Bergamo, Italy—Sincere brotherhood and intense spirituality marked the 2018 celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
Forty representatives of different faith communities gathered in the Donizetti Hotel in the town of Lallio: the Islamic community of Bergamo, the Hare Krishna community of Chignolo, the Evangelical community Christ Victory Church, the community of Scientology, and the Bergamo chapter of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), an organization that is affiliated with UPF.
The February 10 meeting was introduced by Carlo Zonato, president of UPF-Italy, who explained the meaning and the value of World Interfaith Harmony Week, which falls in the first week of February each year. He read excerpts from messages given by UPF founders Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon on the theme of interfaith harmony that characterized their life and their work. The words of the founders exhorted us to become "true parents" with love and altruism.
Representatives of different faiths each gave a message related to the theme "Faith in Peace—Peace in Faiths." Sandro Oneda, in charge of Scientology for Brescia and Bergamo; Vasudeva Datta, spiritual leader of Hare Krishna; Imad El Joulani, president of the Islamic Community of Bergamo, together with his wife, Marwa, and a group of representatives of the Young Muslim Group; Adosco Comito, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification; and Pastor Sammy Tetteh of the Christ Victory Church.
All of them demonstrated characteristic traits of their spirituality with respect to the theme of “Faith in Peace.” They expressed gratitude and appreciation for the cooperation, with the hope that it would continue in projects and events that will contribute to real brotherhood.
The event concluded with a unison prayer for peace and brotherhood and gratitude to God, our common Parent, accompanied by the hymn Amazing Grace.