The sixth session of the UPF-IAPD Hungary interfaith event series entitled "From Soul to Soul", was held on June 14, 2026, at the Peace Embassy in Budapest.
The motivation behind our interfaith work to foster interreligious cooperation, without which lasting peace cannot be achieved. Forgiveness is a key component in building a peaceful world, and was the theme of this meeting.
The program began with a brief introduction tof UPF and IAPD by Erzsébet Sturmné Tomka, the president of the organization in Hungary, followed by excerpts from the World Scriptures read by Katsuyo Bendzsa . The keynote lecture on the biblical background of forgiveness was delivered by Fülöp Kocsis, Greek Catholic Archbishop-Metropolitan.
Then followed remarks from various speakers, including: Béla Balogh (Ambassador for Peace, founder of the „Dream Valley” Meditation Center), Ildikó Olga Békés (Ambassador for Peace), Gábor Albert-Tóth (President of FFWPU Hungary), Angelica Szombati-Gille (Ambassador for Peace, theologian), Yuri Tokoshige (UPA missionary), and Beverly Telford (Mormon missionary). These short speeches were incredibly valuable, and each contributed to a full picture of the spiritual, personal, and societal importance of forgiveness.
The meeting concluded with a "Water Ceremony for Peace," the meaning of which was explained by Judit Tamáskáné Bezensek (Leader of the Unification Community in Budapest).
Over refreshments, the participants continued their conversation about faith and forgiveness, making true "soul-to-soul" communication possible.