Argentina—“Argentina United in the Heart of Heavenly Parent” was the theme of an interreligious prayer meeting on Argentina’s national holiday of July 9, 2021, commemorating Argentina’s 205th anniversary of independence. The Zoom meeting was organized by Argentinian chapters of UPF, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), and Youth and Students for Peace (YSP). It had more than 80 connections.
In the beginning, words of welcome were given by Carlos Varga, president of FFWPU-Argentina; Gloria Dantas, director of WFWP-Region 2 of Latin America and the Caribbean (Southern Cone); and Emanuel Sayavedra, president of YSP-Argentina. Then, the moment of prayers began: “As a gesture of unity and reaffirmation of our spiritual essence, which connects us as one community. Invocations for our Homeland, to build together, in “union and liberty,” a future of wellbeing and peace for those who live in this sacred land.”
The first prayer was given by Rabbi Arieh Sztokman, spiritual leader of the nursing home “Adolfo Hirsch” from San Miguel, Province of Buenos Aires. Prayers were given by Rosalía Gutiérrez, member of the Cooperation Circle of Argentina’s Native Peoples Initiative of United Religions, Province of Buenos Aires; Swami Purnabodhananda, vice-president of Ramakrishna Ashrama Argentina from Bella Vista, Province of Buenos Aires; and Silvia Roldán, priestess Iyá Ifanile Akinwande Fatokunbo, director of the Women’s Secretariat of the Social, Cultural and Umbanda African Group.
The invocation section included Imam Marwan Gill, president of the Ahmadia Muslim Community in Argentina; Inderveer Kaur, from the Sikh Dharma Community in Argentina; Gustavo Libardi, President of the Scientology Church in Argentina; Eduardo Castro and Norma Limia, members of the Commission of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue of the Buenos Aires Archdiocese; and Sergio Castellón, from the FFWPU.
In the beginning, participants sang the National Anthem. There was a musical performance, which was the song “Mundo de Paz” performed by Thomas Dantas, Ailin Rodríguez and Marco Castellón; music and lyrics by Carlos Varga. At the end, we had a moment of silence, after which participants could express their own forms of devotion.
“In this challenging time we live in, when uncertainty and various issues deepen, we need to reconnect with the values of our patriots and ancestors, with renewed commitment to build together the nation we desire of diversity of ethnicities and cultures, thoughts and beliefs, reviving the sense, the solidarity and the hope,” expressed Miguel Werner, president of UPF-Argentina, who was the emcee along with his wife Alba Luz Tangarife.
Recording of the meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh1I66VPgk8