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Youth Hold Interfaith Luncheon in Milan
Written by UPF - Italy
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Milan, Italy - The first Interreligious Lunch organized by the Interfaith Youth Council of Italy took place at the office of Universal Peace Federation on Nov. 27, 2012. The event brought together believers of three different traditions and eight countries.
After an initial presentation an ice-breaker exercise was introduced: each person was encouraged to pair up with someone whom they didn’t know and talk together for ten minutes; after this each introduced the other to the public. This part brought some happy moments, as for example one African participant expressed his gratitude for being able to speak for the first time with an Asian woman.
Following that was the activity that gave the name to the event: the lunch. It was a very simple and family-style gathering, and everyone who brought something explained what it was, because there were meals from all around the world.
Before the lunch, three prayers were offered: one in Korean, one in one of Ghana’s languages, and one in Italian. This emphasized the interreligious aspect of the event and was an effort to draw the participants together in spirit.
After eating and relaxing, the cultural program began, and participants were encouraged to offer a song, dance, or some other performance. The Interfaith Youth Council leader offered a fantastic Czech song, followed by a duet by two siblings, a funny even though a bit dangerous game of trust, an amazing guitar duet by two brothers, and an awesome performance of the Moldovan pop song "Dragostea Dintei" sung by one of the Council members. The jewel of the gathering was a break-dancing exhibition!
Almost everyone offered something, even those who were a little shy. At the conclusion of the beautiful performances everyone received a diploma of participation, and a commemorative photo was taken. All in all this was a unique, pleasant, and unforgettable experience which ought to be repeated!
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