Munich, Germany—"Peace-Shalom-Salam Aleykum" was the motto of a "Peace Road" event organized jointly by the Munich chapters of UPF and Women's Federation for World Peace, an affiliated organization,
Fifteen participants gathered for a bicycle tour on Sunday, July 4, 2021, carrying "Peace Road" banners and international flags, wearing "Peace Road" T-shirts and filled with enthusiasm to make a mark for peace and unification.
They started in the town of Planegg, west of Munich, and cycled along the little river Würm to Pasing, a district of Munich.
Their first stop was at the Church of Maria Schutz, where they offered prayers for peace. To pray together has great power.
Then they went to the mosque of the Turkish-Muslim community in Munich-Pasing, which is very close by.
There they were welcomed very hospitably and were served Turkish tea.
The imam of the community gave a tour of the prayer room, explained the furnishings and ornamentation and recited a surah (chapter) from the Quran as a prayer for peace.
There followed a lively exchange on religious topics.
Finally, the group met at the nearby UPF offices for a small closing party with snacks and drinks. The gathering was particularly warm because the COVID-19 pandemic had prevented them from meeting in person for so long.
Our section of the global Peace Road 2021 was perhaps rather small, but we felt that we were a shining stone of this large mosaic image for peace. And we have contributed our part to the goal of the "Peace Road": “Connecting the World through Peace.”