Vannes, France - In connection with the United Nations International Day of Peace, some youth, adults, and families from UPF in Vannes, a small town in Brittany in northwestern France, decided to celebrate this day in two ways.
On September 19, we cooperated with G.A.I.A., an organization that collects donations of wheelchairs, bicycles, beds, mattresses, and school supplies to send to Togo, in West Africa. In one day we loaded two containers helped with donations from around 90 people. It was a great experience to work hand in hand, young and young, to offer all those goods as an expression of our heart towards African families as a way of celebrating the International Day of Peace.
On September 20, we held a celebration attended by about 50 people of ten nationalities. We sang and listened to words of peace from representatives of various associations, faiths, and NGOs. It was especially meaningful to hear young people talk about their involvement in humanitarian activities. Participants exchanged symbolic gifts, and in closing, a Catholic priest from Togo offered a simple prayer of thanks. It was a time of fellowship and sharing based on our common desire for peace.
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To read UPF's Declaration on the International Day of Peace 2009, click here.