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UPF-Argentina's Peace Road Activities: “Connecting Argentina through Peace”
Written by Miguel Werner, President, UPF-Argentina
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Buenos Aires, Argentina—“Connecting Argentina through Peace” was the Peace Road 2022 theme, with plans for solidary, ecological, educational, sportive, artistic, interreligious or intercultural activities in all 23 provinces, including Buenos Aires City and Antarctica. The formal on-site launching took place on November 13, from Las Toninas (Buenos Aires), Km. 0 of Argentinian telecommunications, and connected with the whole country through a virtual platform. There was a cycling section in Buenos Aires City and an artistic section at Club Vélez, in Liniers neighborhood, the destination of the bikers after travelling 15 kilometers from Km. 0, just meters away from the National Congress, the beginning of national highways (1).
Argentina joined the Peace Road in 2015 with the theme “For National Peace and Unity,” with various initiatives in Buenos Aires City and Córdoba, including biking, solidary and environmental campaigns. In 2020, Peace Road connected Argentina in a “virtual walk” through all provinces, including Antarctica, with “Messages of Peace and Hope,” which was replicated with “Actions of Peace and Hope” in 2021 and has been reedited this year with various activities in each province. This rallied more than 150 organizations and thousands of well wishers.
The events began in Buenos Aires, and included all provinces, first the Northeast Region: Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Misiones, Chaco and Formosa; then the Northwest Region: Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero and Catamarca; Center Region: La Rioja, Córdoba, San Juan, Mendoza and San Luis; Patagonian Region: Neuquén, Río Negro, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego (Antarctica), Chubut and La Pampa; and Buenos Aires Region. The last event was in the Capital and then Las Toninas, the main location of the Peace Road 2022 Argentina.
Peace Road, which every year has more and more participation and commitment for common good and peace in Argentina, was permanently declared “of interest for the promotion and defense of human rights” by the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires Legislature (17/10/2019, Declaration 656/2019), and similarly in other legislative bodies from different provinces and municipalities across the country (2).
Greetings and Protocol Message
On November 13, 2022, UPF-Argentina held an online event featuring reports and videos on Peace Road 2022 activities. “Peace Road is a global initiative that seeks to connect all peoples around the world through an ‘International Peace Highway’ and to create higher mutual interrelation and prosperity in each region and in the world, which includes peace in the Korean Peninsula and the resolution of other conflicts, for sustainability of humanity and the planet,” explained Rev. Dong Mo Shin, regional director of UPF and South America Peace Road Foundation. His speech closed the protocol section and launched the “virtual walk” across the country, covering activities in every province during September, October and the beginning of November.
Then, greetings and well wishes from Las Toninas were given by Sung Jong Seo, FFWPU-Southern Cone president and UPF-Southern Cone director; Carlos Varga, FFWPU-Argentina president; and Christian Oreb, Red Cooperar General Coordinator, who moderated the “virtual walk” with great dynamism together with Luba Opeka, UPF-Argentina and Peace Road public relations. The protocol section and the artistic section were moderated by radio and TV host Marita Regolo, new Ambassador for Peace, and Miguel Werner, UPF-Argentina president.
Through a virtual platform, we received greetings from National Senator Silvia Giacoppo, IAPP-Argentina representative; UPCAM president Adrián De Angelis, IMAP-Argentina representative; Julio Nardini, IAAP-Argentina representative; Jorge Tuero, IAED-Argentina representative; and Emanuel Sayavedra, YSP-Argentina president. From Vélez, greetings were given by Rosetta Conti, WFWP-Argentina president; and from Km 0, communicator Patricia Pitaluga, president of Civil Association Acercando Naciones; and Johana Ochoa, president of Tong-Il Moo-Do Argentina. All are members of the Peace Road 2022 Argentina National Organizing Committee.
From Km 0, we received greetings from Peace Road 2022 Argentina godparents: world three-time paddle champion Cecilia Baccigalupo and solidary ultra-marathonist Sebastián Armenault, who joined the bicycling, which this year had as a representative Gloria Cáceres, from Chicas Trek Palermo. They were also with Ambassador for Peace Alejandro Fernández, representative of CILSA, Evacuation and First Aid Department (CEPA), headed by Ambassador for Peace Esteban Chalá, who every year renews his commitment to this initiative, and Buenos Aires City Transit.
Next, a Peace Road promotional video was shown, which this year caused unusual enthusiasm in our country, with artists and athletes inviting people to join this global peace campaign (3). Before the main message, the Peace Road introductory video “A Long March Towards Unification” was shown (4).
“Virtual Walk”
Every province created one or more activities through an institutional representative agreed upon by the local organizing committee. A video of what was done in their province was created, with a list of all entities involved in the activities and the declarations of legislative interest.
Santa Fe, whose institutional representative was the Peace Messengers Movement Pacis Nuntii, coordinated by Ambassadors for Peace Jackeline Giusti and Eduardo Borri, created solidary, ecological, sportive and artistic activities in San Justo, with help from Peace Messenger Dorys Villagra, member of the San Justo Mariano Moreno Library’s governing board. Entre Ríos province, through the inclusion Workshop “Mensajeros de Francisco,” coordinated by Ambassador for Peace Sandra Villalba, introduced a compilation of educational and cultural pictures recognizing the 40th anniversary of Malvinas War.
Corrientes had as a representative Olama Pérez Lugo, producer and host of the radio program “El club de las ovejas negras,” who organized various solidary, ecological, educational, sportive, artistic and cultural activities connected to Peace Road. In Misiones, the institutional representative Marcia Rosko, president of Victorias Misioneras Association and director of the Comandante Andresito’s Women and Family Area, organized participation in different parts of the province with solidary, cultural, educational and ecological events.
Mariela Benavento, president of the Provincial Security Neighborhood Forum, created an artistic activity in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña (Chaco); and Ana Beatriz Fleitas, president of the Lions Club in Clorinda, organized a bicycling event in representation of Formosa.
The journey continued to Jujuy in the Northwest Region, which held ecological, sportive and intercultural events through its representative Stella Maris Miranda Reston, president of the Ruru Foundation. María Cristina Elías, president of the Integrando Culturas Juana Manuela Gorriti Foundation, created ecological, educational and artistic activities in various parts of Salta: Rosario de la Frontera, Metán, La Candelaria and El Naranjo. From Tucumán, cradle of Argentinian independence, Jorge Aníbal Medina, president of NGOs Federation, also coordinated multiple solidary, educational, sportive and artistic events.
In Santiago del Estero, institutional representative María Leandra García Pérez, coordinator of the NGO, Red de Esperanza de Santiago del Estero, proposed an educational-ecological and artistic event (photo exhibition). Around 350 people participated in the artistic, ecological and solidary events organized by Catamarca 2022 provincial representative Stella Maris Mandatori, president of the Soles Catamarca Association, an entity dedicated to improving the quality of life of children and young people with cancer and their families.
The dynamic, inspiring journey came to the Center Region through La Rioja, where Javier Casco, theology and comparative religions student at La Rioja University, created an artistic-cultural, ecological and interreligious event at his university. Córdoba 2022 representative Walter “Pollo” Díaz organized an artistic-solidary event with Benjaminos Civil Association which he leads, an entity through which he develops a valuable social integration work.
From Rivadavia (province of San Juan), we welcomed Marcelo Barros, director of institutional relations from Rivadavia Municipality. He convened a plogging (a combination of jogging with picking up litter) activity, combining sports and environmental care. Baladeva Das, from ISKCON-Argentina, member of Mendoza’s Interreligious Council, proposed a cultural-interreligious activity. Similarly, in San Luis, through Fernando Zunino, government ministry’s Provincial Worship Registry Area Chief, a mural was painted with the Peace Road logo.
The activities in the six Patagonian Region provinces were diverse as well. The Neuquén representative was the new Ambassador for Peace Carina Ianni, professor at Technical School 2, who organized with her students ecological, cultural and educational initiatives. From the tourist city of Bariloche (Río Negro), representative Manuela Ruarte, coordinator of Bariloche Scouts, introduced an educational-ecological activity. From Río Gallegos, we had physician and writer Daniel Beninati, active member of the Argentinian Writers Society of Santa Cruz, who gathered two choirs for a cultural-educative program.
Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands had as 2022 provincial institutional representative Nidia Luján Duarte, facilitator and coordinator of Fundemos, from Childhood and Youth Scouts Foundation, who introduced a group of educative, ecological, cultural and artistic activities. Then, we “flew” to Antarctica, which showed a video on a scientific-environmental activity in the so-called “white peace continent” through Vice-commodore Ernesto Lynch, from the Antarctic Joint Command, with whom the Peace Road 2022 Monitoring Team had an inspiring virtual meeting with live images from Marambio Base.
Chubut representative Pamela Moore Brunt, CEPA president and instructor in Puerto Madryn, shared a sports and educational activity. La Pampa representative Graciela Bejar, president of La Pampa Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Production, created an educational activity.
The journey finally ended in Buenos Aires, where representative Omar González, founder of All Boys Solidary, connected a solidary activity with Peace Road 2022. To the Buenos Aires Region was added an ecological-environmental activity developed from Partido de la Costa, including Las Toninas and neighboring areas, coordinated by Peace Road 2022 Argentina host Marita Regolo, with Almacén Producciones and other institutions.
Artistic Closing
After the journey across the country through the virtual platform, the highlight was Buenos Aires city, with the arrival of the cyclists to Club Vélez, followed by the “Fortineros de corazón” murga (a form of popular musical theatre). This activity took place in the Integral Gym, thanks to the work of Juan Ignacio Colombo and Mauro Pedone Balegno, president of Comuna 10, and the preliminary effort of Alejandro Molina and Brenda Martín, president of the Club Vélez Culture Department. They worked with Ambassador for Peace Makenna Zambonini, creator of Music Nights for Peace, who coordinated and led the diverse artistic-cultural event.
There, the Cruz del Sur Ballet and the Karallanta Ballet performed. There were yoga classes by Prof. Cecilia Saia Rodríguez and Zumba classes by Prof. Alejandro Molina. Also performing were singers Israel Voci, Diego Hernán, Mauro Galeppi and Wilson Carminatti. There, Makenna Zambonini performed with the artists the song “Color Esperanza,” which was cheered in Las Toninas by “Payasólogos Sociales,” coordinated by Ambassador for Peace Stella Maris Coronel Ocampo, a group of volunteers from Latin America consisting of mental health specialists with solidary vocation (5).
At the end, we thanked international directors and managers of the different entities from the National Organizing Committee. Thanks were also given to the technical and monitoring team who, along the provincial institutional representatives, are like the “Peace Road heart”: Luba Opeka, Ailén Marquesano, Erika Alcaraz, Andrea Fernández Bevans and Marisa Piva, followed and supported by Luciana Zambrano, Christian Oreb and Jonny Hernández. A surprise recognition for his work was given to Miguel Werner, UPF-Argentina president: the song “Yo vengo a ofrecer mi corazón” was dedicated to him (6).
The program ended with the music and vocals of singer Santiago Pachi, warmly introduced by Marita Regolo, who was the magnificent emcee of the Peace Road 2022 Argentina along with her husband Jorge Podestá.
Peace Road, globally promoted by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and other local and international entities, which creates rallies and marches in many countries with the theme “Connecting the World through Peace” and “Realizing the Dream of One Global Family,” involved once more countless wonderful activities held by organizations from civil society, the public and private sector, local and international, understanding that Peace is a collective, daily, permanent construction (7).
Videos:
2022 Peace Road Review 11-13-2022: https://youtu.be/ccM_9tNQYQs
Entire 2022 Peace Road Argentina: https://youtu.be/6abxUx5QHOg
Quotes:
1) Album 1: “Virtual Walk” - 2022 Peace Road Argentina:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.229344052750605
Album 2: Club Vélez - 2022 Peace Road Argentina:
www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=upfargentina&set=a.229851439366533
Album 3: Las Toninas – 2022 Peace Road Argentina:
www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=upfargentina&set=a.230263892658621
Album 4: Biking – 2022 Peace Road Argentina:
www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=upfargentina&set=a.230757522609258
2) Peace Road was permanently declared “of interest” by Salta’s Chamber of Deputies (3/11/2020); of “acquiescence” by Córdoba Legislature (13/11/2019) and Córdoba’s City Council (Resolution 2065 28/10/2021); “of provincial and legislative interest” by Chaco Deputies Chamber (Resolution 1269, 2021); “of judicial interest” by San Juan Court of Justice (27/11/2020); “of municipal, social, educative and cultural interest” by Río Grande Municipality, province of Tierra del Fuego (Municipal Decree 0867/2021); “of Municipal Interest” by San Carlos City Council, province of Corrientes (Declaration N° 02/2021); “of Municipal Interest” by Rosario de la Frontera Municipality, province of Salta (Resolution 815-20, 20/11/2020); “of legislative interest” by the Rosario de la Frontera City Council, province of Salta (Resolution 4216/20, 11/11/2020).
2022 Peace Road was also declared of “interest” by Santa Fe Chamber of Senators (24/11/2022), Santa Fe Chamber of Deputies (10/11/2022), the Honorable Municipal Council of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz (October 2022), the Honorable Municipal Council of San Justo (Declaration N° 037/2022, 20/10/2022) and San Justo Municipality (Decree D.E.M. N° 175/2022, 30/10/2022). And of “interest” by the Honorable Chamber of Deputies of Corrientes (Declaration Nº 411/22, 5/10/2022) and the Honorable City Council of Corrientes City (Declaration 400, 13/10/2022).
Also, this edition was declared of “acquiescence” by Córdoba Legislature (D-26459/22, 14/9/2022) and of “acquiescence” by Córdoba City Council (Declaration 2319, 11/8/2022); of “provincial, legislative, cultural, educative and social interest” by Santiago del Estero Chamber of Deputies (Declaration 569, 8/11/2022); “of provincial interest” by Misiones House of Representatives (View 140-2022/23, 18/10/2022); and “of Municipal interest” by Comandante Andresito City Council, province of Misiones (Act N° 24/2022, 29/9/2022).
3) 2022 Peace Road Argentina Promotional: “Connecting Argentina through Peace” 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IFMOnEk_dM
More promotional videos:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdALs6reJ8o
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt-wp3UDZ4I
4) Video “A Long March towards Unification”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aiqpHHVTT8
5) “Color Esperanza” – Artistic ending of 2022 Peace Road Argentina in Vélez 13-11-2022:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRdIy52GNZM
6) “Yo vengo a ofrecer mi corazón” – Surprise song at 2022 Peace Road Argentina 13-11-2022:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE2wU-gH8NI
7) More info on Peace Road International: www.upf.org/programs/peaceroad
Presentation of 2022 Peace Road Argentina:
https://es.slideshare.net/UPFArgentina/carpeta-ruta-de-la-paz-argentina-2022
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