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Commemoration in Assisi of the 9/11 Attacks
Written by UPF - Italy
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Assisi, Italy - To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, an important interreligious meeting was held in Assisi, Italy, the city of Saint Francis, from September 9 through 11, with the theme “East Meets West for a New Civilization of Peace.”
Several NGOs, including UPF-Italy, collaborated in organizing the event, along with public institutions.
After two days of discussions about religion, science, ethics, economics, and politics, a ceremony took place on the main square of the “City of Peace,” as Assisi is widely known. Representatives from the Catholic Church, Protestant churches, Muslims, Buddhists, and several new religious movements, including the Unification Church, lit a “torch of brotherhood among peoples.” The moving ceremony started at exactly 2:47 pm, corresponding to the time of the first attack on the World Trade Center. This was accompanied by the ringing of the bells of the nearby Franciscan church. Songs and prayers followed.
The event continued at the City Hall. The mayor and several officials, including a representative of the president of Italy, expressed their appreciation and welcomed the various religious representatives, including Father Ernesto Piacentini of the Franciscan Order; Imam Abdel Qader Mohammad, President of the Muslim League; Father A. Elenjimittan, a direct disciple of Mahatma Gandhi; and Lama Ghesce of the Samatabhadra Monastery.
Giuseppe Cali, Secretary General of UPF-Italy, spoke at the main session, explaining the Universal Peace Federation's peace initiatives.
Afterwards famous musicians and actors performed songs, read poems, and gave short speeches about peace. Gabriele Denaro, a composer known internationally for having composed a piece of classical music to express the pain of the attacks on the Twin Towers, touched the hearts of the people with his music.
Several journalists reported about the event, including Channel 3, Peace TV, and newspapers.
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