São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe—A group representing UPF-Portugal took part in a summit of political and religious representatives from 27 African countries.
The Africa Summit, organized by UPF from September 3 to 7, 2019, focused on the theme “Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity and Universal Values” and was attended by President Evaristo Carvalho, Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus, all 55 members of the National Assembly, including the president, 15 government ministers, and current and former representatives of heads of state. Fourteen media outlets provided live coverage of the summit and family festival featuring a World Peace Blessing.
Aware of the common history between Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe, Dr. Ilda Maria Araújo Novo, a deputy of the Assembly, represented the Portuguese government. Invited by UPF after an introduction from Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an affiliated organization, she gladly accepted the invitation.
There she had the opportunity to meet politicians and religious leaders from Lusophone countries, namely Angola, Cabo Verde and Mozambique, and to share with them the desire to work together to implement UPF values in such nations.
Her efforts as a politician and as a teacher were recognized through her appointment as an Ambassador for Peace.
As a teacher, she was also deeply impressed by the teaching of character education in São Tomé schools during the last two months by another UPF-affiliated organization, Youth and Students for Peace (YSP).
This summit was the result of two months of hard work offered by many volunteers from several countries, including Japan and Brazil. From Korea, one week before the event, a team of volunteer doctors arrived at São Tomé together with medicine and several medical supplies. These were a token of UPF co-founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s heart.
As a result of so much investment, the overall program was a huge success. Moments like the Family Festival and the Youth Festival clearly showed the importance of investing all our efforts in the family and the youth.
This summit was also an opportunity for UPF-Portugal to deepen our relationship with the Tocoist church. Meeting His Holiness Bishop Afonso Nunes gave us the chance to ask him to officially invite Mother Moon to Angola, where she would be received not only by their church but also by Angola’s government.
The founders' vision brought together people from different nationalities, religions and ways of life, and made us all feel like a family working together for an everlasting world of peace. The commitments made in São Tomé will continue to bring success in building an Africa of interdependence, mutual prosperity and universal values.
The Africa Summit, organized by UPF from September 3 to 7, 2019, was attended by President Evaristo Carvalho, Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus, all 55 members of the National Assembly, including the president, 15 government ministers, and current and former representatives of heads of state. Fourteen media outlets provided live coverage of the summit and family festival featuring a World Peace Blessing.