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UPF-Argentina Celebrates UN International Day of Peace with Awards for Outstanding Poetry

Argentina-2020-09-23-UPF-Argentina Honors UN International Day of Peace With Awards for Outstanding Poetry

Para leer en español, haga clic aquí.

Buenos Aires, Argentina—The Award Ceremony for the Ninth International Poetry Contest, organized by UPF-Argentina with the theme “Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity and Universal Values,” was part of the celebration of the UN International Day of Peace. The event took place on September 23 on Zoom. The first prize in poetry went to “Galope de mariposas,” by José Luis Hernández Castellanos (La Habana, Cuba); and “Mi paz, tu paz,” by Mirta Nancy Almassio (Necochea, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina). The jury decided that these two poems should be given the first prize, placing value on sharing instead of competing, a central message of this proposal in perspective of a peace culture. Both poems were recited as a corollary of this emotional, intense meeting, which had more than 90 connections from different provinces and countries, and a live streaming through UPF-Argentina’s YouTube channel. To see the event, click here.

The intercultural-interreligious celebration began with two artistic presentations, which were also presented at the contest: “Imagino,” a theme song performed by Osvaldo Sanguinetti (Mercedes, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina); and “Soy paraguaya mujer gloriosa,” a dance from the Art Institute ‘La Victoria,’ directed by Ambassador for Peace Lidia Victoria Giménez Amarilla, from Asunción, Paraguay. Afterward, we had an interreligious section guided by Ambassador for Peace Jackeline Giusti, Coordinator of the Pacis Nuntii Movement and member of the Santa Fe’s Interreligious Dialogue and Peace Culture Board. From this board, prayers and reflection were given by Luciano Rossi, gnostic student; Iosy Przepiorka, seminarian of the Santa Fe’s Jewish community; Father Alejandro Saba, from the Apostolic Catholic Orthodox Church of Antioch; Imam Marwan Sarwar Gill, president of the Ahmadiyya community in Argentina; and Mónica Levrino, Director of Public Affairs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. From Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Audelino Sac Coyoy, Ajq’ij Maya K’iche, “counter of Mayan time,” from Xelajuj No’j, joined the invocations. Meanwhile, Yndabor del Valle Sayavedra, director of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in Santa Fe and representative of UPF in Santa Fe, gave a few words to close this section with fraternal spirit.

The Award Ceremony followed, held in relation to the date and year of the UPF Co-Founder’s Centenary, which had more than 250 participants from 21 countries of the Americas, Europe and Asia (1). Besides the first prize, it gave three Honorable Mentions, five Special Mentions, and five Mentions. It also awarded a diploma to the selected works (illustrations and paintings) that will illustrate an anthology, which will be digitally edited with all awarded poems: “Árbol de cinco continents,” by Sandra Santibáñez Morales (Villa Alemana, Valparaiso, Chile); Sin título, by Ivana Maibel Campoya (Florencio Varela, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina); “El hombre y su incognita,” by Ricardo Gallardo (Lanús, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina); “Serie Iluminatis I,” by Verónica Franco (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina); and “Un ángel nos salvará del naufragio,” by Martha Laroche (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Representing the contest jury, writer and plastic artist Martha Candioti, Assistant Secretary of Culture of the Argentinian Writers Society (SADE); and writer Jorge Alcaraz, Coordinator of the Almafuerte Literary Circle (SADE), gave feedback on the winning and selected works. The rest of the Jury are all Ambassadors for Peace: literary critic Bertha Bilbao Richter, vice president of the Hispanic Literary and Cultural Institute (ILCH); narrator and poet Graciela Licciardi, coordinator of the Mystery and Word Cycle (SADE); and Miguel Werner, secretary general of UPF-Argentina, who was the emcee for this event.

The bilingual poet Marina Fagundes Coello, founding member of the Society “Sociedad ProArte y Cultura de Uruguayana” (Brazil), sent a warm message from Brazil in representation of the contest Godmothers (2). The Godmothers consist of writer Juana Alcira Arancibia, founder and president of the ILCH; poet and writer Nélida Pessagno, current coordinator of literary groups from SADE, where she was president; poet and plastic artist Mabel Fontau, member of the ILCH and the “Gente de Letras” Committee. The Godfather was poet Donato Perrone, representative of the Santa Catarina “Grupo de Poetas Livres” (Brazil).

This was a pleasant meeting in which we felt the joy of the winning authors, who expressed their gratitude for the award and celebration. There were more than 30 speakers deserving of attention and respect, which required an important technical expertise for the event to flow naturally and without major issues. During the closing, Mirta Almassio recited her poem “Mi paz, tu paz,” and “Galope de mariposas,” by José Luis Hernández Castellanos, was read by writer Jorge Alcaraz, Jury member and Coordinator of the Almafuerte Literary Circle (SADE). The author could not connect from Cuba due to technical problems.

At the end, besides the acknowledgements, we extended the invitation to the Rally of Hope on September 27, with speakers from all regions and a keynote speech by UPF Co-founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. The invitation was presented with images by Emanuel Sayavedra, member of UPF-Argentina’s Governing Board.

It is worth recalling that the Contest seeks to contribute to Peace, understanding that “art and poetry in particular, and culture in general, can make their contribution, based on universal values, transcending barriers, ideologies, and religions. Particular and universal ambition of peoples and cultures,” as expressed in its Rules. This year, our theme seeks to encourage regional and world summits of UPF: “Interdependence, mutual prosperity and universal values,” in support of the International Day of Peace 2020, established to “commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples” (Resolution 36/67). We also supported the Centenary of UPF Cofounder Dr. Sun Myung Moon, as a way of acknowledging his legacy as a peacemaker: with the Creator, the neighbor and creation.

Winners of the 9th International Poetry Contest - UPF Argentina

“Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity and Universal Values”

In support of the UN International Day of Peace 2020 and Centenary of UPF

Co-founder

 Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men

that the defenses of peace must be constructed.

Preamble of the UNESCO Constitution, 1945.

POEMS

FIRST PRIZE (Shared)

“Galope de mariposas”

José Luis Hernández Castellanos

La Habana - Cuba

“Mi paz, tu paz”

Mirta Nancy Almassio

Necochea - Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina

HONORABLE MENTIONS

“Más allá del paraíso”

Santos Nerone

San Francisco Solano – Quilmes - Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina

“La vida y la fe”

Ángel Omar Gonzalvez

Las Toscas - Partido de Lincoln - Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina

“Sería perfecto…”

Marcela Edith Diaz

Nueva Atlantis – Province of Buenos Aires – Argentina

“Un poema para mañana”

Sharon Gorosito

Derqui - Partido de Pilar – Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina

SPECIAL MENTIONS

“Yo a la vida”

Gabriela Steiner

Boulogne Sur Mer - San Isidro - Province of Buenos Aires – Argentina

“Hablemos de Paz”

Norberto Rubén Calul

Wilde - Avellaneda – Province of Buenos Aires – Argentina

“La agonía de la violencia”

Cristina Noguera

Pergamino - Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina

“Por esos ojos”

Eva Noemí Fernández

General Enrique Mosconi – Province of Salta – Argentina

“Entendimiento”

María Cristina De Blasis

Yerba Buena - Province of Tucumán - Argentina

MENTIONS

“Los enemigos”

Daniel Matul Romero

Guanacaste - Hojancha - Costa Rica

“Anhelo de Paz”

Andrés Leonardo Jeromín

San Martín de los Andes – Province of Neuquén - Argentina

“Empatía”

María Trinidad Williams Fuenzalida

Talca – Maule Region – Chile

“La libertad”

Claudia Marta Galante

El Bolsón – Province of Río Negro - Argentina

“Sobre una historia oscura y una tierra germinada”

Marco Antonio Valencia Calle

Popayán - Cauca Department – Colombia

PICTORIAL WORKS

“Árbol de cinco continentes”

Watercolor on Fabriano paper. Dimension: 25 x 17,5 cm. Date of creation: May 2020

Sandra Santibáñez Morales

Villa Alemana - Valparaíso - Chile

Sin título

Ivana Maibel Campoya

Florencio Varela – Province of Buenos Aires – Argentina

“El hombre y su incógnita”

Graphite. Dimensions: 47,5 x 31,5 cm

Ricardo Humberto Gallardo

Lanús - Province of Buenos Aires – Argentina

“Serie Iluminatis I”

Collage, oil paint and handmade embroidery with old gold and copper thread on canvas. Dimensions: 30 cm diameter

Verónica Olga Franco

Autonomous City of Buenos Aires – Argentina

“Un ángel nos salvará del naufragio”

Oil paint on canvas. Dimensions: 80 x 60 cm

Martha Laroche

Autonomous City of Buenos Aires – Argentina

MUSIC

“Imagino”

Music: Osvaldo “Tito” Sanguinetti (Genre: Tonada) / Lyrics: Jorge Porcel

Osvaldo “Tito” Sanguinetti - “La voz de la tierra”

Mercedes – Province of Buenos Aires - Argentina

DANCE

“Soy paraguaya mujer gloriosa”

Art Institute La Victoria

Lidia Victoria Giménez Amarilla

Asunción - Paraguay

FIRST PRIZE POEMS (Shared)

Galope de mariposas

…Y es cuando aparece mi voz,

o la tuya, o la entera fragancia instituida

por el pétalo labrado;

y es esa selva silente que salta

al precipicio delicado, al cuenco

de las alas benditas con sus colores, con sus

disímiles colores carnales, con sus eternos avatares

de luces galopantes.

¿Por qué el amor

tiene un precio, tiene un extraño, bárbaro e ilegítimo

precio instaurado por el tornado oscuro, por

la oscura silueta de la infamia?

¿Por qué tú no puedes ser yo,

si ambos somos bañados

por la gravedad?

¿Por qué

el mar se ahoga, se amonesta, lagrimea

en tanto la espuma se mancha

de tantas y odiosas

osadías?

Hoy la mañana llora porque nadie narra sus dolores;

hoy el rocío se hiere porque la sequía

viene con la herida de las confabulaciones;

hoy necesito tu mano para juntarla

al claustro de la mía;

hoy es todavía verde nuestro cielo porque

la sangre se ha puesto delante de la aurora;

hoy busco la felicidad

en tanto el alba sale del horizonte para alcanzar su propia magia.

¿Y tú, qué haces con el alba?

¿Qué haces mientras el río corre su voz hasta el final

sin lastimarse la garganta?

José Luis Hernández Castellanos (La Habana, Cuba)

Award-winning narrator and poet, whose alias is Albert Shüger. About 30 of his poems and stories have been included in anthologies promoted by Letras como espada, El muro del escritor, Revista Anuket, Mundo escritura, and Georgianbay Books.

Mi paz, tu paz

Inmaculadas, ondulantes,

Rítmicas, níveas.

Acompañan el devaneo

de las soledades y la indulgencia.

Imparten calma, esa calma

que implora, de vez en cuando, el alma.

Y de repente,

la veo, en esa ola, zambullirse,

y fragmentada la ilusión

en infinitas gotas saladas,

se esparce sobre la arena

entibiecida.

Serán las gaviotas,

las que descifren

fragmentos de un todo

atormentado por el juicio.

Será un niño,

quien con palita y balde,

recoja los deshechos

de la ilusión cristalizada.

Será el mismo mar

quien los rescate, náufragos de amor

y desencuentros

Y arme rompecabezas, gota a gota.

Serenas, altivas, eternas, impetuosas.

Acompañan la quietud

de los indómitos pensamientos.

Suspiro de resignación y consuelo

que inspira la brisa

acompañada por el viento.

Los miedos embarcan

hacia alta mar, hacia otro puerto

y la esperanza retoza

enamorada del mar, en sus orillas.

Inmaculadas, ondulantes, rítmicas, níveas

Acompañan el devaneo

de las soledades y la indulgencia

Y respiran expectantes, tu viento y mi cielo

hasta que pasen los días de aislamiento.

Mirta Nancy Almassio (Necochea, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Graduated as Superior Teacher, Teacher in Early Education and Teacher of Special Education. She currently supervises the Primary Level and writes romantic poetry. She participated in different poetry contests. She published three poetry books in the Publishing House “Editorial de los Cuatro Vientos:” Hombres irreales (2017), Mujeres reales (2018), and Amores invisibles (2020).

QUOTES

1) Participants of the 9th International Poetry Contest – UPF Argentina: from Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, United States, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Romania, Uruguay, and Venezuela. From the Argentinian provinces of Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Córdoba, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquén, Río Negro, Salta, San Juan, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán; also, from the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

2) Greetings from the Brazilian poet Marina Fagundes Coello: click here.

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