Hamburg, Germany - Around 20 people of different faiths and cultures attended a program organized by UPF-Germany to mark the International Day for Tolerance. In 1995 UNESCO declared this day with the intention of replacing the culture of war with a culture of peace. The UPF program, held on Nov. 12, 2013, in the city of Hamburg, began with a performance of music written by Mozart played on violin and piano.
The first speaker was Bishop Salem Osas Edosomwan, an Ambassador for Peace from Nigeria. He made an impassioned plea for selfless, divine love as the vehicle for tolerance. In Nigeria there are more than 200 languages, and therefore it is particularly important to overcome intolerance with a love that is rooted in God.
A music teacher from Iran played Persian music on a stringed instrument called a dombra and the piano. Next Mr. Frank Busch, spokesman for the Church of Scientology in Hamburg, gave a talk entitled “The Way to Happiness,” which describes rational life rules as conditions for greater tolerance.
The program continued with Mr. Laxmi Saha, a native of India, being awarded a certificate as Ambassador for Peace. Although Mr. Saha is a Hindu, he has visited numerous other religious communities to show them his respect. In his acceptance speech, he stressed how important it is to live a life of constant connection and devotion to God, especially for those who live in an affluent society.
The meeting concluded in a happy and confident mood, as the participants from many different cultures and backgrounds joined in songs from the peace movement of the 1960s, led by singer and guitarist Reinhold Merta.