10 Years UPF Anniversary Celebration in Munich, Germany

10 Years UPF Anniversary Celebration Munich, Germany, 20. September 2015

By Robert Bentele Mr Gottfried Hutter, a Rom. Catholic The highlight of the event was the

A theologian, also shared his encounter speech of Karl-Christian Hausmann, reason to be happy and to be with UPF and expressed his gratitude the chairman of UPF Germany. In His proud! A reason to honour our that he could participate in various address he raised the question why it founders, Rev. and Mrs. Moon, national and international seems to be so difficult to establish and a reason to celebrate this interreligious events and that he could peace. He emphasized three points: anniversary and invite our companions, meet many other peace makers from Ambassadors for Peace, friends and 1. The absence of clear common ideas around the world. guests! and goals On Sunday 20th September the Munich 2. The lack of non corrupt elites UPF invited for an anniversary celebration 3. Not respecting religions and their to its centre and about 70 members guests capacities to support peace and friends came together to processes commemorate this valuable event. He then mentioned that Rev. Moon had In the beginning Dr. Alfons already called about 15 years ago for the Wellenhofer red excerpts of the UPF renewal of the United Nations where founding speech of Rev. Moon which is God and religions could play a major also the first of a series of 15 peace role and had presented five points of messages to the world. After that we reference for mankind in the 21st showed an UPF introduction video and century: a powerpoint presentation about our 1. We are one human family created local peace activities in the past year. In Then Mr. Bilal Akkaya from the Muslim by God. Let’s overcome our the last 10 years we have organised six Intercultural Dialogue Centre Munich personal interests and recognize our to eight local interreligious and (IDIZEM) greeted the participants and common humanness. intercultural events a year. expressed his interest in continuous 2. There is a spiritual world, an eternal further cooperation for peace on our world. We are here in order to Then three Ambassadors for Peace gave greetings to the audience. Munich level. develop ourselves. The programme was enriched by several 3. The family is the school of love and songs and musical presentations by Gianni the school of peace. Scarcella on the piano and by Nenad Butic 4. Living for the sake of others is the with his guitar. way to unite humankind. 5. We should go over the borders of religion, nationality and race After a short brake we came to the second big part of our reunion, the prayers for peace at the occasion of the UN International Day of Peace 2015. This time it was under the motto: Partners for Peace – Dignity for all Mrs Marlene Straub from the First the MC red the speech of UN international Sufi-order shared how General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon, that she met UPF about eight years ago and he had published in preparation of this how we had organized interreligious important day. events together. Especially she mentioned that she had the opportunity to meet Rev. and Mrs Moon in Berlin.

Our guest speakers came back on stage for sincere prayers and responds to and presented their prayers for peace them. from the Sufi tradition, the Catholic And finally the head of the Munich Church and from Islam. Mrs Inge Unification Movement concluded with Ammon, founder of the ‘Peace Prayer a deep prayer for a united world of of the Religions’ in Munich, presented peace. the profession of faith of the Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Everyone who prayed lighted a candle at our altar so that light may shine to I believe that God can let grow out of every dark corner of the world. everything, even out of the most evil, something good…. I believe that God is Vivid discussions continued at richly not a timeless fate, but that he waits prepared lunch table the by the team of Jae-Sook Schmid..