Almaty, Kazakhstan - Initiated by the Universal Peace Federation-Kazakhstan, a celebration in support of the UN International Day of Families took place in the city of Almaty on May 22. The event was held at the Peace Embassy of the Kazakhstan Republic. Among the guests there were Ambassadors for Peace, the children’s dance group “Zhanel” from the Central Children’s Palace, parents of the young dancers, and married couples with their children and grandchildren.
The celebration was opened by the lively children’s dance group. They performed a folk dance and gnomes’ dances. The artistic directors of the group are Gulzat Raimbekovna Demesinova and Lyubov Alexandrovna Rozhkova.
Larisa Vasilyevna Li, President of the Family Federation for World Peace-Kazakhstan, greeted the audience with welcoming words. Thereafter, the participants listened to the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the International Day of Families. Then the UPF representative in Kazakhstan, Olga Chuprakova, gave a presentation and report about the events in May related to the International Day of Families carried out by UPF chapters in different nations.
The keynote speech was delivered by the director of the International Educational Foundation in Kazakhstan, Vladimir Dolgov, who spoke on “Five Conditions to Secure a Happy Marriage and Family: The Interconnection between Poverty Reduction and Strong Families.” In many cases it is lack of understanding and reliable information about how to lead a moral life that prevents people from creating happy families.
Captivating competitions for married couples of different generations comprised the interactive part of the program.
Among the guests there were children between the ages of two and seven. They had a special activity of drawing pictures on the theme of “My United Family.” The results of their work were displayed on a stand in the hall for parents and guests of the program. Also, the initiators of the children’s program organized interesting indoor and outdoor games with the children.
After the program there was a concert: four solos were performed by Akaltyn Bekbolatova, Ambassador for Peace and soloist with the Central Ensemble of the Ministry of Defense and pupil of Tulegenova Bibigul Akhmetovna, the “Golden Voice of Kazakhstan.” Poetry selections and aphorisms by classical writers about a beautiful and harmonious family were read by Shishkina Nelly Vasilyevna, Ambassador for Peace and head of the literary club based in the Peace Embassy of Kazakhstan.
The MC commented that in the humdrum of everyday life people are often inclined to go astray, losing their direction and forgetting about family values, their better self, and their children. Events such as the International Day of Families help people renew their connection with the ideal precious to every human being – that of true love and ideal family. The UPF founder, Dr. Sun Myung Moon, said: “All achievements and deeds of the people should be done for the sake of love.”
Twelve paintings by Victor Vasilyevich Moon, Ambassador for Peace, member of the Artists’ Association, and one of the top ten artists of Kazakhstan, were displayed in the foyer. The guests could admire his wonderful and original paintings during the coffee break.