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Interreligious Association for Peace and Development
IAPD Inaugurated in Brazil
Friday, May 11, 2018
Sao Paulo, Brazil—A meeting of Ambassadors for Peace on “Building a Culture of Peace” and the inauguration of the Brazilian chapter of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) took place on May 11, 2018 in Sao Paulo.
The event opened with welcome remarks by the emcee, which was followed by a prayer, offered by the Archbishop of the Anglican Catholic Church in Brazil Dom Altamiro Pereira do Amaral.
Rev. Sang Seuk Kim, regional chair of UPF-Latin America, gave the opening speech, and Mrs. Paulah Gauss sang the Brazilian national anthem.
A video about UPF’s activities around the world, including the convening of the Africa Summit 2018, which was held in January in Dakar, Senegal, and the global launching of the IAPD, was shown.
Fathers Antonio Maria and Eraldo Germano, both Catholic priests and well known singers, gave a musical performance.
Afterwards, the following dignitaries and Ambassadors for Peace gave short speeches: Dr. Pricila Menin, president of the Brazilian Women’s Party; Mrs. Adriana Ramalho, a Sao Paolo city councilor; Mrs. Rose Correia, a district mayor; and Mr. Nelson Marquezelli, a member of the National Congress of Brazil.
Dr. Simão Ferabolli, president of UPF-Brazil, spoke about the mission and principles of UPF’s Ambassadors for Peace project, the IAPD and the Latin America Summit that will take place in Sao Paulo from August 2 to 4, 2018.
Sao Paulo state governor, Mr. Marcio França, who was nominated as an Ambassador for Peace and who was unable to be at the event, recorded a video message, which was shown.
The Ambassadors for Peace nominees were called two by two onto the stage to receive award certificates.
Among those who were appointed as Ambassadors for Peace were
- Marcio França, governor of Sao Paulo state;
- Antonio de Souza Ramalho, a member of the Sao Paulo state parliament;
- Daniela de Cassia Santos Brito, mayor of Monteiro Lobato city;
- Sergio de Azevedo Redo, president of the Paulista Association of Printed Media (Associação. Paulista de Imprensa, API);
- Tania Mary Gomez, president of Humsol (Instituto Humanista de Desenvolvimento Social) in Curitiba;
- Bruno Hideo Omori, president of the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry–SP;
- Claudio Fernando de Aguiar, president of the 33-PNM (Party of National Mobilization) in Sao Paulo state;
- Carolina Mourão, activist and journalist;
- Augusto Roberto Bonfa;
- Paulah Gauss, singer, actress and public speaker;
- Father Antonio Maria, Catholic priest and singer;
- Jose Pedro Cornelio, president and founder of the NGO Apoio Brasil Institute;
- Dom Isaias Joaquim Dutra, president of the CIPAM (Conselhor Internacional de Pastores e Minitros) group;
- Pastor Jivaldo Batista Alves, president of the Pentecostal Church Gloria a Deus;
- Pastor Luis Gustavo America da Silva, director and founder of the therapeutic community Conquista;
- Jose Aprigio, president and founder of a cooperative in Taboao da Serra in Sao Paulo state;
- Dom Altamiro Pereira do Amaral, archbishop of the Anglican Catholic Church in Brazil; and
- Dom Ricardo Vicente dos Anjos, vice president of the Anglican Catholic Church in Brazil.
The program concluded with the signing of the IAPD resolution by all the religious leaders present.