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UPF Supports Tolerance Celebration in Sicily
Written by Maria Gabriella Mieli, vice president, WFWP-Italy
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Carini, Italy—UPF was one of several organizations that held an event at a Sicilian high school to celebrate the International Day for Tolerance.
Religious representatives, members of different associations, immigrants, young refugees and local authorities gathered at the ITC Calderone high school in the town of Carini, near Palermo, along with students and teachers of the school.
As part of the “Seeds of Peace” project, the meeting on November 16, 2017, focused on human rights, cohesion and peace.
The Christian Institute of Art and Sport organized the event together with the Italian and San Marino chapters of UPF; the Italian chapter of Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an organization that is affiliated with UPF; and Voci di Pace (Voices of Peace), a magazine that is produced by UPF-San Marino President Giorgio Gasperoni.
The cooperation with CIAS began when the institute’s president, Vincenzo Lipari, became inspired by the Voci di Pace magazine and contacted UPF to discuss cooperation in holding sports events and conferences for peace. The presidents of UPF-Italy, Carlo Zonato, and of UPF-San Marino, Giorgio Gasperoni, went to Sicily to meet with the CIAS advisory board. Then UPF invited Mr. Lipari to attend an event at the Chamber of Deputies in Rome on May 17, 2017, marking International Day of Families and a follow-up meeting in our Peace Embassy in Rome.
The November 16 event featured a performance by a gospel choir and spiritual reflections by a Franciscan monk and an evangelical minister.
Carlo Zonato, the Italian UPF president, gave a meaningful presentation about the mission, vision and core values of UPF. Giorgio Gasperoni, the San Marino UPF president and the editor of Voci di Pace, spoke about the “Football for Peace” project, relating an event in which children and youths from Israel and Palestine came to San Marino for a football tournament with local youths.
Giorgio Gasperoni and Carlo Zonato spoke about Voci di Pace. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the magazine is a useful instrument for our network of Ambassadors for Peace in which are reported facts on good governance, education, human rights and activities of local, national and international organizations.
Maria Gabriella Mieli, the vice president WFWP-Italy and the public relations director for UPF-Italy, explained the history and meaning of the UNESCO-created International Day for Tolerance, the vision and mission of WFWP, the difference between tolerance and respect. She concluded with an explanation of the Peace Road project, preparing everybody to organize a Peace Road march for 2018 in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s death.
All the speakers were interviewed for a local television news broadcast. The local organizers were given a certificate of appreciation and a dinner party to celebrate the success of the event.
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