FOLLOW US
International Day of Peace Celebrated in Germany
Written by UPF - Germany
Saturday, September 20, 2014
On the occasion of the UN International Day of Peace 2014, UPF-Germany organized programs in Bonn, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart.
Bonn
The Bonn chapters of Women’s Federation for World Peace and UPF provided a platform on Sept. 14, 2014, for people from different nations, belief systems and religions to share their ideas on the topic of this year’s International Day of Peace as proclaimed by the United Nations: The Right of Peoples to Peace.
The speakers of the day were:
- Dr. Basharat A. Syed (Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat): How can peaceful coexistence succeed?
- Ulf Gottfriedt (Lutheran Church): Peace – The Core of the Christian Message
- Ven. B. Samiddhi (Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Centerr, Bonn): Creating Peace Energy and Sharing It with Others
- Christina Partuschke-Begnaud: Women and Youth as Key to Peace – Activities of the Women’s Federation for World Peace and UPF
In times when the daily news often sound like war report, the individual may sometimes feel powerless and helpless. And yet in the course of the Bonn International Day of Peace event, it became noticeable that the participants understood themselves as factors for peace and thus want to make their own contributions to a peaceful world.
From their different perspectives they all made it clear that peace is not only a matter of states or political alliances and organizations such as the United Nations. Rather, peace begins in each individual.
Many of the participants could personally make this experience during a meditation exercise, which was beautifully guided by Ven. B. Samiddhi.
Dr. Basharat A. Syed vividly portrayed the idea of peace, as upheld in the Ahmadiyya community. This idea can be found in Islam as in other religions. The family plays a special role in it.
Ulf Gottfriedt, an activist of the Lutheran Church and volunteer in the Salvation Army, recalled core elements of the Christian message: peace of heart, peace with God and peace in relationships with others.
Christina Partuschke met with much approval as she explained the crucial role of women in the peace efforts of our time and presented many peace activities of the Women's Federation (seminars and peace bridges with women of enemy nations, practical help in areas of conflict, mediation in the Middle East, commitment for the rights of women under the theme "The Dignity of Women" and much more). She also showed by the example of the Religious Youth Service, how young people from different countries are joining together in service in many countries.
Meaningful comments from the audience as well as musical contributions completed the official part of the event. Many of the numerous participants took the opportunity to share deeply with each other and also enjoyed cakes and refreshments.
Hamburg
"The Family Is the First School of Peace" was the topic of the International Day of Peace program in Hamburg on Sept. 20. Mrs. Hilde Piepenburg, mother of four children and a psychology student, outlined the historical developments leading to present understandings of the family. She said the current understanding of family as the natural biological unit consisting of father, mother and children, was not the concept of family held by our ancestors. The family was seen rather as a larger household or extended family. It was only with the advent of the "bourgeois family" in the 18th century that the modern concept of family developed, and it is still not commonly recognized as the only institution endowed by the creator.
In today’s society, the impression given by the media is that the family is outdated. So-called "alternative lifestyles are presented as progressive, although polls show that 80 percent of young people wish to have a traditional family.
Even though homosexual partnerships make up less than 1% of the total, they receive such disproportionate attention so that family values become blurred and on the defensive. And this has fatal consequences for society.
Increasing indifference and isolation leads to a significantly colder social climate. Divorce and lack of family support become contributing factors in the increase in mental illness. The inability to deal well with an ageing society is another factor which contributes to the disintegration of the family system. So again, clarity is needed about the importance of the family as well as a hopeful vision of how to move the family from the periphery to the center of life.
The topic stimulated lively discussion and exchange of ideas. Countless psychological studies show that the family is a supportive environment for children and young people. Couples who achieve a successful partnership are healthier and have more longevity. Ultimately, all people owe their life to a father and a mother, and this will continue to be the case despite advances in medical technology.
Munich
On the occasion of the UN International Day of Peace, UPF-Munich organized an interreligious prayer for peace Sept. 20, 2014, believing that prayer is a powerful means of action and a way of calming the spirit.
After words of introduction by the moderator, the short message by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was read.
After that the Roman Catholic theologian Gottfried Hutter, an expert on the Middle East, explained to the audience - Catholics, Buddhists and Unificationists – some aspects of the Islamic world that are not well known: its historic roots, development through the centuries and its present circumstances. This helped the participants gain a better understanding.
Dr. Alfons Wellenhofer of UPF-Munich spoke about the immense power of prayer. He said: “Praying produces a spiritual energy that enables us to help others and influence things for the better, e.g. peace…. Through praying we can bring down heaven to earth, the good spiritual world and the blessings of God.”
Ms. Gisela Münster, a Roman Catholic theologian, read a beautiful prayer by the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
And Mrs. Jung-Ja Holm, a representative of the Korean Spirit and and Culture Promotion Project and a Buddhist, shared about her experiences with the Buddhist Diamond Sutra and how its content can lead to internal peace. She emphasized the importance of considering everybody, friend or enemy, a Buddha, someone you can always learn something from.
The program was enriched by the inspiring songs of musician Gianni Scarcella.
Each speaker lit a candle for peace, and the gathering ended with a joint payer.
Stuttgart
About 20 people assembled in the premises of UPF-Stuttgart on Sept. 20 to express hope for peace in this time of armed conflict. They came together to consolidate their strength in prayer, voice important impulses for peace, and reflect on what a person can concretely contribute.
To open the meeting, the moderator and chairman of UPF-Stuttgart Hubert Arnoldi read UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s statement on this year’s International Day of Peace. Following this, several deeply moving prayers for peace were offered. After each prayer, a candle was lit and set to float in a bowl of water.
Here are two excerpts from words of religious leaders.
What a powerful contribution each of us can make to world peace when we recognize Christ in everything and everybody-when we embody the individual true unity with God. World peace is possible. And when we consider our connection to what is Godly, it is natural to say: it is inevitable! The love of God speaks to the human heart in a way that is universally comprehensible. And that is surely a powerful prayer! And it alludes to a powerful spiritual fact: It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, one Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent; war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established. (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, page 467)
We are living in a time when a mutual understanding between religions and reconciliation between believers is more important and urgent for world peace than ever before. The priceless teachings of religion are sources of wisdom that have enlightened the history of mankind. But believers of all religions must first of all know and overcome three possible weaknesses:
First, the tendency to be too focused on the hereafter and to be unrealistic;
Second, the danger of being too narrow and inward thinking;
And third, the possibility that faith moves in the direction of fanaticism.
Religious leaders must have the ability to embrace all people with a loving heart. It is the central responsibility of religious people to overcome the numerous separations between the people of this world and to tear down the walls that stand between different religions. A religion does not exist for itself and for the salvation of its followers. It exists to fulfill the Will of God. Many people hope that the United Nations will solve the world’s problems and build a world of peace. It is correct that the United Nations must work with so many limitations. However, we need to understand that when the UN does not recognize the meaning of religion and spirituality, it will go down a path that will gradually lead to a loss of influence. The UN, in its efforts to analyze and solve the current problems, is too set in one direction. If it continues in this way, it will not be able to fulfill the purpose for which it was grounded and its meaning will diminish more and more.
To tackle the establishment of a peaceful world fundamentally and comprehensively, I, as I have done before advocate that the UNO creates an establishment where all the world religions are represented. These representatives must be able to put into practice the central idea of their founder. They must live the truth and they must, by their example, open the way for others. I hope that you take this proposal seriously and strive to establish such a facility in the UN. (Rev. S.M. Moon: World Summit for the Development of a Culture of Peace
Mrs. Hendrich, representing Religions for Peace, then read excerpts from different prayers, commenting that these prayers had been collected and put together by the Catholic Dioceses of Germany and Austria. The following is from a prayer by Swami Vivekananda (1863-1901):
Almighty God, creator of Heaven and Earth, who carries the world with love, help us to be aware of our responsibility for your creation…..we pray for peace between religions and cultures, for peace for the entire fallen groaning creation. Lord, make us an instrument of your peace! Fill us with wisdom and strength and give us the courage to begin this task today. May all the earth’s inhabitants recognize the full truth; that we are in this world not for the purpose of quarrel and conflict; we are in this world to respect and praise you. May you be forever praised!
Afterwards, Hubert Arnoldi sang “Brothers Sun, Sister Moon,” based on the prayer by St. Francis of Assisi.
The main speaker, Karl Christian Hausmann, chairman of UPF-Germany, encouraged everyone with fresh insights about peace and quoted, among others, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who warned against tolerating or encouraging interreligious fighting and called people to focus on the will of God, which is “one world family.” The UN has not adopted the recommendation to establish an interreligious advisory board or council. More fundamentally, Jerusalem is a place where three world religions have common roots and points of similarity; therefore it has the potential to be a place for conflict solving.
After the traditional commemorative photo, there was lively discussion over coffee and cake. Participants expressed a determination to shoulder responsibility and no longer be silent and look on from the sidelines.
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. |
Related Articles
Australia
UPF-Australia Convenes Mutual Prosperity Summit
Melbourne, Australia—The Mutual Prosperity Summit focused on “Rethinking Our Economic Models.”