Mid-Year Reflection 2025 International Year of Peace and Trust: Advancing Efforts to Build Bridges

Statement of the Universal Peace Federation

1 July 2025

As we reach the midpoint of the United Nations-designated International Year of Peace and Trust, the Universal Peace Federation reflects on the progress made and the path that lies ahead. We warmly welcomed the UN General Assembly’s declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, recognizing its critical importance at a time of global fragmentation and rising uncertainty. This observance reaffirms a profound truth: peace and trust are not lofty ideals—they are essential pillars for building a sustainable and secure future.

Across regions marked by conflict and cooperation alike, a common lesson emerges: trust is more vital than ever. The world seeks not just peace treaties, but enduring, sincere relationships among nations, communities, and individuals. This year’s theme is not merely aspirational; it reflects a pressing global necessity confirmed by lived realities.

As an international NGO in general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, UPF actively promotes a culture of peace rooted in interdependence, mutual prosperity, and shared universal values. Trust is the moral foundation of reconciliation, cooperation, and sustainable development. It is the cornerstone of peaceful international relations and the vital bond within the human family. We uphold the conviction that all people are one family under God, and as in any family, trust among its members is what sustains unity, resilience, and love.

Throughout 2025, UPF has called upon its network of Ambassadors for Peace, faith leaders, and parliamentary partners to embody the spirit of this year through programs that foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Our peacebuilding initiatives—including the Northeast Asia Peace Initiative (NEAPI) for Korean reunification, the Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI), and other regional efforts—strive to build trust across borders and between peoples. These grassroots efforts are guided by our founding belief that all people are intrinsically connected and that reconciliation begins with mutual understanding and shared responsibility.

We honor the legacy of our co-founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and the late Dr. Sun Myung Moon, whose lifelong mission — since the time of the Korean War — has been to bridge divisions and heal distrust through unconditional service and spiritual awakening. Notably, their historic 1991 visit to North Korea, where they met President Kim Il Sung, remains a powerful symbol of trust-building in the most unlikely of circumstances—a living example that even the deepest divides can be bridged through courage and dialogue. We also highlight the visionary Bering Strait Peace Tunnel project — a long-supported UPF initiative — as a powerful symbol of reconnecting not only continents but also worldviews and civilizations through mutual trust. More than a feat of engineering, it represents the hope of reconciliation between long-separated nations and ideologies.

We also echo the vision of the UN Secretary-General, who has called for “a new social contract anchored in trust, justice, and human rights for all.” Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN’s emphasis on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, UPF supports trust-building initiatives such as post-conflict truth-telling processes, interfaith partnerships, peace education, and inclusive, transparent governance.

To faith leaders, we call for bold leadership in modeling forgiveness. To governments and international organizations, we urge multilateral action founded on transparency and empathy. To youth and educators, we offer our partnership in cultivating moral courage and critical hope.

Trust is a choice—one that must be renewed daily through just policies, honest dialogue, and sincere acts of goodwill.

Let this International Year be remembered not only for its resolutions, but for its transformations—of relationships, of institutions, and of hearts. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all Ambassadors for Peace who, throughout the first half of 2025, have worked courageously to rebuild trust among cultures, religions, and nations. Your efforts are already bearing fruit. We encourage you to continue this vital mission with even greater resolve in the months ahead.

May the second half of this important year be marked by renewed energy, unity, and unwavering dedication to healing divisions and building lasting peace.

Let us stand together in prayer, the conviction that the world is one family under God — and that, with humility and shared vision, we can usher in an era of restored trust and enduring peace.

Dr. Tageldin Hamad

President

Universal Peace Federation