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International Day of Peace Observed in Paris, France
Written by Brigitte Wada, president, WFWP-France
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Paris, France—The 2017 International Day of Peace was celebrated at an evening program with the theme given by the United Nations: “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.”
The French chapters of UPF and Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an affiliated organization, held the September 21 event in the Espace Barrault education center.
The moderator, Brigitte Wada, the president of WFWP-France, spoke a few words on the meaning of “Together for Peace.” She reminded the audience that there can be no peace without unity based on universal values and an unselfish life.
She quoted Dr. Hak Jan Han Moon, founder of WFWP International: “History is calling for reconciliation, compassion, love, service and sacrifice. Today’s problems cannot be solved by the logic of power. … Our present problems can only be solved by the logic of love.”
The first speaker, Ms. Lama Al Atassi, a Franco-Syrian consultant in intercultural relations and a human rights activist, spoke very movingly about her own life experience, when at the age of nine, she fled Syria with her family, settling in Algeria and then in France. She mentioned that in Western countries like France, refugees can find security by having access to social support but lose their dignity at the same time.
After this first presentation, Mrs. Wada opened the floor for a session of questions and answers as well as comments. Among the participants there were two religious leaders—Sheikh Abdelkader Achour, imam of the Omar Mosque in Paris’ 11th District, and Father Michel Anglares, a Catholic theologian.
Mr. Edmond Jouve, a professor and expert in political science, was another participant. He is one of the rare French academics to have maintained relationships with North Korea. In fact, he has visited that nation several times. He explained the actual situation of North Korea and peace security.
After Mr. Alain Raulot sang Make Me a Channel of Your Peace, the program concluded with Mr. Jean-François Moulinet, the president of the French chapter of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), another affiliated organization, introducing a short video about the Peace Road, another project initiated by the UPF founders.
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