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UN International Day of Families 2010
Day of Families Celebrated in Buenos Aires
Written by Miguel Werner, Secretary General, UPF-Argentina
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Buenos Aires, Argentina - "Family and Social Peace Leading up to the Bicentennial" was the theme of the International Day of Families May 13 at the Juan Jesus Blasnik Auditorium in Buenos Aires. This date was established by the UN in 1993 to create greater awareness about family issues and encourage the development of policies to promote it.
The core of the meeting, organized by the Universal Peace Federation-Argentina, along with celebrations sponsored by the International UPF worldwide, was the recognition of nine couples who have been married for more than 25 years. Some of them are international and intercultural couples, and they gave a strong message about the value of this relationship, sharing humorous anecdotes about the joys and benefits of living together and transcending difficulties. The awards were presented by the President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification of Argentina, Mr. Carlos Varga and Mrs. Laura Correa, his wife, and by Mr. Luis D'Angelo and his wife Liliana Marsiglia, member of the Global Peace Council of UPF-International.
During the event, Mr. Horacio Daboul, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of “Patricios Park” (Buenos Aires), read a message from the UN, which chose as the theme this year "The impact of migration on families around the world." Mr. Andrés Melgarejo from the Family Federation of Argentina spoke on "Prospects for peace in the family." Afterward Mr. José Bilbao Richter, a former member of the Global Peace Council of UPF International, introduced a historical perspective of the Bicentennial of Argentina and emphasized reviving the universal values embodied by our patriots at the very beginning of our national independence.
A touching moment was also the premiere of the "Ode to Reconciliation," a poem turned into music as a way to encourage and promote forgiveness to restore harmonious relations in our society and our nation. The title of the poem is "Everyone," written by Mrs. Concepción Rodríguez Garaventa, who won the competition organized last year by UPF-Argentina on the occasion of the International Day of Peace and the International Year of Reconciliation (UN: Resolution A/RES/61/17). It was set to music by Dr. Luis Guedes, a family educator who, together with his wife, received an award for their 44 years of marriage. The audience listened to the song and then sang along.
Pastor Eduardo Corales, Director of the American Clergy Leadership Conference in Argentina, offered an invocation; congratulatory messages from other organizations were read. At the end we shared a toast and a cake. Everything was realized in a spirit of celebration and encourage everybody to persevere "with the fire of life, the fire of love and the fire of peace."
The event connected also to the national bicentennial celebration of May 25. Argentina is one of eight Latin American countries have been commemorating their bicentennial this year or the year before, marking it as an opportunity to "overcome mistakes" and make a collective effort "to realize the dreams of our Founding Fathers: One brotherhood, one big human family in peace."
UPF's "Declaration on the Family" was read. One of its five points states that "strong, healthy and loving families help protect society from the moral decline of its youth, increase in crime, drug abuse and corruption, as well as the spread of diseases, such as AIDS. In addition, it can help to break down the age-old resentments that have fueled religious, tribal and civil conflict." It concludes that "lasting peace is secured not merely through laws, backed by the power of government enforcement, but by a rising awareness of our universal solidarity as one human family, brothers and sisters who share a common spiritual and moral heritage. We are one family under God."
(*) Declaration on the Family
On the occasion of the International Day of Families 2010, the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) honors the UN resolution and offers the following recommendations:
First, Universal Peace Federation acknowledges that the family is a microcosm of the global community. If the world is to finally come to an era of sustainable peace and harmony among civilizations, that peace must be founded on this basic, most intimate social unit of humankind. In other words, the family is the central building block of society, as well as being an instrument for peace and reconciliation.
Second, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, and religious affiliations, we are all members of families. Most importantly, the family is the school of love and ethics. Through experiences in our families, we learn to embrace and value all relationships in our wider human family; with friends, neighbors, co-workers, colleagues and strangers.
Third, marriage and family are the basis of human development and the core institutions for education in character, ethics, social relationships, and citizenship. Strong, healthy, loving families help protect society from the moral decline of its youth, increase in crime, drug abuse and corruption, as well as the spread of diseases, such as AIDS. In addition, it can help break down the age-old resentments that have fueled religious, tribal and civil conflict.
Fourth, throughout history, the family has successfully adapted to change. It has survived revolutions, outlived empires, and endured through the economic and social unrest of many societies. This adaptability, however, is now being threatened by a wide range of social developments, economic, cultural, and political. Now is the time to strengthen the family. Restoring the family is one way we can address the proliferation of social and civil problems plaguing the world today.
Fifth, lasting peace is secured not merely through laws, backed by the power of government enforcement, but by a rising awareness of our universal solidarity as one human family, brothers and sisters who share a common spiritual and moral heritage. We are one family under God.
To read the presentation by Mr. José Bilbao Richter, click here.
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