UPFI Connections

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World Summit 2025 will be held in Seoul from April 10-14, bringing together over 500 leaders from 110 countries under the theme “Contemporary Challenges to World Order: Establishing a New Era of Peace and Prosperity.” I look forward to welcoming many eminent political and religious leaders, as well as experts and scholars, to South Korea. In addition to facilitating valuable exchanges of ideas and networking opportunities, I hope this gathering will motivate leaders to unite in a shared commitment to action that will help resolve conflicts and ease tensions in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

I also hope and expect that participating in the entrance ceremony to the Cheon Won Peace Palace will be an inspiring and memorable experience for all Summit participants. In the future, we anticipate that this Peace Palace will serve as a venue for critical meetings and deliberations that will significantly impact our world.

Another highlight of the Summit will be the 6th Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony. This prize is given to outstanding individuals who devote their lives in service to others, seeking to improve the well-being and prosperity of humanity, often working for the least privileged among us. The founders of the Sunhak Peace Prize seek to recognize such people, viewing them as the true heroes of our time.

In these pages we honor the Sunhak Peace Prize 2025 laureates: Wanjira Mathai, who has spearheaded the planting of millions of trees across Africa; Hugh Evans, who has connected millions of people in a network committed to helping others; and Patrick Awuah, who is raising up a new generation of African leaders of high integrity as well as strong expertise.

We also honor the Founders’ Prize laureates: former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, who greatly benefited his people while in office, and continues to promote democracy, peace and good governance across Africa; and Dr. Samuel Radebe, who serves as spiritual leader to countless followers in Africa, guiding them to fulfill their own spiritual and material potential.

Each of these laureates embodies the values that UPF promotes, in living for the sake of others.

Also in this issue we touch upon a critical problem that concerns us all, the deterioration of our natural environment. We feature several projects, large and small, undertaken by UPF’s founders, friends and ambassadors for peace, to address this situation. We also highlight our inextricable connection to nature itself, how our physical, spiritual, emotional and psychological well-being are impacted by the health and beauty – or lack thereof – of our natural environment.

There is a great deal of work to be done in pursuing the ideal of a peaceful, prosperous, healthy and beautiful world for all humanity. Through the World Summit and other UPF activities around the world, let us commit to bringing real progress toward that noble goal.

Dr. Charles S. Yang
International Chairman
Universal Peace Federation

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As we enter 2025, we find ourselves caught up in ongoing wars, unable to bridge the gap between the peace we dream of and the reality we face. Yet in the midst of conflict and struggle, efforts to build lasting peace through cooperation offer a vision of hope. In this issue we explore the perspectives and projects of leaders in the Asia-Pacific region who are engaged in the pursuit of peace.

One such initiative is the Universal Peace Charter, adopted by global representatives in the Kingdom of Cambodia last November. We congratulate former Prime Minister and current Senate President HE Hun Sen and current Prime Minister HE Hun Manet for this significant contribution to global peace.

UPF participated in a number of consultations on the development of the Peace Charter, and is among its first signatories representing civil society. Today’s challenges – from climate change and pandemics to economic inequality and conflict resolution – demand a unique approach to peacebuilding that includes cooperation between state and non-state actors. UPF has been a leader in facilitating this type of cooperation, which has proven invaluable in achieving peace and reconciliation. We look forward to further engagement with all the signatories of the Universal Peace Charter.

This year, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and its commitment to ending war and conflict. It is also the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation and it’s division into North and South. This anniversary offers an opportunity and a challenge to resolve this painful remnant of global war.

The founders of UPF, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, were both born in North Korea, yet could not return to their homeland for more than 40 years. Since their breakthrough visit to the North in 1991, they have pursued political, cultural and economic projects to encourage engagement between North and South. Some of these efforts are highlighted in this issue. They demonstrate how religious leaders and faith-based organizations can be integral participants in the peace process. Their moral authority and grassroots networks make them invaluable partners in fostering reconciliation, particularly when political engagement falters.

The conflict surrounding the Korean Peninsula is a multidimensional issue, intricately entangled with the interests of surrounding powers. The first step toward peace is mutual understanding. We must listen to and respect North Korea’s security apprehensions, China’s desire to maintain regional influence, the United States’ commitment to protect its allies, Japan’s economic interests, and South Korea’s yearning for peaceful reunification. All these factors must be carefully balanced.

The path forward requires us to combine our spiritual wisdom with practical capabilities, moral values with technological advancement, and individual initiatives with collective efforts. Let us unite in this noble cause to build a world where interdependence, mutual prosperity, and universally shared values are not just ideals but living realities for all members of our human family.

Dr. Charles S. Yang
International Chairman
Universal Peace Federation

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The UN General Assembly has taken a bold step forward with the adoption of the Pact for the Future on September 22, during the Summit of the Future in New York. The Pact addresses critical issues including economic inequality, the digital divide, and the impacts of climate change. However, it minimizes or ignores other key issues that must be faced if the world’s people are to live together and cooperate amicably toward a shared future.
One of these is the importance of the family. As the articles in this issue highlight, the family is where an individual’s outlook, attitude and behavior are shaped. Good governance must include protection and support for families to ensure stable societies and peaceable nations. Another is the recognition that religious beliefs are a central element in the lives of people and communities around the world, contributing to social cohesion and harmony.

The founders of UPF, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, have advocated that the United Nations institute a Religious Council comprised of religious leaders from every member state, to function alongside the General Assembly. Their reasoning is that such leaders would bring a crucial spiritual perspective to discussions of worldly affairs, as well as a genuinely altruistic desire to benefit all humanity. Another concept our founders have proposed addresses the matter of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. They have suggested that a Peace Park be built in the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea, and that an office of the UN Secretariat be opened on the Korean Peninsula. Currently, the UN Secretariat has offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. The Asia-Pacific region is home to over 50 UN member states and a population of 4.5 billion, more than half the world’s population.

The establishment of this 5th UN Office would send a powerful message, transforming a symbol of division into one of peace. It would guarantee the peace between North and South Korea, and also strengthen the UN’s role in conflict mediation within the broader region. This concept has become increasingly relevant as tensions have built in this region in recent years. This idea is also discussed in this issue. We applaud the ongoing efforts at the United Nations to shape a bright future; at the same time, we hope that the organization can expand its scope to consider a more holistic view of humanity, as one family under God.

Dr. Charles S. Yang
International Chairman
Universal Peace Federation

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I am pleased to launch this first edition of “Connections” magazine, through which ambassadors for peace, UPF representatives, associates and friends can share their experiences and voice their views on current issues. At the same time, we will highlight key UPF activities that are impacting communities around the world.

As the world is torn by two major conflicts – between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Gaza – we have chosen to focus on one of them in this inaugural issue. The Middle East is an area in which our founders, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, have invested many physical and spiritual resources over many years, in efforts to prevent the kind of conflict we see today.

I was personally involved in this area for many years, and had an opportunity to see first-hand how deep the animosity runs between many Israeli and Palestinian people. On the other hand, I also saw the basis for hope as people from both sides came together to express their desire for peace.

In 2003, following the terror attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, Rev. Moon launched the Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI). He asked that Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders go to Jerusalem, a holy city to all three faiths, and pray for peace and reconciliation. In response, more than 35,000 leaders flocked to Jerusalem from all over the world. I had the privilege of leading many of those delegations. This movement is detailed in this issue.

Also in this issue, Jewish, Muslim and Christian writers share their perspectives on the current situation, and the way forward. What they have in common is their determination to seek a peaceful solution to historical conflicts.

Interfaith harmony is a key area of UPF’s work. We understand that the world’s religions are inspired by our one Creator, and that each one strives to lead humanity toward goodness. Just as we can take different hiking trails up a mountain and meet at the peak, all faiths guide us toward the ultimate goal of a peaceful, ideal world.

Thank you for sharing that journey with us.

Dr. Charles S. Yang
International Chairman
Universal Peace Federation