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UPF-Argentina Concludes its 2022 Conference Series
Written by Miguel Werner, President, UPF-Argentina
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Buenos Aires City, Argentina— “Sharing, Recognizing and Celebrating” was the theme of UPF-Argentina’s 2022 Series closing, an in-person event after two years of virtual closings. The event took place at APSEE (Energy Business Senior Staff Association) Auditorium, in Buenos Aires City, on December 15, 2022, with 80 participants (1).
Journalist Luba Opeka, UPF-Argentina public relations, and Miguel Werner, UPF-Argentina president, led the program and thanked APSEE authorities, especially the “18 de Abril” Senior Center, for providing their auditorium for this event. There were also many greetings, like those sent by Ambassadors for Peace Silvia Carranza, CILSA president; Noemí and Pedro Segura, executive secretary of Rotary Club Merlo Norte; and some formal messages sent by those not able to participate due to different reasons.
The first part of the meeting was dedicated to recalling 2022 experiences, through a video reviewing the year’s activities: the monthly Ambassadors for Peace meeting, which featured different representatives of leadership areas; the celebration of the International Day of Families, with the 14th edition of recognition given to couples and families who have been together for 25 years or more; an artistic-cultural-interreligious meeting for the International Day of Peace, along with the International Association of Art and Culture for Peace (IAACP); and the 2022 Peace Road “Connecting Argentina through Peace,” which created solidary, ecologic, educative, sportive, artistic, interreligious and intercultural activities across the country through provincial institutional representatives (2).
On this occasion, certificates were given to two Ambassadors for Peace who had been appointed during virtual meetings: Patricia Rivero, vice-president of Madiba Institute and director of La Plata National University’s Public Lecture on Immigration; and Susana Repetto, traditional percussionist and spontaneous poet, with many edited books and CDs to her credit.
Next, recognition was given to the 2022 Peace Road Argentina contributors: Stella Maris Coronel Ocampo, coordinator of “Payasólogos Sociales de Argentina,” for their performance in Las Toninas; Makenna Zambonini, for coordinating the artistic section in Club Vélez; and Ballet Cruz del Sur de Avellaneda, Ballet Karallanta and Israel Voci for their performances in the artistic section at Club Vélez. To Gloria Cáceres, from “Chicas Trek Palermo,” representative of the bike run in Buenos Aires; and members of the Monitoring Team: Marisa Piva (Northeast Region), Erika Alcaraz (Northwest Region and technical team), Andrea Fernández Bevans (Center Region), Ailén Marquesano (Patagonian Region and technical team), Luba Opeka (Buenos Aires and Antarctica Region, and 2022 Peace Road public relations), Luciana Zambrano (2022 Peace Road public relations), and Jonny Hernández, for his contribution of video editing.
Then, 2022 Ambassadors for Peace were acknowledged: Aníbal Gotelli, president of CIDEC-Argentina: “For his willingness to collaborate on UPF’s mission and his support as a specialist and expert in ceremony and protocol, providing CIDEC’s venue to hold the 2022 Forum ‘Leadership, Values and Good Practices’ and introducing UPF and Peace Road during the development of the 12th Ibero-American Congress in support of the 40th anniversary of the Malvinas Conflict.”
Graciela Beatriz Páez Báez, national coordinator of Religions – External Affairs of the Baháʼí Faith in San Juan: “For her active participation and collaboration in various interreligious activities and initiatives for unity and peace. For her role as the Argentinian representative of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) and her special contribution and support to Peace Road, reaching out to institutions and provinces.”
Gerardo Beltramino and Olga Juárez, members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) in Argentina: “For their willingness and dedication to service, providing their valuable support to UPF-Argentina’s work and mission, collaborating in different ways behind the scenes in various initiatives and activities, among them 2022 Peace Road Argentina.”
Makenna Zambonini, creator of the Music Nights for Peace Initiative: “For her solidary vocation service and commitment to peace and culture, for providing her voice and talent in different meetings organized by UPF-Argentina, especially this year in the announcement, coordination and leading of the artistic section at Club Vélez Sarsfield for the 2022 Peace Road ‘Connecting Argentina through Peace.’”
María Susana Segovia, public relations, Scientology Argentina: “For her dedication to service and performance as coordinator of the 2022 ‘Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices’ Series, which this year gathered Worship secretaries and directors from all provinces, organized by the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) along with UPF and Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) Argentina.”
Erika Alcaraz, secretary of Youth and Students for Peace (YSP) in Argentina: “For her willingness and valuable work as UPF-Argentina staff and her outstanding performance as a member of the Monitoring and Technical Team for 2022 Peace Road Argentina. For the dedication to service she naturally exhibited since her adolescence, participating and collaborating on various proposals and initiatives in different areas and organizations.”
Mariel Jackeline Giusti and Eduardo Borri, general coordinators of the “Pacis Nuntii” Peace Messengers Movement: “For their service aimed at a healthy lifestyle, environmental care and Peace in countless projects and activities. For promoting values and good practices through the Universal Peace Flag, launching this year with UPF-Argentina the initiative: ‘We Are Siblings, We Are Family,’ which acknowledges individuals and institutions for their contributions to common good and Peace.” (3)
In addition, recognition from the Initiative “We Are Siblings, We Are Family,” promoted by UPF-Argentina and the “Pacis Nuntii” Movement (4), was given to: representative of the Sikh Dharma Community in Argentina, Inderveer Kaur: “For promoting service as a lifestyle and interreligious dialogue as a referent in different interreligious venues”; and National Coordinator of Religions – External Affairs in San Juan of the Baháʼí Faith Graciela Páez Báez: “For her dedication to service, promoting interreligious dialogue, unity and world peace.”
At the conclusion, photos of some Ambassadors for Peace were shown. These were people who had been recognized in previous years, who died in 2022: specialist in international relations and ceremonial events, María Teresa Narváez (02/26/2022); collaborator of interreligious meetings and artistic-cultural activities, Alicia Maciel (03-10-2022); writer and ecologist Esteban Fauret (04-15-2022); and dancer and director of “Ballet Huellas del Folklore” Marcos Daverio (07-03-2022).
The event concluded with a song warmly performed by Ambassador for Peace Makenna Zambonini and Israel Voci, and a toast for the 17th anniversary of UPF’s founding in Argentina. Good wishes were given by members of the Peace Council: Jorge Tuero, IAED-Argentina representative; Julio Nardini, IAAP-Argentina representative, and his wife Rosa Holgado; Graciela Páez Báez and Inderveer Kaur, IAPD-Argentina representatives; Adrián De Angelis, IMAP-Argentina representative; Erika Alcaraz and Ailén Marquesano, UPF-Argentina staff; Alba Luz Tangarife, UPF-Argentina Administrative Council; and Luba Opeka, UPF-Argentina public relations.
Previously, plastic artist and poet Gladys Semillán Villanueva gave UPF-Argentina a beautiful illustration for its 17th anniversary (5). She was on stage with the Peace Council. A beautiful, delicious cake for UPF-Argentina’s birthday was prepared by Ambassador for Peace Ivone Badia. Everyone enjoyed the refreshments in a warm, friendly environment.
Links:
1) Recording of the UPF-Argentina 2022 Series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eumd0bH-xgw
2) Video on some of the 2022 activities:
Ambassadors for Peace meeting in May – Introducing UPF-Argentina’s Leadership Areas:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMqxhOnToLo
International Day of Families at Spanish Societies Federation:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxdDKaTwT0o
2022 International Day of Peace with the International Association of Art and Culture for Peace:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FkFw2_bEFs
Review on the 2022 Peace Road “Connecting Argentina through Peace”:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccM_9tNQYQs
3) Video message of Mariel Jackeline Giusti:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieS9RiaToE4
4) The “We Are Siblings, We Are Family” Initiative has the objective of: “Securing fraternal bonds and a family spirit, socially and globally, among entities and organizations, ethnicities and cultures, nations and religions. Promoting dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation, with activities that imply educative, ecological, solidary, cultural, sportive, intercultural or interreligious commitments for Peace.”
5) Illustration given by plastic artist Gladys Semillán Villanueva:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmhHeJKu7jJ/
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