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UPF-Argentina and Pacis Nuntii Launch the “We Are Brothers” Initiative
Written by Miguel Werner, President, UPF-Argentina
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Sunchales City, Argentina—On October 29, 2022, UPF-Argentina and the “Pacis Nuntii” Movement launched the “We Are Brothers: We Are a Family” Initiative. At this inaugural event, individuals and entities were recognized for their values and good practices, receiving a certificate and the Universal Peace Flag. The event took place at the Interreligious Dialogue Space (EDI): “A place where dialogue and spirituality go together,” located in a natural environment in Sunchales City, Santa Fe province, national capital of cooperativism.
The program, led by Ambassador for Peace Matías Sayavedra, representative of YSP-Santa Fe, began with a video about EDI, an auspicious place for this occasion inaugurated by Grupo Sancor Seguros Foundation in the beginning of 2022, with local officials and representatives of all sectors (1). Introduction to the event and welcoming remarks were given by host Javier Di Biase, manager of Grupo Sancor Seguros Foundation, promoter of fraternal meeting, dialogue and cooperation.
The main event was the recognition of the first honorees of the “We Are Brothers: We Are a Family” Initiative. These were given in alphabetical order by Jackeline Giusti and Eduardo Borri, “Pacis Nuntii” Peace Messengers coordinators, and Alba Luz Tangarife and Miguel Werner, UPF-Argentina president.
The honorees were:
Soprano Susana Caligaris, creator of Santa Fe Lírica and coordinator of the Santo Tomé Municipal Singing Group; and professor Jorge Cova, director of the Santo Tomé Municipal Singing Group; “for promoting with their voices and talent the potential of artistic expression for fraternal reencounter.” Their certificates were received by professor Claudia Garrini, director of the Sunchales Municipal Choir, who read an appreciation letter sent by the awardees.
Kahyri Chanquia, representative of the Diaguita Community in Santa Fe, “for his commitment to transmitting ancestral knowledge and providing training to dignify his community by facilitating intercultural dialogue”; and the Interreligious Dialogue Space (EDI), “for promoting a place of fraternal encounter, mutual understanding, dialogue and cooperation, spirituality and universal experiences of love, peace, human rights and plenitude.” Their certificates were received by Javier Di Biase, manager of Grupo Sancor Seguros Foundation.
Dr. David Frol, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and second vice-president of the Argentinian Council for Religious Freedom (CALIR), “for actively promoting religious freedom and interreligious dialogue in different spaces”; and professor Elvio Samudio, who is in charge of the CreArte Cultural Space, “for promoting the potential of artistic expression through music and singing, transcending frontiers for fraternal reencounter.”
Imam Marwan Gill, president of the Ahmadia Muslim Community in Argentina, “for promoting dialogue, interreligious cooperation and peace with the theme ‘Love for Everyone, Hate for No One’ and through the Jewish-Muslim Brotherhood”; and Gustavo Guillermé, president and founder of the World Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Congress – “One Path Towards Peace,” “for promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue and meetings for peace by gathering representatives of all sectors.”
Inderveer Kaur, representative of the Sikh Dharma Community in Argentina, “for promoting service as a lifestyle and interreligious dialogue as a landmark in different interreligious spaces”; and Graciela Páez Báez, national religions coordinator, External Affairs in San Juan, of the Baha’i Faith, “for her service vocation in promoting interreligious dialogue, unity and world peace.” Rosetta Conti, WFWP-Argentina president, received the certificates for both of them, since they could not attend for different reasons.
Susana Segovia, public relations, Scientology Community in Argentina, and coordinator of the Ladies in Interreligious Dialogue (DDI), “for her activism for a healthy, drug-free life and her work in interreligious dialogue and cooperation.” Her certificate was received by Adriana Kovasevich and Silvia Esquivel, from the Santa Fe Scientology Mission. Miguel Steuermann, director of the JAI Radio, Latin American Jewish Radio, “for promoting interreligious dialogue and cooperation through the Jewish-Muslim Fraternity.” He could not attend due to it being the Sabbath, so his certificate and flag were received by Imam Marwan Gill.
Another person being honored in this first edition was the Malvinas veteran, Julio Aro, president of the “No me olvides” Foundation: “for promoting with the British captain Geoffrey Cardozo the identification of fallen Argentinian soldiers in Malvinas at Darwin cemetery.” The certificate will be presented another day, since he was travelling.
At the start of the event, there was a brief interreligious section, for the purpose of creating a fraternal environment, where reflections or invocations were shared by Dr. David Frol, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Community; Imam Marwan Gill, president of the Ahmadia Muslim Community in Argentina; and Kahyri Chanquia, representative of the Diaguita Community in Santa Fe.
A brief explanation on the meaning behind these recognitions and the entity’s work was given by Jackeline Giusti, coordinator of “Pacis Nuntii” Peace Messengers (2), promoter of the Universal Peace Flag, whose rich symbolism includes the values of “Peace, Love and Fraternity”; and Miguel Werner, UPF-Argentina president (3). He explained that this initiative is aligned with the mission and vision of UPF, an interreligious and international entity which develops projects and activities in more than 150 countries from all regions under the banner of “Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity and Universal Values.”
Music enlivened the day, as warm sunlight reflected inside the venue, with the Sunchales CreArte Cultural Space children’s chorus, cheerfully directed by Prof. Claudia Garrini, performing “Herederos del futuro” and “Derechos torcidos” (4). Prof. Garrini, accompanied by her husband, Prof. Elvio Samudio, who played the guitar and sang with her, performed the “Universal Peace Flag Song” (5). “Himno a la alegría” (6), a song related to the initiative, was performed by the Sunchales Municipal Chorus, directed by Prof. Garrini who encouraged the audience to participate during the performances.
At the conclusion of the event, a promotional video was shown on 2022 Peace Road Argentina, which this year has proposed solidary, ecological, educational, sportive, artistic, interreligious or intercultural actions through provincial institutional representatives and the theme “Connecting Argentina through Peace” (7). During refreshments, the song “Mundo de Paz” was performed (8), and fraternal and familial thanks were extended to the EDI executives for their generous hospitality.
It is worth noting that the “We Are Brothers: We are Family” Initiative, which is expected to be scheduled every year in conjunction with International Friendship Day, recognizes cultural, spiritual, solidary and ecological individuals and institutions for promoting these values and good practices for the common good and peace. The objective is: “To strengthen fraternal bonds and a family, social and global spirit among entities and organizations, ethnicities and cultures, nations and religions. To promote dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation, with gestures and actions that imply educational, ecologic, solidary, cultural, sportive, intercultural or interreligious commitments to peace.”
Quotes:
1) Video: Inauguration of the Interreligious Dialogue Space:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdoiTW4fZww
2) Video on the “Pacis Nuntii” Peace Messengers Movement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDDmfsLF2Uo
3) 2015 (UPF) Universal Peace Federation introductory video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k2K_sphYvM
4) “Derechos torcidos,” by the Sunchales CreArte Cultural Space children chorus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKtegrc-qp0
5) “Universal Peace Flag Song,” by Prof. Claudia Garrini and Prof. Elvio Samudio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P79hSbBIXSI
6) “Himno a la alegría,” by Sunchales Municipal Choir:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ioo2p0OoTk
7) 2022 Peace Road Argentina promotional video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdALs6reJ8o
8) Song “Mundo de Paz”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpD_WgkXw7Y
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