FOLLOW US
UPF-Argentina Closes Out 2020 with Online Ambassadors for Peace Program
Written by UPF-Argentina
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Para leer en español, haga clic aquí.
Buenos Aires, Argentina—With its usual theme “Sharing, Recognizing and Celebrating,” UPF-Argentina closed its 2020 activities with an online meeting on December 16. On the occasion, we recognized Ambassadors for Peace distinguished throughout this year and also appointed 11 Young Ambassadors for Peace. In the beginning, we received a greeting message from Dr. Sung Jong Seo (Director, Sub-Region 2, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina), and we presented a review of 2020. We finished the event with a toast to celebrate the 15th anniversary of UPF and to ask for good omens for the upcoming festivities and 2021. The meeting, which also had music and moving moments, had around 68 online connections.
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBMJWITnC9o
Ambassadors for Peace 2020
The meeting opened with the song “My Heart Will Go On” (a Celine Dion cover), performed by Thomas and Florencia Dantas and produced by Emiliano Corales. After the greetings, Miguel Werner (Secretary General, UPF-Argentina) gave a review of this year’s activities, which concluded with a projection of images from Peace Road 2020: “One Argentina through Peace” (1). Then, the yearly distinctions followed.
With gratitude and emotion, these people received their recognitions as Ambassadors for Peace 2020:
- Luba Opeka: “For her service vocation providing inspiring Peace and Hope messages since the beginning of the quarantine, for her valuable contribution to Peace Road 2020: One Argentina Through Peace, being one of the torchbearers.”
- Julio Nardini: “For his service vocation as member of the Peace Council, for brightening and embracing with his words the “Honoring a Peace Legacy” sessions, being a bastion in the opening of the International Association of Academics for Peace (IAAP) in Argentina.”
- Adrián De Angelis: “For his service vocation as member of the Peace Council, for the creation of the journalists’ panel and the launch of the International Media Association for Peace (IMAP) in Argentina and as moderator in different meetings.”
- Humberto Benedetto: “For his outstanding work in the formation of the Axis Series panels of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) in Argentina, as representative and moderator, making guests feel as if they were in their own home.”
- Silvia Giacoppo: “For her valuable presence and support in different initiatives and activities, for her contributions as representative of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) in Argentina and her collaboration in the Peace Road Argentina 2020.”
Young Ambassadors for Peace
Carlos Varga (Director, UPF-Argentina) gave a few words before introducing the new Ambassadors for Peace, an initiative that seeks to motivate leadership to a greater commitment with good practices based on universal values. On the occasion, he reminded us of these values and principles proposed by UPF that sustain peace: 1. We are one global family under the same Creator; 2. Human nature is mainly spiritual and eternal; 3. The family is the school of love, the foundation to rebuild community bonds and establish coexistence over the solid pillars of affection, understanding and mutual help; 4. “Living for the sake of others” is a universal law, focused on UPF’s foundational mission: “renewing the leadership level;” 5. International and interreligious cooperation are essential elements for coexistence and for the expansion of global peace.
Emanuel Sayavedra (Member, UPF-Argentina’s Governing Board; Secretary, UPF-Argentina Peace Council) was in charge of introducing the Young Ambassadors for Peace. Most candidates are graduates of CARP’s leadership training and character strengthening program, Youth and Students for Peace (YSP)-Argentina and current volunteers from different organizations.
- Ailen Marquesano: studying the third year of Learning Sciences (UBA), recently married to Diogo Nobre, from Brazil.
- Patricia Seput, who was part of the international staff of the Family Festival for Peace in Brazil in 2018, Dominican Republic in 2019 and the 2020 World Summit in Korea.
- Erika Alcaraz: graduated from Master Builder, in the last year of Political Science and Government at the National University of Lanús; since her adolescence has engaged in social service activities.
- Juan Olivari: system technician who is devoted to his career while he studies graphic design and digital advertising.
- Matías Sayavedra: studies journalism, exercises his profession independently.
- Emiliano Corales: Sciences and Literature bachelor’s degree, in the last year of audiovisual courses at the National University of Lanús.
- Sun Jin De Brito: technician in tourism management, graduated from Facultade das Americas (Brazil).
- Luis César Esparza: mechanical technician in machines and tools, studies industrial engineering at the UTN.
- Johana Ochoa: Korean language student, holder of a scholarship at the Argentinian Korean Institute in 2006, currently studies to become a physical education teacher. Since 2019, has conducted Sunghwa (Harmonious Youth), a space for the training of teenagers, Johana is president of Tong Il Moo Do-Argentina (black belt), a Korean martial art that combines different traditional styles with a life philosophy based on universal principles and values.
- Lucas Rodríguez: recently graduated in Chemistry of Materials, and his wife Selomith Matus, professional baker and long-time contributor in various organizations. They have been married for eight years and have two daughters: Suyai Lael (2 years) and Bianca Anael (2 months). They currently coordinate the youth organization CARP in the province of Córdoba, performing different educational, solidary and environmental activities. They have collaborated on Peace Road for years, and they have been institutional representatives of Córdoba in Peace Road 2020.
Recollections and Toast
Before acknowledging 2020 Ambassadors for Peace, we remembered those who passed away this year: Alba Rosa Contardo, 2014 Ambassador for Peace included in the local and global Peace Council in 2015; pastor of the ministry Centro Mundial de los Milagros; missionary and poet who participated in the launch of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) in Korea in 2017 (2).
Also Orfa Pérez Chávez, Secretary of UPF-Argentina’s Peace Council, who passed to the spirit world on July 22: Distinguished for her service vocation and passionate commitment to humanitarian and solidary causes, helping countless people, mistreated women, with special attention to her fellow countrywomen; she was a volunteer and contributor in different organizations (3).
We closed the event with a toast for the 15th anniversary of UPF in Argentina and words of appreciation for the festivities and the upcoming year 2021. Words were given by Horacio Daboul, 2005 Ambassador for Peace and president of the Rotary Club in Parque de los Patricios, and Rosetta Conti, member of UPF-Argentina’s Peace Council and president of WFWP-Argentina.
Quotes:
1) Review of the 2020 Peace Road: “One Argentina Through Peace”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9CTlC6glzU
2) In memory of Pastor Alba Rosa Contardo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb7TLTnwzQA
3) Message of gratitude for the peaceful passing of Orfa Pérez Chávez:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_0jw1cn5Mw
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. |