Foundation Building

Robin Marsh
December 24, 2012

I wanted to share something I have been realising recently. I organise a number of UPF activities in the UK together with our secretariat team and other activists. We have been developing a foundation over the last 15 years or so. We have had regular events in the UK Parliament as well as in the UK Headquarters. We are also encouraged to support European UPF activities.

Attending other groups events is also a key point. I try to go to one meeting a day to support other groups activities and keep on top of current thinking on various issues and, of course, to get out of the office.

I am often approached by other groups who want to do good charitable activities or causes and need our help to establish themselves. I have tried to support these groups. What I have found remarkable is that the people I meet in those meetings are often key to later UPF development and successes.

Mongolian Street Children – Peter Graham organised and I assisted him to have a room in Parliament. A Baroness came who later gave key speech in the Malta European Leadership conference and supported our recent breakthrough in the European Parliament.

A Mongolian Women's group who wanted to do a fundraising campaign for cervical cancer scans in Mongolia. In our Head Quarters at this event we met a European level contact who has given major support for campaigns against domestic violence, human rights for the Roma community, implementation of UNSCR 1325, and use of European institution facilities for both WFWP and UPF.

Supporting a British Chinese association has led to a number of key financial contacts for various conferences we have organised.

Supporting an NGO that campaigns against Torture, and a number of NGO's in the campaign against sexual violence in eastern DRC has allowed them to further their campaigns but also allowed us to express our values both directly and indirectly at significant levels. We were able to extend this campaign in the European Parliament for the first time recently.

(www.uk.upf.org/index.php?option=com_contentandview=articleandid=549:the-prevention-of-sexual-violence-especially-in-the-eastern-democratic-republic-of-congo-drcandcatid=73:elcandItemid=195)

The participants on this panel have joined in a network to campaign on this issue over the last nine months. If we are as passionate about an issue that expresses our values as politicians and NGO's then mutual trust will develop.

Several are interested in Blessing and Divine Principle values education.

I remember Father used to express the need to dedicate nine tenths of our budget and time for groups and activities beyond our own institutions. I wonder if my experience of sacrificing UPF foundation and time for other groups and causes provides the space for God to work to bring the very people we need for later development. Usually the group being assisted praises us for helping them to develop their foundation and profile and quite naturally the people there invited by that group are interested in us.

The development of an (to a degree) unselfish network of relationships has provided a foundation to be able to respond to providential calls on varying levels.

I would be interested in other people's experiences in this area.

Best wishes

Robin Marsh
Secretary General
Universal Peace Federation – UK