaith peacebuilding, strengthening relationships with the United Nations, addressing issues of peace and security, and empowering youth and families. Some of UPF's key activities include hosting interfaith dialogues and conferences, organizing events at the UN, commemorating days like the International Day of Peace, and supporting peace walks, service projects, and sports tournaments that engage youth. UPF's founders have also undertaken peace tours across multiple countries in North America, South America, and other regions to promote their message of peace.
Service-learning projects of the Universal Peace Federation in 2013 in Estonia, Georgia, India, Israel, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, and the US. Through living together and providing altruistic service in a community, participants demonstrate that it is possible for our global human family to come together in peace for our mutual well being.
The Universal Peace Federation upholds the essential value and central role of women in peacebuilding and human development.
UPF affirms the need for women to serve in leadership positions throughout the world in all sectors of society.
UPF recognizes the equal value of men and women. Their absolute value derives from a common origin, God. God is the origin of both men and women, and all of God’s creation manifests complementary masculine and feminine aspects.
Men and women are extensions and manifestations of God’s harmonious masculinity and femininity. The complementary relationship between men and women expresses the wholeness of human experience. Thus, there should be no gender discrimination but rather harmony of the sexes through love.
Throughout history, women have taken the leading role in cultivating families as the dwelling places of peace, love, and health in shaping the individual character of children, and in fostering harmonious social relationships. In the family, both father and mother are equally entitled to reverence and honor. The path toward establishing global peace begins with strengthening families.
The ideal of peace is at the core of all religions. Through dialogue and mutual understanding, there can be peace among religions, and peace among religions is a necessary prerequisite for world peace. Women can and should play a central role in promoting interfaith understanding and cooperation.
UPF emphasizes the essential importance of women in addressing issues of peace and development in all sectors, including politics, business, culture, and religion. Women must be encouraged and empowered to assume leadership roles in the resolution of conflict, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.
UPF supports the achievement of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which include improved status, education, health, and physical well-being of women. Six of these eight goals are related to women; therefore, by uplifting the condition of women, the Millennium Development Goals will be advanced.
UN World Interfaith Harmony Week celebrations organized by the Universal Peace Federation, first week of February 2014.
World peace can be fully accomplished only when the wisdom and efforts of the world’s religious leaders are combined cooperatively and respectfully with the endeavors of national political leaders. Absent the recognition of spiritual principles, the world has drifted increasingly toward analyses and prescriptions that are materialistic and secular in nature. In so doing, we have lost sight of the profound wisdom to be found in humanity’s spiritual heritage.
Global institutions must be built on a foundation that takes into account the full potential of the human being, not only as a political, economic, and social being, but also as a spiritual being with spiritual needs and a capacity for spiritual wisdom and insight. The legacy of the world’s great saints, prophets, sages, and spiritual leaders cannot be denied or discounted without ignoring what is most fundamental about the human being.
In too many ways the history of religion has been marked by narrow sectarianism, strife, and competitive struggle with other faiths, all to the detriment of the cherished goals and teachings of the founders and scriptures. This cannot continue. The need to eliminate corruption, selfishness, and bad governance applies not only to all nations but also to all of the world’s religions.
Lasting peace depends on cooperative partnerships between governments and religions, as well as NGOs and representatives of the private sector. The United Nations can benefit from a council of religious and spiritual leaders to bring broad vision and wisdom to the effort to address critical global problems. International conferences, publications, networking, and on-the-ground activism are mechanisms for interfaith cooperation and lay a foundation for spiritual renewal at the United Nations.
Highlights of the variety of activities by Universal Peace Federation chapters,
On local, national, and global levels, interreligious councils provide a platform for people of diverse faiths to contribute their wisdom and work effectively for peace alongside representatives of government, business, and civil society.
UPF acknowledges the need for careful and measurable use of enforcement such as political, military, and civil power to sustain lasting peace. At the same time we strongly emphasize the pursuit of internal solutions that are essential to peacebuilding. UPF has been a leading exponent of “track two” diplomacy, with particular emphasis on the role and responsibility of religious and spiritual leaders to transcend historical self-interest and pursue the ideal of “One family under God.”
UPF is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. We support and promote the work of the United Nations and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Marriage, parenting, and the family are the foundations of sustainable human development and the building blocks of society. Educational programs present the personal and social benefits of marriage, promote a marriage-friendly culture, teach relationship skills, and encourage spiritual growth through relationships.
UPF's leadership conferences and seminars focus on the urgent need for new vision and leadership based on core values and universal principles of peacebuilding.
Service-learning programs bring together youth from different cultures and religions in order to promote mutual understanding and respect. Participants serve a community in need, visit religious and historic sites, and learn communication and team-building skills.
This document outlines a Middle East Peace Initiative conducted by various interfaith organizations from 2004-2005. It involved delegations visiting holy sites in Israel and Palestinian territories with the goal of promoting reconciliation. Specific initiatives included trips to Jordan, Israel and Gaza in March-April 2004; a Women for Peace program in Israel in May 2004; and trips from around the world to Israel and the West Bank from July-December 2004. It also included a religious youth service project in Jordan in 2004.
Universal Peace Federation chapters organized celebrations of the International Day of Peace, September 21. The theme was Education for Peace. "It is not enough to teach children how to read, write and count. Education has to cultivate mutual respect for others and the world in which we live, and help people forge more just, inclusive and peaceful societies." - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
UPF offers the following recommendations in support of the theme "Education for Peace":
The family is the original primary school. It is in the family, in relation to our parents, grandparents, siblings, and extended familial network, that we learn language, cultural values, ethics, religion, essential information related to survival, and basic attitudes toward others, including those who exist outside "the tribe." If within the family, centered on the parents and grandparents, there is an affirmation of education and, more importantly, an emphasis on moral education or character education, then the family becomes a school of peace. It is very important that we come to understand, value, and support the family as the primary school of peace.
While formal systems of education are naturally focused on development of professional capacities and skills that are necessary for employment and economic success, education must also give emphasis to moral education or character education. In this sense, education must consider the whole person. Traditionally, education comprises both the "arts" and the "sciences." The "arts" refer to the "liberal arts" or the "humanities" as a curriculum which introduces students to the great ideas of history and the moral and spiritual guidance that comes from classic literature, including sacred scriptures. Peace cannot be achieved by technology alone but requires ultimately a transformation of persons from selfishness, greed, and viciousness to benevolence, generosity, and self-discipline.
Interfaith dialogue, understanding, and cooperation are essential to peace. As long as beliefs within one religious tradition hold prejudicial attitudes toward people of other faiths, or even of people of divergent perspectives within one's own faith, peace cannot be achieved. Both the family system and the school system should cultivate interfaith awareness and mutual respect. Religious and interfaith illiteracy should not be tolerated, knowing that it contributes to bigotry, discrimination and, eventually, to violence. The curricula of the school system, from primary school to university, should include courses that respectfully and objectively teach about the great religious ideas and practitioners of history, just as we study the great art and literature of the major civilizations.
Issues of peace and security are enormously complex. Simplistic and ill-informed perspectives should not be encouraged. Forums, symposia, and publications that include various well-informed perspectives, contribute to balance and reasonable solutions.
More from Universal Peace Federation International (20)
21062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
Christian persecution in Islamic countries has intensified, with alarming incidents of violence, discrimination, and intolerance. This article highlights recent attacks in Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq, exposing the multifaceted challenges faced by Christian communities. Despite the severity of these atrocities, the Western world's response remains muted due to political, economic, and social considerations. The urgent need for international intervention is underscored, emphasizing that without substantial support, the future of Christianity in these regions is at grave risk.
https://ecspe.org/the-rise-of-christian-persecution-in-islamic-countries/
La defensa del expresidente Juan Orlando Hernández, declarado culpable por narcotráfico en EE. UU., solicitó este viernes al juez Kevin Castel que imponga una condena mínima de 40 años de prisión.
18062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
केरल उच्च न्यायालय ने 11 जून, 2024 को मंडला पूजा में भाग लेने की अनुमति मांगने वाली 10 वर्षीय लड़की की रिट याचिका को खारिज कर दिया, जिसमें सर्वोच्च न्यायालय की एक बड़ी पीठ के समक्ष इस मुद्दे की लंबित प्रकृति पर जोर दिया गया। यह आदेश न्यायमूर्ति अनिल के. नरेंद्रन और न्यायमूर्ति हरिशंकर वी. मेनन की खंडपीठ द्वारा पारित किया गया
17062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
यूजीसी-नेट और NEET परीक्षा (कई अन्य के अलावा, 2018 तक सीबीएसई द्वारा आयोजित की जाती थी, जो भारत में सार्वजनिक और निजी स्कूलों के लिए एक राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा बोर्ड था (और है), जिसे भारत सरकार द्वारा नियंत्रित और प्रबंधित किया जाता था।
22062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
Federal Authorities Urge Vigilance Amid Bird Flu Outbreak | The Lifesciences ...The Lifesciences Magazine
Federal authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant but calm in response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
“What Else Are They Talking About?”: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Analysis of M...Axel Bruns
Paper by Daniel Angus, Stephen Harrington, Axel Bruns, Phoebe Matich, Nadia Jude, Edward Hurcombe, and Ashwin Nagappa, presented at the ICA 2024 conference, Gold Coast, 22 June 2024.
Why We Chose ScyllaDB over DynamoDB for "User Watch Status"ScyllaDB
Yichen Wei and Adam Drennan share the architecture and technical requirements behind "user watch status" for a major global media streaming service, what that meant for their database, the pros and cons of the many options they considered for replacing DynamoDB, why they ultimately chose ScyllaDB, and their lessons learned so far.
19 जून को बॉम्बे हाई कोर्ट ने विवादित फिल्म ‘हमारे बारह’ को 21 जून को थिएटर में रिलीज करने का रास्ता साफ कर दिया, हालांकि यह सुनिश्चित करने के बाद कि फिल्म निर्माता कुछ आपत्तिजनक अंशों को हटा दें।
Apna Punjab Media is a Punjabi newspaper that covers local and global news, cultural updates, and community events. It's a trusted source for Punjabi-speaking communities, offering a mix of traditional values and modern insights into Punjab's vibrant life and heritage.
Shark Tank Jargon | Operational ProfitabilityTheUnitedIndian
Don't let fancy business words confuse you! This blog is your cheat sheet to understanding the Shark Tank Jargon. We'll translate all the confusing terms like "valuation" (how much the company is worth) and "royalty" (a fee for using someone's idea). You'll be swimming with the Sharks like a pro in no time!
1. Universal Peace Federation
Middle East Peace Initiative
Interreligious and International
Relations in the Middle East:
Toward Peace and Stability
Jerusalem,
December 19-22, 2013
Executive Report
2. 2 Middle East Peace Initiative
“Interreligious and International
Relations in the Middle East:
Toward Peace and Stability”
T
he Universal Peace Federation
held an international conference in
JerusalemDecember19-22,2013on
the topic of Interreligious and International
Relations in the Middle East:Toward Peace
and Stability. On the backdrop of sunny
winter days that followed a blizzard, some
45 scholars, religious leaders, diplomats,
geopolitical experts and NGO activists
from five continents and 22 countries
converged from around the globe in search
for optional solutions to the conflict in the
Middle East. The discussions dealt with the
current situation in the Middle East from
broad perspectives and diverse angles.
Dr. Thomas Walsh, president of UPF International, noted that the conference marked the
tenth anniversary of the Middle East Peace Initiative of UPF in Israel and Palestine, during
which more than 50 international
delegations visited Israel and Palestine.
Dr. Walsh underscored the need for
increased coordination among experts
in international relations with experts in
interreligious relations. Professor Eliezer
Glaubach, a former elected member of
the City Council of Jerusalem, expressed
his gratitude as a citizen of Jerusalem for
this initiative which brought to Jerusalem
thousands of Ambassadors for Peace
even in times of international isolation.
Dr. Thomas Walsh, president of
UPF International, noted that the
conference marked the tenth
anniversary of the Middle East
Peace Initiative of UPF in Israel
and Palestine, during which more
than 50 international delegations
visited Israel and Palestine.
Executive Report
By Dr. Nurit Hirschfeld
Director, Jerusalem Forum for Interfaith and Cooperation among Religions
3. 3Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
The Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI)
supports peace efforts in the region through
open dialogues, religious pilgrimages and
peace tourism in Israel, Palestine and Jordan,
thus offering both moral and economic
support. Dr. Chang Shik Yang, Chairman of
Universal Peace Federation International,
who led numerous MEPI delegations,
expressed his deepest hope that UPF and
MEPI can make a significant contribution
to bring peace to the Holy Land: “I have the
greatest love and respect for all my Jewish,
Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters. I
want to see the day when we can live together
in peace, harmony and cooperation, like one
family; one family under God.”
The Middle East conflict
Mr. Aamir Javed Sheikh from Norway, a former member of the Oslo parliament, gave a
presentation about the political and diplomatic efforts that have been done to bring an end
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the past last two decades. Hon. Nadia Hilou, a former
member of the Israeli parliament, pointed out that even though 20 years have passed since
theOsloAccord,theprinciplesofthepeaceagreementsthatweresignedarestillthebasisfor
every negotiation, treaty and peace initiative that has taken place ever since. She noted that
Hon. Nadia Hilou, a former
member of the Israeli
parliament, pointed out
that even though 20 years
have passed since the Oslo
Accord, the principles of
the peace agreements that
were signed are still the
basis for every negotiation,
treaty and peace initiative
that has taken place ever
since.
4. 4 Middle East Peace Initiative
this agreement has been only
partially fulfilled, since many
unresolved issues remain.
Interestingly, the unfulfilled
aspects of the agreements
were not related to issues of
security and armed forces
but rather to aspects of soft
power domain: mistrust and
suspicion, lack of sympathy
and charged relations.
Dr. Willem Frederick van
Eekelen, a member of the
Netherlands Advisory Com-
mission on European Inte-
gration, expressed his con-
cern that the peace process is
off track and voiced his fear
that if something is not done
soon to bring about a peace
plan that both sides accept,
the worst might happen and
peace might be set back per-
manently.
Dr. Eldad J. Pardo from
the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem brought to the
discussion a broad viewpoint regarding key aspects that need to be considered when
addressing the conflict in the Middle East. He focused on four main points: 1) The
role of Iran in fomenting instability in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Iraq,
and the danger posed by its ballistic missiles and nuclear project; 2) the perceived
untrustworthiness of the US among her chief Middle Eastern allies; 3) the variety of
types among the political entities in the Middle East; and 4) the challenge of education
for peace in the region.
According to Dr. Pardo, the common denominator of the four areas is the religious
dimension, a sine qua non in Middle Eastern politics. As a revolutionary religious
country, Iran tries to force its hegemony over the largely Sunni Arab world unleashing
wars and conflicts continuously. The US tries to find a way to collaborate with political
Islam but fails to find the way to support the moderates. It did not support Iranian
Muslim reformers in 2009, but allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to take over Egypt.
Saudi Arabia, dismayed by the US abandonment of the pro-democracy groups in Egypt
and support for Iran and Hezbollah in their aggressive stance vis a vis against the Syrian
people, plays a problematic role in supporting Sunni militants.
According to Dr. Pardo, the
common denominator of the four
areas is the religious dimension,
a sine qua non in Middle Eastern
politics. As a revolutionary
religious country, Iran tries
to force its hegemony over
the largely Sunni Arab world
unleashing wars and conflicts
continuously.
5. 5Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
“The Middle East, being a
patchwork of ethnic and religious
groups must,” said Dr. Pardo,
“find its own polities – tribal,
confessional and national – but
should also respect both religion
and basic human rights. The chief
among them is the right to be
alive.”
Finally, Dr. Pardo pointed out that
education that perpetuates hostility
is unfortunately widespread across the Middle East, not surprisingly leading to atrocities
and bloodshed against helpless “others.” Such education and accompanying attitudes in
the school systems remain cardinal stumbling blocks on the road to peace.
Based on his analysis of the situation, Dr. Pardo also suggested that a solution be sought
on a regional basis, with much emphasis on the role of religion – mainly Islam, but also
with respect for and involvement of the entire region’s religions. A Shami – Levantine
– approach should be implemented, beginning with education for peace and love, and
with much emphasis on the shared religious values and cultural heritage of the Shami
peoples, confessions and ethnic
groups. Heavy-duty security
measures should accompany the
lengthy educational and religious
processes, which could guarantee a
solid change for the better.
A suggestion for support from
another angle was brought up by
Prof. QuanYi Zhang from Zhejiang
Wanli University International
Politics Department in the People’s
Republic of China. Prof. Zhang
suggested that China – as a country
of a non-Abrahamic faith – can be
a mediator and supporter in the
Middle East conflict, since it has
no burden from past connections
with the region.
The need for “Soft Power”
When talking about areas of conflict and war, issues such as armed forces and politics are
of great concern. Understanding the necessity for conventional discussions about hard
power while realizing that the hard-power approach by itself cannot bring conflicts to an
end, UPF is focusing on soft power approaches to peace.
rof. Zhang suggested that
China – as a country of a non-
Abrahamic faith – can be a
mediator and supporter in the
Middle East conflict, since
it has no burden from past
connections with the region.
6. 6 Middle East Peace Initiative
Prof. Rafig Y. Aliyev, Director
of IRSHAD Center of Islamic
Studies in Azerbaijan, dedicated
his presentation to the relationships
among a governance system
(power), civil society and religion.
He argued that the governance
system, civil society and religion
are one integrated organism and
should be treated and researched
as such, not separately as has been
done traditionally. One should
consider their relationship in terms
of interdependence and inter-
cooperation. “Power, society and
religion have never been truly
hostile to one another,” said Prof.
Aliyev, “On the contrary, their
deep, invisible but evident relations
existed over the centuries and
continue to exist.” Without organic
relations, the power structures,
which are founded on society, would
have collapsed. Society in turn gets
the energy and strength necessary
for its survival and maintenance
from the ethical principles of
religion.
According to Prof. Aliyev, the role
of religion is as important as the
role of the governance system and the civil society: “Without the inner self-control system
which is peculiar to religion, no society with any chosen form of government would have
endured and maintained a balance of power.”
Adifferent perspective and another aspect of soft power were added by Fr. Eliseo Mercado,
convener of the National Peace Council in the Philippines. His argument was based on
global warming and on the danger it poses to every human being around the world: “The
great meltdown of the glaciers threatens the survival of the planet. No ifs and no buts. We
are now all considered ‘endangered species’ threatened either by inundation or by hunger.
At stake is not individual lives or single or group of nations but the entire planet! It calls
for a new relationship – a new solidarity for all peoples across political and ideological
boundaries, across cultures and religions.” Fr. Mercado suggested uniting the populations
on the globe through activities and concerns for nature. Through working together and
focusing on a common goal, enmities are forgotten and friendships can arise.
According to Prof. Aliyev, the role
of religion is as important as the
role of the governance system
and the civil society: “Without
the inner self-control system
which is peculiar to religion, no
society with any chosen form of
government would have endured
and maintained a balance of
power.”
7. 7Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
The crisis in Syria
One session in the confer-
ence was dedicated to the
current crisis in Syria. UPF
convened an important con-
sultation on the crisis in
Syria in Amman, Jordan, in
October 2013, and produced
the UPF “Amman Interfaith
Statement” encouraging faith
leaders to raise their voices
in unison in calling for a
resolution of the crisis. The
speakers in this session built
on the work accomplished
in Jordan earlier this year
and offered their thoughts on
Geneva II and the way to re-
solve the crisis in Syria.
Most of the speakers pro-
posed paths to bring the cri-
sis to an end using the tools
of soft power. Prof Quan Yi
Zhang recommend setting
up three committees, being
composed of religious lead-
ers, political elites and state
officials, to handle conflicts
from the grassroots, bureau-
cratic and system levels. He
also suggested that UPF, as
a non-governmental organi-
zation promoting interfaith
understanding and coopera-
tion, can play a unique role
as a go-between in such an
initiative.
Dr. Leo Gabriel, president of
the Institute for Intercultural Research and Cooperation in Austria, said that a military
solution for the Syrian conflict is neither possible nor desirable. His initiative is to convene
aConferenceofCivilSocietyonSyriatobeheldoutsideSyria,inVienna.Theparticipantsof
such a conference would be leading figures and activists close to the civilian population and
not representatives of the hierarchies of political organizations. This implies that a variety
Most of the speakers proposed
paths to bring the crisis to an
end using the tools of soft
power. Prof Quan Yi Zhang
recommend setting up three
committees, being composed
of religious leaders, political
elites and state officials, to
handle conflicts from the
grassroots, bureaucratic and
system levels. He also suggested
that UPF, as a non-governmental
organization promoting interfaith
understanding and cooperation,
can play a unique role as a go-
between in such an initiative.
8. 8 Middle East Peace Initiative
of sectors be represented at the
conference,includingreligious
confessions, educational
and health-care institutions,
different ethnicities (e.g.,
Kurds), women, workers
and representatives from
businesses both large and
small from different parts of
the country.
Ms. Patricia Raynaud
Lalonde from the Institute
for Prospective and Security
Studies in Europe, based
in France, talked about the
Syrian crisis, which has sent 1,000,000 refugees to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, and
killed so many innocent people including women and children. As a participant in the
UPF Amman conference, she reported about its recommendation to organize a Track 2
conference in Geneva in parallel with Geneva II to give voice to representatives of the
Syrian civil society, women and religious leaders.
Dr. Mordechai Kedar from the Department of Arabic Literature in Bar Ilan University,
Israel, claimed that in order to solve the crisis in Syria the root problem should be solved:
“Much of the Middle East is made up of artificially constructed nation states. In many
nations, such as Syria, there are multiple tribal and ethnic groups that would prefer to live
independently rather than as one country under one regime.” This pattern is not unique
to the Middle East and one can observe it in other places around the world such as in the
former Yugoslavia, separatist factions in Spain, Canada, the UK, Sudan, etc.” According
to Dr. Kedar, peace requires allowing various ethnic and religious groups to form their
own nation states, perhaps along the lines of the United Arab Emirates or the Yugoslavia
model. The illegitimate borders were drawn by colonial powers, and he suggested that
they should to be erased and replaced
by new borders that will honor the
culture of the local ethnic, tribal,
religious and sectarian groups.
Rev. Dr. William A. McComish from
Switzerland, president of the Geneva
Spiritual Appeal, noted a similarity
between the Vietnam War and the
war in Syria. The Vietnam War was
a war between the capitalist world
and communist world, while the war
in Syria is a surrogate war between
Shia and Sunni Islam. Dr. McComish
“Much of the Middle East is made
up of artificially constructed
nation states. In many nations,
such as Syria, there are multiple
tribal and ethnic groups
that would prefer to live
independently rather than as
one country under one regime.”
9. 9Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
expressed his opinion about the importance of having a “track II” conference in Geneva
in parallel to Geneva II. One its important aims would be the introduction of religious and
spiritual discussions into what is going to be yet another political debate, a very masculine
political debate. In his view, the “track II” conferences in Geneva should be a religious and
spiritual conference that brings in other people, including women and religious people,
who will not be part of the discussions between the big powers at Geneva.
The soft power of interfaith
On Mt. Scopus, with its vistas of mosques, churches and the holy Jewish places in the old
city of Jerusalem, there was no more appropriate place than this for interfaith discussions
and exploring the potential for interreligious cooperation. While the roots of the conflict in
the land of Israel and Palestine are complex and labyrinthine, one can only wonder what
might be possible if relations among Jews, Christians and Muslims were vastly improved.
Participants offered their wisdom on the relevance of interfaith cooperation for peace in
Israel and Palestine.
Religion is an immanent part of the conflict; therefore, it is an immanent
part of the solution.
Mr. George E. Stephan, the regional internal auditor of the Middle East Council of Churches
Department of Services to Palestinian Refugees, based his appeal for peace on Christian
values: “From a small grotto in Bethlehem a message of love, hope, justice and peace was
spread all over the world. For us Christians, the Infant baby is the Prince of Peace and His
message is one of reaching out with love, compassion, understanding and forgiveness.
Indeed the need for a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a big challenge. And
yet it the responsibility of each and every one of us to make peace through acknowledging
the other and through seeing his story, his fear and his hope.… Despite injustices, we carry
the message of Jesus Christ in our hearts, to overcome voices of hatred and despair. Despite
the hardships we are facing, we have the obligation to look into the future with hope and
with open eyes.”
Dr. McComish from
Switzerland reported
about the Geneva Spiri-
tual Appeal. The docu-
ment included a refusal
to invoke a religious or
spiritual power to justify
violence, discrimination
and exclusion, and a re-
fusal to exploit or domi-
nate others by means
of strength, intellectual
capacity or spiritual per-
suasion, wealth or social
10. 10 Middle East Peace Initiative
status. It was signed in Geneva on United Nations Day in 1999 by religious leaders of many
religions and people from civil society. This text, according to Dr. McComish, has become
more important as years go on.
Rabbi Michael Melchior, a former Minister for Social Affairs and Diaspora in the Israeli
government, talked about his involvement in the January 2002 conference in Alexandria,
Egypt where, in the midst of the second Intifada, Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious
leaders gathered in a common interreligious effort for peace. They signed a declaration in
which they called for putting an end to any kind of incitement and bloodshed in the name
of religion.
Rabbi Melchior noted that traditional diplomacy, despite the good will of many from around
the world, has failed to bring peace to the Middle East. The basic agreement has been on
the table for a long time, and the will exists from both sides to reach a peaceful solution.
“Why then,” he asked, “are we not getting there? We must ask ourselves what went wrong
in all the previous attempts.” According to Melchior the concept has been wrong, since the
efforts were made to attain a secular peace. All attempts excluded the religious element in
hope they would disappear. But they didn’t disappear and toppled down all peace efforts. He
called for a religious peace and believes it would be successful because it is inclusive and
not exclusive. It stems from the belief in one God and is built upon values and justice, and
not upon interests. “Religious peace can support the political peace,” he said.
Rabbi Melchior concluded
his speech with an opti-
mistic statement of belief
that we are at a significant
turning point. There are
Israelis and Palestinians,
Jews, Muslims and Chris-
tians who are ready to
meet at the table to work
towards a solution. Meet-
ings such as this confer-
ence are important in that
regard.
Rev. Chang Shik Yang,
Chairman of the Univer-
sal Peace Federation In-
ternational, talked about
the vision of UPF founder,
Father Sun Myung Moon, who believed sincerely that the fate of the world was directly
related to the unity of the Abrahamic religions. If religious division persists, then conflicts
will prevail not only on the level of religious doctrines but also on the political and military
levels. In other words, peace cannot be achieved on the political level until peace is achieved
on the spiritual level. Thus, he believed that interfaith dialogue is absolutely needed as one
of the major tools to create a stable and substantial foundation for peace.
11. 11Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
It is not enough to teach the words of the holy scriptures; we must live
according to them.
Mr. Emmanuel Chouraqui, a filmmaker from Beamlight in France, is a son of André
Chouraqui, who translated the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Qur’an into
FrenchandwasoneofthefirstactivistsinJerusaleminthefieldofinterfaithunderstanding.
Inspired by his father’s legacy, Mr. Chouraqui shared his understanding that the holy
scriptures ultimately convey one
and the same message, which
is, that humankind is one family
whose members, created in the
image of the Creator, should
respect one another, love their
neighbors as themselves, and
forsake wars and violence of all
kinds.
Sheik Shafayat Mohamed,
principal of the Darul Uloom
Islamic Institute in the US, called
upon all religious people to apply
their holy scriptures. “If we live
according to our holy scriptures
peace would be easily achieved,”
he claimed. “Jews and Muslims
are brothers: offspring of Ishmael
and Issac. They are family members. They should naturally love and respect one another,”
he said and referred to Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s vision of “one family under God.” Dr.
Rouchdy Saleh Hassan from Egypt said that he is applying this attitude in his life. He
stressed the need for unity among the Abrahamic religions and indicated that when asked
about his own religious preference, he is often inclined to respond: “Abrahamic.”
Dr. Michael W. Jenkins, a member of the UPF’s MEPI Steering Committee, explored
in depth the call to live according to the holy scriptures: scriptures teach that we should
respect and love the other; external efforts are not effective if our hearts don’t resonate
with this value. “If I, as a Christian, go to a mosque and hug a sheikh and go to a synagogue
and hug a rabbi, but come home and tell my wife that actually I don’t really like this
sheikh and the rabbi was not as polite to me as I expected him to be, then my external
efforts would not bear meaningful fruits.”
Religions and religious leaders should challenge themselves.
Rabbi Reuven Khaskin, an educator and tour guide from Israel, mentioned that religion
is often used as the main driving force of hatred, animosity and conflict. If so, “How can
we, religious leaders, bring that change, and bridge the gap of animosity and mutual dis-
trust?” he asked. His answer was that while religious leaders represent different faiths and
religious traditions, all share a common understanding that humankind was created in the
12. 12 Middle East Peace Initiative
image of God. Rabbi Khaskin quoted the former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Con-
gregations of the British Commonwealth Lord Jonathan Sacks: “Can I recognize God’s
image in someone who is not in my image, whose language, faith, ideals, are different from
mine? If I cannot, then
I have made God in
my image instead of
allowing him to re-
make me in his.”
Rabbi Khaskin con-
cluded his words with
a commentary on the
appearance of God
to Moses in the burn-
ing bush. “God could
have appeared to Mo-
ses in the shape of a
broad, tall tree. In-
stead God appeared
to him in the shape
of a tiny bush. Why
is that so?” he asked.
The answer he gave was that God wants to teach us humility. God is present when we are
humble enough to see him. If we are humble enough to accept the other and learn to know
the other, then we meet God face to face.
Rev. Hjortur Magni Johannsson, head minister of the Free Lutheran Church in Iceland,
commented on his disappointment with fundamentalism and religious extremism. He sees
religious triumphalism, be it Jewish, Christian or Islamic, as an expression of insecurity.
Pure religion should be about peaceful communication in love and respect. Religion should
be about communicating with the “other” (as the philosopher Martin Buber defined the
term), those who are on the other side of the wall.
In light of the challenges of fundamentalism and fanaticism, Rev. Johannsson suggested
the need for new paradigms; new ways of understanding and living out our particularities
in the midst of pluralism: “We need to be inclusive not exclusive, tolerant not judgmental,
preferring compassion, and mercy rather than strict righteousness legalism or harsh
punishment.All of this is summed up by Father Moon´s high and beautiful ideal of: ‘Living
for the sake of others.’”
Rev. Johannsson challenged religious conceptions and institutions: “Perhaps this ideal will
be reached by going beyond religion,” and supported this thought with words of Father
Moon: “Nothing exists for its own sake. Religion, too, does not exist for its own sake but
for the sake of love and peace. Once world peace is accomplished, there will be no further
need for religion. The ultimate purpose of religion is to bring about the reality of a human
community filled with love and peace.”
13. 13Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
He appealed to people to come to the place where they see their faith not only as a part of
our security system in life but go further and connect their faith with what it means to be
human. When religion is being misused we need to seek God beyond the peculiarities and
divisions of religion. Only there will our gaze turn toward the mystery of God, the mystery
of life, the mystery of love and the mystery of being, of being human.
Leadershipand vision
Several significant issues were discussed in the two and a half days of deliberations. The
first issue, leadership, was brought up in the opening session by Hon. Ran Cohen, a former
minister of the Israeli government. “What makes a good leader?” Hon. Cohen asked, and then
replied: “The one who uplifts his people and opens for them new and better horizons.” He
cited as an example the late Nelson Mandela and lamented the lack of visionary leadership
in the Middle East at this time period: “The conflict in our region is so complicated that
good and visionary leaders are absolutely needed in order to bring it to a good conclusion,”
he said.
Hon. Bob McEwen, a former member of the US House of Representatives, responded to the
question of effective leadership. He argued that an effective leadership is based on vision and
ideas, and that every constructed object, such as a building, is an expression of a vision and
a blueprint. Effective leadership must have a spiritual dimension that provides direction and
guidance. Leadership that lacks vision and internal clarity will not be effective in achieving
objectives.
The need for vision and un-
derstanding was strongly
emphasized by Dr. Young
Tack Yang, the regional
chair of UPF-Middle East,
who mentioned also the
famous “I have a dream”
speech by Dr. Martin Lu-
ther King, Jr., longing for
the day when nobody is a
slave anymore and every-
one would be treated equal-
ly regardless of their skin
color.
“Am I wrong to have a
dream that Israelis and
Palestinians become one
family in the Middle East, or that Judaism, Christianity and Islam become one?” asked Dr.
Yang. Indeed we have different ideas and opinions, and yet if we can have a dream and
ideal, such as peace and happiness for all human beings, then to make this dream a reality
we would have no choice but to invest in and deepen our understanding of the other. In this
way this common dream would bring us closer.
14. 14 Middle East Peace Initiative
Education for Peace
Fr. Joseph Saghbini, the auxiliary patriarchal vicar in the Greek-Melkite Catholic
Patriarchate of Jerusalem, emphasized the misuse of religious values and talked painfully
about children being educated to hate and become human bombs or gun carriers. Prof.
Quan Yi Zhang related to the media ethics as an issue to be considered, since the media
is often being used to fuel hatred and encourage feelings of resentment and the thirst for
revenge. Regarding the crucial role of education for hate in the Middle East conflict, Dr.
Eldad Pardo suggested that education for peace should be a part of any peace initiative.
Dr. Nodar Sarjveladze, chair of the Foundation for the Development of Human Resources
in Georgia, raised a question regarding the rarity of cooperation between NGOs,
religious leaders and interfaith associations in preventing and resolving conflicts. In his
understanding, such cooperation is highly needed. He sees the roots of the problem in the
insufficient coverage of the topic “peace and world religions” in the educational programs
and curricula in the majority of countries. “It is strange that many societies place high
value on peace and religion and yet the connection between peacebuilding and religion is
rarely addressed in school systems.”
He suggested that students should be taught about the contribution to peacebuilding of
religious values and traditions and that educational programs should include materials
on religious narratives about peace and war, about the cultivation of the soul, including
peace in our souls, peace in our families, peace in social groups, and peace in international
relationships. “Having absorbed this information during their school years, young people
will become more sensitive to religious aspects of conflict resolution, and will become
more open to cooperation with religious representatives.”
Dr. Sarjveladze suggested that an educational program about “peace and world religion”
should be developed by UPF and its experts, submitted to the UN, and from the UN be
distributed to nations around the world.
15. 15Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
UPF Interfaith Declaration
on Peace in Syria
Jerusalem December 19-22, 2013
Gathered in Jerusalem on December 19-22, 2013 for the Interfaith Consultation on
“Interreligious and International Relations in the Middle East: Toward Peace and Stability”
sponsored by the Universal Peace Federation, we, the participants, being persons from
a wide range of religious and spiritual backgrounds, professional fields, and from many
nations – Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Iceland,
Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Palestine, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Switzerland,
Taiwan, USA – committed to peace and human development for all, and,
Acknowledging that the conflict in Syria has escalated at an alarming rate, leaving more
than 123,000 people dead, and more than 2 million refugees and nearly 4 million internally
displaced persons, spawning a human disaster of enormous magnitude, and
Recognizing that on August 21, 2013, approximately 1400 men, women and children
were killed as a result of chemical weapons, and,
Realizing that the world’s leading powers, including the permanent member states of the
UN Security Council, find themselves at a critical juncture, that may lead to either a
dramatic breakthrough in international cooperation, or to widespread and growing threats to
human security, and,
Applauding the efforts made by King Abdullah II of Jordan with the Amman Message,
Common Word, and the World Interfaith Harmony Week; Pope Francis calling for
prayer, fasting and an end to the violence in Syria; as well as other worthy and outstanding
initiatives, such as are being carried out by the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz’ International
Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Religions for Peace, the UNESCO’s
Culture of Peace initiative, the UN’s Alliance of Civilizations, and other initiatives,
We therefore,
Support the United Nations and multilateral efforts to resolve the crisis through peaceful
means.
Call upon the United Nations and the major powers to recognize the importance
of religious voices and religious leaders as allies in the effort to work out a peaceful
resolution of the conflict.
16. 16 Middle East Peace Initiative
Call upon leaders of the world’s great faith traditions, especially Muslims, Jews, and
Christians, and their respective leaders to come together in the search for a solution that
brings an end to the bloodshed in Syria.
Call upon the various denominations and sects within particular religions to work to
overcome barriers and intra-religious divisions and disputes that stand in the way of cooperative
action for peace in Syria, the region and the world.
Call upon political leaders and civil society leaders, along with religious leaders and
believers from all the faith traditions, to come together in support of peace in Syria, offering
humanitarian assistance as well as a wider range of “soft power” initiatives that may open a
way for a sustainable peace, including but not limited to:
Peace education programs
Education for refugee children
Educational programs that promote interfaith understanding
Empowerment of women through education and respect for the rights of women
Interreligious relief efforts
Promotion of a culture of peace
Fundraising for relief efforts to help the refugees
Call up the government of Syria and the opposition forces to not only cooperate fully in
the dismantling of chemical weapons, but to also bring a speedy end to the violence, by initiating
an immediate cease-fire; to negotiate the release of hostages; and to come to an agreement
to hold elections no later than May of 2014, with a commitment to abide by the results that
are assured of legitimacy by objective international observers under supervision of the United
Nations and major stakeholders.
Call upon UPF, as well as other NGOs and faith-based organizations, to convene –
as a supplemental “Track II” consultative/advisory body that can support and augment the
governmental deliberations and outcomes – an international interfaith, academic, civil society
conference at the time of the Geneva II deliberations expected to be held this November.
We emphasize the point that, whereas governments naturally have their realm of responsibility
in the area of peace and security, the religions should not be excluded from deliberations, neither
by governments nor by their own hesitancy or resistance to interfaith cooperation. In addition,
the religions must stand firmly against all forms of radical and violent extremism, while at the
same time upholding their spiritual traditions, virtues, and good practices.
In conclusion, we also encourage UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the General
Assembly, and the Security Council to work with greater urgency to establish, with the support
of the major faith traditions, a specialized interfaith agency, commission or council within the
United Nations system made up of spiritual elders, leaders and clerics from a wide range of
religious traditions.
17. 17Executive Report: Toward Peace and Stability
Universal Peace Federation – Middle East Peace Initiative
List of Participants
Dr. Julian Deuel Droogan, Director, Macquarie
University International Security Studies Program,
Australia
Dr. Leo Gabriel, President, Institute for Intercultural
Research and Cooperation, Austria
Prof. Rafig Y. Aliyev, Director, IRSHAD Center of
Islamic Studies, Azerbaijan
Hon. Anne-Marie Vanderspeeten Lizin, Honorary
Speaker, Senate of the Kingdom of Belgium
Mr. Michael Leonard McIntyre, President, Capital
Region Interfaith Council, Canada
Prof. Dr. Rouchdy S. Saleh Hassan, Professor of
Natural Resources, Tanta University, Egypt
Mr. Emmanuel Chouraqui, Filmmaker, Beamlight,
France
Mr. Emmanuel Dupuy, President, Institute for
Prospective and Security Studies in Europe, France
Ms. Patricia Raynaud Lalonde, Research Fellow,
Institute for Prospective and Security Studies in
Europe, France
Dr. Nodar Sarjveladze, Chair, Foundation for the
Development of Human Resources, Georgia
Rev. Hjörtur Magni Johannsson, Head Minister, Free
Lutheran Church, Iceland
Rt. Rev. Bishop Riah Hanna Abo El-Assal, Bishop,
Anglican Church, Israel
Dr. Shuki Ben Ami, Writer and Journalist, Israel
Mr. Hod Ben Zvi, President, UPF-Israel
Sheikh Ali Naim Birani, President, Jerusalem Forum
for Interfaith and Cooperation among Religions,
Israel
Hon. Ran Cohen, Former Member of the Israeli
Knesset
Dr. Shelley R. Elkayam Sandor, Educational
Counselor, Ministry of Education Psychological and
Counseling Services, Jerusalem, Israel
Prof. Eliezer Glaubach-Gal, President, UPF-Israel
Jerusalem Forum for Peace and Security, Israel
Mrs. Rachel Glaubach, Secretary, Na’Amat
Movement of Working Women and Volunteers, Israel
Mr. Akram Hilou, Social and Political Activist, Israel
Hon. Nadia Hilou, Former Member of the Israeli
Knesset
Dr. Nurit Hirschfeld, Director, Jerusalem Forum for
Interfaith and Cooperation among Religions, Israel
Ms. Miri Kamar, Secretary General, UPF-Israel
Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Department of Arabic
Literature, Bar Ilan University, Israel
Ms. Ryna Kedar, Librarian, Israel
Rabbi Reuven Khaskin, Educator and Tour Guide,
Israel
Mrs. Magi Koren, Director, Ministry of Education
Adult Education Division, Israel
H.E. Dr. Haim Koren, Ambassador, Embassy of the
State of Israel to Egypt
Rabbi Yaakov Luft, Jewish Philosophy Lecturer,
Israel
Rabbi Michael Melchior, Former Minister for Social
Affairs and Diaspora, Israel
Mr. Josef Nesher, Head of the Middle East Desk, The
Voice of Israel-Arabic Services, Israel
Dr. Eldad Joseph Pardo, Lecturer and Research
Fellow, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Mrs. Adi Sasaki, Director, UPF-Israel’s Jerusalem
Office for Peace and Security, Israel
18. 18 Middle East Peace Initiative
Mr. Ran Segev, Middle East Expert, Ministry of
Strategic Affairs, Israel
Mr. Katsuhiro Harabuchi, Television Director, Japan
Mdm. Noriko Hashimoto, Managing Director,
Hashimoto Corporation SBD BHD, Japan
Ven. Michiake Kamioka, Chief Priest, Mishimi Shrine,
Japan
Dr. Tsutomu Mizota, Former Deputy Director,
UNICEF Office in Japan, and Professor Emeritus,
Nagasaki University, Japan
Mr. Hiroyuki Mochizuki, President, Wen Product, Ltd.,
Japan
Mr. Kimitoshi Tanaka, Researcher, Institute for Peace
Policies, Japan
Dr. Chang Shik Yang, Chairman, Universal Peace
Federation International, Korea
Rabbi Joseph Abittan, Director, Monotheistic Religions
Council for the South of France, Monaco
Dr. Willem Frederick van Eekelen, Member,
Netherlands Advisory Commission on European
Integration, Netherlands
Mr. Mohammad Bashir, Advisor, Dialogue for Peace,
Norway
Mr. Aamir Javed Sheikh, President, Dialogue for Peace
Foundation, Norway
Mr. Steinar Murud, Secretary General, UPF-Norway
Fr. Joseph Saghbini, Auxiliary Patriarchal Vicar,
Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarchate, Palestine
George E. Stephan, Regional Internal Auditor, Middle
East Council of Churches Department of Services to
Palestinian Refugees
Prof. Quan Yi Zhang, Assistant Professor of Political
Science, Zhejiang Wanli University International
Politics Department, People’s Republic of China
Fr. Eliseo Mercado, Jr., OMI, Convener, National
Peace Council, Philippines
Mr. Heiner Handschin, President, UPF-Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Adrian Holderegger, Dean Emeritus,
University of Fribourg Department of Moral Theology
and Ethics, Switzerland
Rev. Dr. William A. McComish, President, Geneva
Spiritual Appeal, Switzerland
Mr. Hafid Ouardiri, President, Fondation pour l’Entre-
connaissance-Genève, Switzerland
Dr. Deng-Ker Lee, Professor of Diplomacy, National
Chengchi University College of International Affairs,
Taiwan
Dr. Young Tack Yang, Regional Chair, UPF-Middle
East, Turkey
Dr. Taras Bohdanovych Dzubanskyy, Director,
Libertas Center for Interconfessional and Interreligious
Dialogue, Ukraine
Rev. Dr. Ihor Shaban, Head, Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Church International Department, Ukraine
Mr. Taj Hamad, Secretary General, UPF International,
USA
Dr. Michael W. Jenkins, Chairman, MCNY Group,
USA
Ms. Eliya Kranz, Executive Director, Silver Spring
Jewish Center, USA
Dr. Alexandre Y. Mansourov, President, Great Falls
Solutions International LLC, USA
Mr. Thomas McDevitt, Chairman, The Washington
Times LLC, USA
Hon. Bob McEwen, Former Member, US House of
Representative
Mrs. Elizabeth B. McEwen, Wife of Hon. Bob
McEwen, USA
Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed, Principal, Darul Uloom
Islamic Institute, USA
Mr. Joseph Montville, Director, George Mason
University Program on Healing Historic Memory, USA
Mr. Ishraff Wayne Shah, Senior Vice President, Wells
Fargo Bank, USA
Dr. Thomas Walsh, President, UPF International, USA
19. Universal Peace
Federation
The Universal Peace Federation is a global
network of individuals and organizations
committed to dialogue, education and
service. UPF programs engage leaders
representing a wide range of fields and areas
of interest, including government, civil
society, religion, academia, the media, the
arts, sports and the private sector.
Since its inaugural assembly in 2005 the
UPF has seen remarkable growth and
progress. UPF’s Ambassadors for Peace are
engaged worldwide in a determined effort
to bring civil society solutions to critical
global problems.
The Universal Peace Federation affirms a
model of leadership and good governance
guided by the principle of “living for the
sake of others”; a model that balances in
a mature way, both spiritual and secular
perspectives, and one that functions
collaboratively with representatives of inter-
governmental organizations, faith-based
organizations, the private sector and civil
society.
Founded:
By Rev. and Mrs. Sun
Myung Moon on
September 12, 2005
in New York City
Motto:
“True Love is the
Ideal and the
Guiding Principle of
the Universal Peace
Federation”
Status:
ECOSOC
(UPF is an NGO in
Special Consultative
Status with the
Economic and
Social Council of the
United Nations
We support and
promote the work of
the United Nations
and the achievement
of the Millennium
Development Goals)
Network:
Ambassadors for
Peace in 154 nations