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UN International Day of Families 2013
Experiencing Goodness without Borders in Moscow
Written by UPF - Russia
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Moscow, Russia - In cooperation with the Youth Commonwealth Department of Culture in Moscow, UPF-Moscow held several events in the framework of the UN International Day of Families in the week leading up to May 15.
One of the traditional activities during the UN Day of Families was the flash-mob activity "Give a Smile." Young Ambassadors for Peace who were competing in the beauty of character and lifestyle pageant “Mister and Miss University 2013” as well as guests from Israel who came for a seven-day visit to Russia for the "Goodness without Borders” project went out into the streets with colorful balloons and leaflets containing good wishes and kind words. These cheerful activists congratulated passers-by on the International Day of Families, handed them balloons, and invited them to choose a leaflet with a wish. It turned out that not too many Muscovites knew about the UN International Day of Families, but no doubt, after this bright and dynamic activity all those who got the balloons and smiles of organizers would remember this date and share with their friends and family the news about such an important UN day that calls on everyone to think more about the values of a strong family.
Another event attended by the guests from Israel and Young Ambassadors for Peace was a master class at the Youth of the Commonwealth Center about drawing from the right hemisphere of the brain. The essence of this international workshop is to draw while relying on senses, emotions, and intuition rather than calculation, mind, or stereotypes. Thus, within a fairly short period almost all participants of the master-class managed not only to do well in drawing small paintings but also to grasp the deeper essence of this technique, which promotes perception of inner freedom and confidence in one’s own hidden abilities. And most importantly, this method could be very useful for volunteers, both Russian and Israeli, who carry out projects for children in difficult life situations.
Throughout the week, young people from Israel and Russia carried out many socially important events and participated in round tables. On May 9, guys actively participated in celebration of the Day of Victory and met the English writer William Haines, author of textbooks on moral education I in the World of People and My World and I. The youth roundtable where the participants discussed various volunteer projects and initiatives and explored possibilities for further interaction took place at the Peace Embassy on May 10.
On May 11, they visited a Moscow regional house for elderly people and put on a festive performance, and the next day they participated in the Orthodox Christian Festival "Our Passover" in the Lublino region of Moscow. On May 13, most of them went to Kazan to participate in the Goodness without Borders conference that was held at the Kazan (Privolzhsky) Federal University; there they also visited the Temple of All Religions. On May 14, they visited the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, where they had a creative meeting at the Soprichastnost Theater with its director, the Honored Artist of Russia, actor Vladimir Frolov.
This fascinating series of events of the Goodness without Borders project ended on the UN International Day of Families, May 15. It surely opened up new horizons for future international cooperation, strengthening world peace and good neighborliness.
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