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UPF-Argentina’s 2021 Closing Event: “Sharing, Recognizing, and Celebrating”
Written by Miguel Werner, President, UPF-Argentina
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Argentina—With the theme “Sharing, Recognizing, and Celebrating,” UPF-Argentina formally closed its 2021 activities in a group event on Zoom held December 15, 2021, with more than 60 viewers (1).
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yHAeaNGY8s
“Once more, we ask for your participation, as Latin American Ambassadors for Peace, to the global fraternity movement that seeks a ‘great human family under God,’ to create a peaceful world with no wars, beyond nationalities, races, religions, peoples and politics,” stated Dr. Sung Jong Seo, president of UPF-Southern Cone (Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina) in his opening message. He also reviewed UPF’s global activities during 2021 and expressed appreciation for the efforts made in Argentina. Then a video was shown, “The celebration that innovates: Sharing, Recognizing, Celebrating,” with a message by Ambassador for Peace María Irene Giurlani and photography by Ambassador for Peace Silvia Inés Sierra (5).
During the meeting, which was moderated by UPF-Argentina’s president Miguel Werner and his wife Alba Luz Tangarife, many acknowledgments were given: to provincial representatives of 2021 Peace Road Argentina, to speakers of the 2021 “Leadership and Cooperation” Series and its participants, and to the 2021 Ambassadors for Peace.
The first people to be acknowledged were provincial institutional representatives of Peace Road 2021: “One Argentina through Peace,” with moderator Luba Opeka, Ambassador for Peace and public relations manager of UPF-Argentina. We showed a video overview of the 7th edition of this initiative which is now a world peace campaign, held every year in countries of all regions with the theme “Connecting the World through Peace” and “Realizing the Dream of One Global Family” (2).
On this occasion, recognition was given to a representative of each of the five regions in Argentina: Héctor Pedro Del Valle, president of the Association of former Salesian Students, representative of 2021 Peace Road of Chaco Province (Northeast Region); María Leandra García Pérez, from “Haciendo Lío” Santiago del Estero, representative of 2021 Peace Road of Santiago del Estero Province (Northwest Region); Soledad Cabral, from the Parents Group “Families for Education,” representative of 2021 Peace Road of Córdoba Province (Center Region); Betina Beamonte, from the soup kitchen “Las Familias” of Río Grande, representative of 2021 Peace Road of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands (Patagonian Region); and Omar González, founder of All Boys Solidario, representative of 2021 Peace Road of Buenos Aires Province (Buenos Aires Region).
Each one had the opportunity to share how they felt about the Peace Road experience. We also expressed appreciation for everyone’s collaboration on this 7th edition which travelled across the country with a “virtual walk,” showing the activities developed in each one of the 23 Argentinian provinces: solidarity, ecological, artistic-cultural, educative, sportive, and interreligious. We specially thanked the National Organizing Committee, coordinated by UPF-Argentina, and consisting of IAPP, IAPD, IMAP, IAAP, Red Cooperar, Civil Association “Acercando Naciones,” YSP-Argentina, Tong Il Moo Do Argentina, the Argentinian chapters of the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) and the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). We also thanked the monitoring team: Ambassadors for Peace Luba Opeka, Luciana Zambrano, Erika Alcaraz, Patricia Seput and Ailén Marquesano; and the technical team: Juan Olivari and Elías Vaginai.
Next, we acknowledged the 2021 “Leadership and Cooperation” Series, organized by UPF leadership areas (IAPP, IAPD, IMAP and IAAP) with YSP-Argentina. The Series had more than 100 registrations, and 20 participants met the requirements to receive an attendance certificate. Sharing their testimony of their experience were Ambassadors for Peace Mary Acosta, Andrea Fernández Bevans and Hugo Bernardi.
Emanuel Sayavedra, secretary general of UPF-Argentina and president of YSP-Argentina, introduced the participants. Next, the speakers of the five meetings of the Series that took place from June to October were introduced: Christian Oreb, general coordinator of “Red Cooperar” of Civil Society Organizations of the City of Buenos Aires; Patricia Pitaluga, president of the Civil Association “Acercando Naciones”; Juan Bautista Segonds, president and founder of Rugby Without Borders; Silvia Carranza, president of CILSA, NGO for Inclusion; Natalia Arioli and Julio Zampronio, university professors and creators of groups of the Word of God Movement of Paraná (Entre Ríos); and Gastón Gasparotti, founder and president of the Akamasoa Foundation in Argentina. Also shown was a video overview of the Series (3).
Next, we recognized the 2021 Ambassadors for Peace, introduced by Rosetta Conti, member of UPF-Argentina’s governing board and president of WFWP-Argentina. First, we shared a video review on the 2021 “Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices” Series (4), since there were acknowledgements related to this initiative inaugurated this year.
Those recognized as 2021 Ambassadors for Peace, according to what was agreed on at the last UPF Peace Council’s meeting, were: Inderveer Kaur: “For her service and contributions to the ‘Honoring a Peace Legacy’ and ‘Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices’ Series, as a representative of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) in Argentina”; and David Frol: “For his service and contributions to the development of the 2021 ‘Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices’ Series, as a representative of the Interreligious Association for Peace and Development (IAPD) in Argentina.” And two young people: Ailén Marquesano: “For her service, willingness, commitment and responsibility in performing different tasks as UPF-Argentina staff, and her service as part of the technical team in different activities”; and Matías Sayavedra: “For his service and collaboration on the team of the International Media Association for Peace (IMAP) Argentina and his efforts during the 2021 Interview Series to participants for their values and good practices.”
On the occasion, we also remembered Ambassadors for Peace “who passed during 2021 and now guide us from the spiritual realm”: Dr. Juana Arancibia (27/1/2021), founder and president of the Hispanic Literary and Cultural Institute (ILCH), an international figure in the fields of literature and culture, who was Godmother in different editions of UPF-Argentina’s international poetry contests. Pastor Dario Martínez (27/1/2021), pastor of the Christian ministry “El Camino de Isidro Casanova,” in Buenos Aires, who represented Argentina in different international meetings. Luis Acuña (28/4/2021), remembered for his service and artistic talent as a folk and tango dancer, with a recent degree as an instructor at the University of Tango. Juan Bautista Bertorello (1/6/2021), folk artist and host of “La Casa del Trovador” in Córdoba, remembered for his brilliant performance at UPF-Argentina’s inaugural event on December 11, 2005. Natty Petrosino (26/7/2021), also called the “Argentinian Mother Theresa” for her community work, recognized as Ambassador for Peace in 2021, who began as a model and actress, and ended up devoting her efforts to those in suffering or in need and native peoples.
UPCAM president Adrián De Angelis, representative of IMAP, then invited everyone to the last interview of the IMAP/UPF-Argentina’s 2021 Series.
We finished the event with a toast for UPF-Argentina’s 16th anniversary and good wishes for the holiday season and the beginning of 2022, with every participant joining together from their homes or place of connection. The toast was led by Professor Julio Nardini, representative of IAAP-Argentina. He thanked everyone for what was shared over the years as a family. He said he seeks to keep walking the path of brotherhood and peace, that everything we say and do transforms into blessings, and recited Psalm 133: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Quotes:
1) “Sharing, Recognizing and Celebrating” – Yearly closure of UPF-Argentina’s activities 15-12-2021:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yHAeaNGY8s
2) Review on the 2021 Peace Road: “One Argentina through Peace” 28-11-2021:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9ynY75antA
3) Review on the 2021 “Leadership and Cooperation” Series – Leadership areas of UPF/YSP-Argentina:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21iP_gyd674
4) Review on the 2021 “Interreligious Dialogue and Good Practices” Series by IAPD/UPF/YSP-Argentina:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYVjeI94VKE
5) The Celebration that Innovates - “Sharing, Recognizing, Celebrating” - María Irene Giurlani 15-12-2021:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_7MY7kuSDA
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