UPF-France
Dear friends,
In March, while many nations have entered general confinement, UPF-France launched the "Interreligious Minute" to help cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
The French Prime Minister having recently declared: “The first 15 days of April will be more difficult than those which have just passed; we are doubling the number of positive cases every 3 or 4 days", we suggest that we continue and intensify this initiative together in April.
We receive with great interest invitations from different religions to pray for the present situation. Our interreligious initiative is also inspired by the historic Movement of the Minute of Silence started in Great Britain in 1940.
Therefore, we propose you to offer, in unity of heart with friends of all religions, at least one minute of prayer or meditation (each according to their tradition) at 9 p.m. each day so that the pandemic can be quickly overcome.
(If unavailable at that time, please participate in the schedule that suits you. It's always 9 p.m. somewhere in the world!)
Do not hesitate to widely share this initiative.
You can follow the statistics live by clicking here.
As intentions, we propose:
Wednesday 1st For all those who are sick all over the world
Thursday 2 For all those who died
Friday 3 To comfort the families of those who are sick or deceased
Saturday 4 For the three billions of people who are confined all over the world
Sunday 5 For all couples who have communication difficulties, between them or with their children,
because of confinement
Monday 6 For the leaders of all nations can take courageously the best decisions that need to be made
(even if it's against their own profit)
Tuesday 7 So that scientific research can quickly provide effective solutions and viable for all,
especially in the poorest countries (in Africa…)
Wednesday 8 For Jews around the world celebrating Passover 5780 on the evening of April 8
at the evening of Thursday April 16
Thursday 9 For the protection of members of our families
Friday 10 For all those who are sick all over the world
Saturday 11 For the protection of doctors, nurses and all health professionals
Sunday 12 For Christians around the world who celebrate Easter
Monday 13 So that the percentage of healings can further increase
Tuesday 14 For the protection of our neighbors and our friends
Wednesday 15 For our God to put His protective hand on Africa and on the poorest countries
Thursday 16 For all the men and women who continue to work = cashiers, truckers, deliverers, letter carriers, garbage collectors, farmers and breeders, police, firefighters, teachers, banks, water-electricity-gas-telephone-internet providers, etc.
Friday 17 For those who are victims of the harmful effects of containment, with the increase depression
and anxiety, alcohol consumption, various addictions, domestic violence
Saturday 18 For all those who have lost their jobs and are unemployed; for a quick and concrete help
to companies that face great economic difficulties
Sunday 19 For spiritual leaders
Monday 20 For isolated people; especially for prisoners who are denied visits of their families
Tuesday 21 For the protection of the most vulnerable and the smallest
(the elderly or those already sick)
Wednesday 22 For those who are too stressed or panicked by this situation quickly regain confidence and faith
Thursday 23 For the homeless and those in war
Friday 24 For Muslims around the world who start the month of Ramadan 1441,
from the evening of April 24 to the evening of May 24
Saturday 25 For all those who are sick all over the world
Sunday 26 For all those who died
Monday 27th To comfort the families of those who are sick or deceased
Tuesday 28 For a rapid economic recovery at the end of this crisis
Wednesday 29 So that these tribulations allow a spiritual renewal at all levels
(personal, family, national and global)
Thursday 30 For all those who offered this “Interfaith Minute” with us.
This initiative is coordinated by the interfaith forum "Dialogue and Alliance"
of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF-France), Espace Barrault, 98 rue Barrault, 75013 Paris
and it is supported in particular by:
Rabbi Joseph ABITTAN, Nice • Dr Andrianina ANDRIAMANJATO, founding member “Peace And Harmony Development”, Paris, and deacon of the Malagasy Protestant Church in France • Pastor Gaston CLAUDEL, Nice • M. Parfait DENA, Secretary General, UPF-Mali • M. Abdel Malik Richard DUCHAINE, delegate for interreligious dialogue for the CRCM in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes • Deacon Vazken ESKIJIAN, of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Lyon (Orthodox) • Monsignor Jacques GAILLOT, Paris • Professor Edmond JOUVE, professor emeritus of political science of law from René-Descartes University, Paris • Pastor Dominique KOUNKOU, lawyer • Mr. Khalil MERROUN, Rector of the Grand Mosque of Évry-Courcouronnes • Jean-François & Hisako MOULINET, interreligious forum “Dialogue and Alliance” of UPF-France • Monsignor NICOLAS, Orthodox Patriarchate of the Nations, Paris • Pastor Saïd OUJIBOU, Paris • Mr. Edwin PLEKHANOV ONDOUA, National coordinator, UPF-Cameroon • Martine RHEIN, Public relations of the Church of Scientology • Mr. Bikramjit SINGH, member of the Sikh community in France • Mr. Aboubacar SOW, interfaith preacher, Mali • The Venerable Dr. Michel THAO CHAN, founder and president of the Cercle de Réflexion des Nations • Etc.
Please tell us if you would like to join the sponsor committee (