The 2008 series of Global Peace Festival (GPF) begins July 2-5 in Asuncion, Paraguay. GPF has been broadcast on television and radio and featured in newspapers throughout this South American country. The biannual festival is the opportunity for people from different races, religions, and nations to gather together and celebrate achievements in the pursuit of building “One Family under God.”
The first program of the festival will be an international leadership conference, which will take place in the Hotel Excelsior in downtown Asuncion. About 500 political, religious, and business leaders from not only Paraguay but also all over the world will come to attend this conference. They will share serious dialogue on how to bring world peace and make commitments for future actions.
The main program will be held on Saturday, July 5th beginning at 4:00 pm at the Club Olimpia Stadium. Performers featured in the main program include several prominent international artists, including Alejandro Lerner, Chapa C, Dalmata, and La Factoria, and from Paraguay popular groups such as the Generation, Los Ojeda, the National Symphony Orchestra, and a choir of a thousand youths.
GPF Paraguay has been recognized as being of national interest by the government. Minister of Tourism Senator Liz Cramer spoke for GPF at a press conference on June 17, stating, “This will be an incomparable opportunity to demonstrate our country…”* Senator Lilian Samaniego has been leading the committee of GPF as its Chairwoman.
Behind all these large-scale programs there has been continuous synergy of hundreds of youths and citizens of Paraguay who have been taking parts in various service projects such as adopting parks, HIV/AIDS prevention, and character education programs to build a foundation from which the vision of GPF, “One Family under God,” can take off in their nation and spread throughout South America and the world.
Many of those students will play a role on July 3, when there will be a time for serving the local community as a part of the festival. At 8:00 am, between 3,000 and 4,000 students are expected to come from schools that have been involved in the adopt-a-park project and also UNESCO Associated Schools.
The students will clean, repair roadways, and plant trees in 26 blocks of the median strip on Avenida 21 Proyectada (21 Projected Avenue), a strip 2.5 kilometers long and 10 meters wide. At 10:30 am the students will gather for a cultural exchange festival. These programs have been planned by an architect, Cesar Cabrera, in cooperation with Ministry of Education. The programs will be held for the purpose of promoting peace centering on service and culture.
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Click here to watch the TV advertisements for GPF 2008 in Paraguay.
*Ultima Hora issue on June 18, 2008