FOLLOW US
UN International Day of Families 2022
UPF-France Observes International Day of Families
Written by Jean-François Moulinet, coordinator, Dialogue & Alliance, UPF-France
Sunday, May 29, 2022
Paris, France—Dialogue & Alliance organized its monthly interfaith meeting, this time choosing the theme "The Family: School of Love and Peace" in recognition of International Day of Families.
In addition to the participants who came to the Paris Education Center, online viewers represented 13 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Italy, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Switzerland, and the United States.
The moderator of the May 29, 2022, event was Dorian Gravrand, a member of the French chapter of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP), an organization that is affiliated with UPF.
The first reading, from Ephesians 5:22-33 in the New Testament, was commented on by Rev. Joseph Binguimale, a pastor who described several personal experiences in the "school" of his own family of African origin, living in France with eight children, fifteen grandchildren and one great-grandson.
The second reading, from the Koran, Sura IV, verse 1, was commented on by Sheikh Abdelkader Achour, the imam of the Omar Mosque in Paris 11e, who encouraged us to use all means to strengthen and preserve the family unit. He reminded us very well of the reasons for marriage from the point of view of Islam.
A short musical break gave the participants a better understanding of the process of a Jewish wedding. The song was performed by Yossi Azulay, an international artist, producer, and singer, who performs in Israel and around the world, accompanied by the children's group Music Kids.
The last reading, an excerpt from a sermon of 1986, brought a Unificationist view. Marie-Christine Odent, a marriage and family counselor, emphasized that we learn love in our family, where we discover the Four Great Realms of Heart: filial love, fraternal love, conjugal love, and parental love. She also emphasized the importance of grandparents whose presence makes us aware that we do not come from nowhere and that we continue the chain of generations. Finally, she reminded us that God should be part of our families.
The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session.
The next meeting was announced for Sunday, June 26, 2022, on the theme "Reconciliation in Daily Life."
If you find this page helpful and informative please consider making donation. Your donation will help Universal Peace Federation (UPF) provide new and improved reports, analysis and publications to you and everyone around the world.
UPF is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and all donations are tax deductible in the United States. Receipts are automatically provided for donations of or above $250.00.
|
Donate to the Universal Peace Federation: Your donation to support the general programs of UPF. |
Donate to the Religious Youth Service (RYS): Your donation will be used for service projects around the world. |
Donate to UPF's Africa Projects: Your donation will be used for projects in Africa. |