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Buenos Aires, Argentina—On September 6, UPF-Argentina appointed 17 new Ambassadors for Peace during the celebration of the International Day of Friendship 2018 (1). The event took place in the Autonomías Hall of Club Español in Buenos Aires City.
The new Ambassadors for Peace are the journalists Adrián de Angelis, founder and host of the radio show “La Hora de Francisco”; Federico Binnes Erbach, host of the radio show “La Vuelta al Mundo en 60 Minutos”; and Juan Ignacio Incardona, author of the book África, barriendo fronteras and co-author of the website Próxima rotonda; the blind lyrical singer Alejandro Brunengo; María Alejandra Durán, president and founder of the civic association Psyche Terapias Integradoras; a doctor specialized in communicable diseases, Dr. María Verónica Ferro; Dr. Christian González D’Alessandro, TV columnist in matters related to pensions and seniors; Liliana Hernández, postgraduate in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and conflict resolution; and Dr. Christian Walter Meniw, director of the Innovation and Business Center in Bolivia and the Africa–Latin America Innovation Center in Ghana.
The other Ambassadors for Peace present were Prof. Julio Nardini, minister of intercession in the Word of God Movement; and his wife Rosa María Holgado, from the Word of God Movement; Prof. Javier Nicolao, director of the “Promueve Paz” Project in Villa Sarmiento; community mediator Emilio Ruberto, who works at the Office of the Ombudsman in Paraná; writer Antonia Russo, member of the Pacis Nuntii Movement; yoga instructor Ariela Salguero, creator of Play Yoga; singer and presenter Makenna Zambonini, creator of Noches de Música por la Paz; and Francisco Silva, founder and secretary of the civic association “Agrupación Caballito.”
Each new Ambassador for Peace expressed their gratitude and commitment in their moving testimonies. They received a diploma (2), UPF Founder Dr. Sun Myung Moon’s autobiography As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen, and copies of the UPF inaugural address and the UN declarations on the International Day of Families and World Interfaith Harmony Week. They also received a UPF pin, given by their godparent or godmother. New Ambassadors for Peace also received a tree that they could plant to join the global campaign Let’s Plant Trees: Let’s Sow the Seeds of Peace (3). This is an initiative led by the Ambassadors for Peace Esteban Fauret and Amalia Daibes and UPF-Argentina to raise awareness of environmental protection and commitment to peace. Peace Ambassador for Peace Andrea Vega, director of the Chacras Foundation in Buenos Aires, provided the trees.
During the meeting, UPF-Argentina’s director, Carlos Varga, talked about UPF’s Principles of Peace (4)and the mission of Ambassadors for Peace so that they can have a greater commitment to peace in these times of crisis, changes, and opportunities. We also showed the videos “Introduction to UPF” (5) and “Peace Road 2018,” (6) a global initiative that will take place this year in more than 120 countries that encompasses the UPF founders’ vision of “connecting the world through peace.”
Young Ambassadors for Peace from Japan opened the artistic section: Mijo Obi, Motomi Hirai, Nichika Kabakino, Mizuna Shinozaki, and Satusuki Muto. They performed Kaze ni Naru (“Become the Wind”) and Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana (“The One and Only Flower in the World”). The last performance was done by the lyrical singer Alejandro Brunengo, a new Ambassador for Peace.
The emcee of this event was UPF’s representative in Córdoba, Jorge Pereyra, who read greetings from supporting organizations. They included, among others, the Buenos Aires Writers Society, the Global Center of Argentinian and Latin American Writers, and the Argentine chapters of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, the Women’s Federation for World Peace, and the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles.
QUOTES
1) International Day of Friendship
On April 27, 2011, the United Nations designated July 30 as International Day of Friendship, bearing in mind “that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and presents an opportunity to build bridges between communities, honoring cultural diversity.” We could mention different projects, from individuals and entities, that have promoted friendship, such as the World Friendship Crusade, created by Dr. Ramón Bracho (Paraguay) in 1958; and Friendship Day, which Dr. Enrique Febbraro (Argentina) created.
2) Content of the Diploma
“The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) recognizes as Ambassadors for Peace individuals whose lives represent the ideal of living for the sake of others, people who dedicate to the promotion of universal values, a solid family life, interreligious cooperation, international harmony, renewal of the United Nations, responsible public media, and the creation of a peace culture.
“Ambassadors for Peace, who transcend racial, national, and religious barriers, contribute to accomplishing the hope of all eras: a unified world of peace in which the spiritual and material dimensions live in harmony.”
3) Global Campaign “Let’s Plant Trees: Let’s Sow the Seeds of Peace”
This was initiated in June and will end in September 2019, at the celebration of the International Day of Peace. Through this event, we invite poets, writers, literary and educational entities; cultural, spiritual, social and peace organizations worldwide to plant one or more trees within the framework of an activity that commits to environmental sustainability and peaceful coexistence. For more information: www.librosarbolespaz.blogspot.com.ar or send an e-mail to:
4) Principles of Peace
- We are one human family created by God, whose name varies in each spiritual tradition;
- The highest qualities of the human being are spiritual and moral in nature;
- The family is the school of values and peace. Here, we learn the most basic personal and public virtues and we experience filial, fraternal, conjugal and paternal/maternal love;
- “Living for the sake of others” is the highest standard of community life: “the common good;”
- Mutual respect, dialogue, and international and interreligious cooperation are imperative for harmonious coexistence and sustainable development.
5) Introduction to UPF: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k2K_sphYvM
6) Peace Road 2018: www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5qqrzyPStI
*Amistad, one of the poems received for the occasion:
AMISTAD
La amistad es criollo lazo
que nos regala el Eterno,
y es la hoja del cuaderno
de nuestros primeros trazos,
es leal y fuerte abrazo
que se da de corazón,
es la sincera emoción
de sentirse bien querido,
y es el mate del estribo
después de alguna reunión.
La amistad es un estado
que alienta al hombre vivir,
es presente y porvenir
de deseos bien guardados,
es el arcón bien cuidado
donde habrán de pernoctar,
los recuerdos que al pasar
a través de nuestra mente,
han de ser la llama ardiente
que nunca se ha de apagar.
Gracias Dios que has permitido
el poder haber gozado,
de amigos que me han brindado
su amistad que nunca olvido,
la vida tiene sentido
si la amistad la alimenta,
si no, será la osamenta
que ha de servir de comida,
a quienes van por la vida
sin ese pan que sustenta.
By Adolfo Vasco Zabalza