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Buenos Aires, Argentina—UPF-Argentina and other organizations celebrated the UN International Day of Families 2019 by recognizing 30 couples who have been married between 25 and 60 years. This is the 11th program the chapter has held recognizing couples with longstanding marriages. Events took place in Merlo, Buenos Aires city, and San Clemente del Tuyú in Buenos Aires province. As has been done in previous programs, every honoree couple, who were recognized for their “commitment to the values of selflessness, dialogue and mutual respect, understanding and solidarity, empathy and patience, love and family,” (1) gave testimonies of their lives together.
The International Day of Families, which was established on September 25, 1993 by a UN General Assembly resolution, is observed on May 15 of every year “to raise awareness of the role of families in promoting early childhood education and lifelong learning opportunities for children and youth.”
Merlo
On May 15, the chapter celebrated the International Day of Families with the Rotary Club Merlo Norte at their headquarters in Merlo, Buenos Aires. Fourteen married couples were recognized at the celebration. Among the honorees were: María Laura Pierri and José Adrián Díaz (32 years of marriage), Elisa Emma Weber and Eduardo Hugo Pizzoni (35 years), Tomasa Robledo and Mateo Celestino Barragán (39 years), Graciela Alicia Fernández and Francisco Galluzzo (43 years), Norma Nélida Cinque and Oscar Roberto Kelly (45 years), Aurelia Sosa García and Antonio Damiano (46 years), Martha Sabina Aballay and Bartolomé Carlos Tedesco (48 years), Alicia Romero and Pedro Roldán (50 years), Marta Elisa Grigüela and Ángel Antonio Martínez Parada (51 years), María Flora Frías and Magencio Costela (54 years), Francisca Raquel Di Pietro and Tomás Secundino Rubio (54 years), Antonia Irma Salguero and Diógenes Bondia (56 years), Ada Valeriana Brite and Augusto Spinelli (59 years), and Carmen Virginia Salvato and Carlos Raúl Medici (60 years).
The welcoming remarks were given by Mrs. Silvia Rabboni, president of Rotary Club Merlo Norte, which co-hosted the celebration with UPF-Argentina. Mr. Pedro Segura, who has organized the annual International Day of Families program since last year, gave a few words and introduced the emcee, Mr. Miguel Werner, secretary general of UPF-Argentina. Before the couples were recognized, Mr. Sergio Castellón and Mrs. Rosetta Conti, president of the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP)-Argentina, reaffirmed the value of marriage.
During the entertainment, Jorge and Mirko, professors of the “Beatle technique,” sang and encouraged some of the guests to dance. At the end, everyone enjoyed lunch and a cake made by Ambassador for Peace Mrs. Constanza Sena, who recommended Mr. Segura and his wife, Noemí Helvecia Nava, to be recognized as a couple at UPF-Argentina’s 2017 celebration of the International Day of Families.
A video of photos of the event can be viewed by clicking here.
Buenos Aires
“Families and Communities Honor Our Country” was the theme for the International Day of Families celebration held in El Templete, in Buenos Aires city, on May 23. The event was organized by UPF-Argentina and the Asociación Liga Árabe Cultural y Social (Cultural and Social Arab League Association).
On the occasion, eight couples who have been married for 25 years or more and their families for being a role model in values were recognized. The honorees were: Dora Inacio and Oscar Julio Rodríguez (26 years of marriage), Mirta Elvira León and Ángel Gabriel Machado (31 years), Liliana Raquel Torres and Alberto Sergio Vera Sarubbi (40 years), Ana Lía Ekkert and Juan Manuel Taborda (42 years), María Del Carmen Álvarez and Carlos Rey (43 years), Liliana Cravero and Miguel Ángel Martínez Pereyra (44 years), Marta Olga Palacio and Claudio Francisco Pase (46 years), and Elvira Verbyla and Gregorio Carlos Jochoian (49 years).
A brief speech was given by Ambassador for Peace Mr. Horacio Daboul, who leads the Cultural and Social Arab League Association and the Committee of Institutional Relations District 4895 of Rotary International. Mr. Juan Manuel Taborda and the married couple Liliana Torres and Alberto Vera Sarubbi performed musical numbers. The emcee was Mr. Emanuel Sayavedra, a member of the UPF-Argentina Peace Council. At the end, everyone enjoyed lunch together.
The event was supported by the Argentine Federation of Communities (FAC); Rotary Club Parque de los Patricios; the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Tourism, and Services of Parque de los Patricios – Corporate Social Responsibility; and the Argentine chapters of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) and WFWP. In addition, the paper mill of the Maison Chaves Soleil neighborhood gave UPF-Argentina a badge of the Argentinian flag in celebration of Mayo week, an important national holiday.
A video of photos of the event can be viewed by clicking here.
San Clemente del Tuyú
The event in San Clemente del Tuyú, which also celebrated the Global Day of Parents (2), took place on June 1 at San Remo Hotel. The meeting was initiated by Ambassador for Peace Mrs. Marta Formichella, director of Arte por un Mundo de Paz, and sponsored by WFWP-Argentina.
Eight couples were recognized: Carmen Dolores Muñiz and Francisco Juan Magliolo (58 years), María Ester Pezoa and Rodolfo Luis Albanito (51 years), Graciela Susana García and Oscar Benito León (42 years), Alicia Laura Boursalian and Juan José Marcello (40 years), Delfia Valenzuela and Pedro Fretes (39 years), Andrea Nélida Estanga and Oscar Alberto Molina (38 years), Liliana Beatriz Jaime and Sandro Julio Enrique Heredia (25 years), and Alicia Norma Acosta and Carlos Néstor Coll.
At the beginning of the program, music was performed by Raúl Stivala and Emma. During the intervals, the folk ballet Renacer was performed by Pamela Falcón and Alberto Risso. At the end, several couples participated in the renewal of marriage vows, which was presided over by Sergio Castellón and his wife Rosetta Conti, of the FFWPU. Also, an Ambassador for Peace award was given to Marta Formichella and her husband Luis Techera for promoting family values and the sacred bond of marriage (3).
A video of photos of the event can be viewed by clicking here.
(1) The content of the certificate that was given to each married couple that was recognized: “For exemplifying commitment and values, such as selflessness; dialogue and mutual respect; understanding and solidarity; empathy; patience; and love. Family is the natural realm of growth, education and the protection of children’s rights; the school of coexistence, the basic unit of society and a divine institution; the foundation of community, national and global peace.”
(2) In September 2012, the UN General Assembly designated June 1 as the Global Day of Parents (resolution A/RES/66/292), “recognizing their role and honoring parents throughout the world.”
(3) The content of the certificate given to Marta and Luis: “For their commitment to the sacred value of marriage, the importance of fidelity, and the divine plan of the Blessing for each of their offspring. Families provide emotional support for the healthy growth of children, are the natural realm for community life and are the support for common good to achieve a solid, solidary, sustainable, and peaceful nation. We wish God keeps guiding, inspiring, and blessing their life and their projects and dreams, multiplying the fruits of love, truth, prosperity, and peace.”
(*) Historical, social, and spiritual significance of families:
“A society and a family are like a pile of stones. If you remove one stone, the pile will collapse.” The Talmud
“When individual families have learned kindness, then the whole nation has learned kindness.” Confucius
“The future of humanity passes through the family.” John Paul II
“No one can think that the weakening of the family as that natural society founded on marriage will prove beneficial to society as a whole.” Pope Francis “Amoris Laetitia”
“Families are the starting point for the building of peace.” Sun Myung Moon
“The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN), Article 16