UPF-Argentina—A debate organized by the Chaco Province Interreligious Table in Argentina’s Northeast Region took place on July 29, 2021. This was the second meeting in the 2021 “Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices” Series, organized by the IAPD, UPF and Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) in Argentina (1).
Participants in the debate were the presbyter Rafael Del Blanco, priest of the Holy Trinity of Resistencia’s Archdiocese Parish (Catholic Church); Rabbi Natan Waingortin, professor of the Latin American Rabbinic Seminar; and Sister Silvina Salinas de Rico, Director of Public Affairs and Communication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, coordinator of Chaco’s Interreligious Table.
This table includes the Muslim community, the Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church, the Evangelical Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Lutheran Evangelical Church, the Evangelical Church of Native Communities, and laics of different creeds. For more than a decade, this table has promoted dialogue, religious freedom, reflection and fraternal work, spiritual help, and the improvement of quality of life. The table’s theme was “Building from the Conscience.” Also, the event commemorated Pastor Luis Macchi, the coordinator of these events since 2009, who died last year.
First, Simao Ferabolli, secretary general of UPF-South America, gave a message as a special guest of the Debate, which was moderated by David Frol from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, representative of IAPD-Argentina; Cristina Mirabelli, from the Catholic Community “Nuestra Señora de la Guarda” Parish (Florida, province of Buenos Aires); and Miguel Werner, President of UPF-Argentina. We also shared an introductory video on the UPF (2).
The Series, which allows people to meet and discuss with representatives of interreligious tables of the different regions of the country, seeks to “Value dialogue and good practices that arise from different interreligious tables across the country. To revalue spirituality by promoting the development of good actions. To serve as a training space for peaceful coexistence and common good.”
In the opening meeting in June, the dialogue was with representatives of Ladies in Interreligious Dialogue, an interreligious table in Buenos Aires City, and with the Dialogue and Coexistence Interreligious Group (from Buenos Aires province) (3). The third meeting will be in August with representatives of the Interreligious Table of San Juan province, in the central region of Argentina.
Quotes:
1) Recording of Conversation with the Mesa Interreligiosa de la Provincia del Chaco 29-7-2021:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTyxJLKUhlE
2) Introductory video on the UPF:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k2K_sphYvM
3) First Meeting of the “Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices” 2021 Series - IAPD/UPF/YSP 23-6-2021: