Munich, Germany's Pray for Peace, Prayers for Peace amongst Religion

This was the motto of our first prayer breakfast in 2024, Café Luitpold in Munich on the occasion of World Interfaith Harmony Week, celebrated annually in the first week of February. Given the precarious and peace-threatening situation in many parts of the world, we chose the topic. Twelve peace activists from five different religious communities attended the event.

We were unanimous in our opinion that a worldview and way of life centered on man alone cannot solve the problems of our world; a united world of peace can only be established with God in the center. Introductory words on the topic by the MC, Robert Bentele, were followed by a PowerPoint review of the previous year’s UPF activities.

The following contribution came from Mrs. Inge Ammon, who recited a prayer for peace and hope penned by the Protestant theologian Gollwitzer. She also referred to the daily sayings of the Moravian Brothers. She was followed by Imam Malik Naveed from the Pakistani-Muslim Ahmadiyya Community of Neufahrn near Freising, who recited two Suren from the Koran, which were mostly about divine justice. The Roman Catholic theologian Gottfried Hutter briefly presented his proposal for peace in the Holy Land. A second Catholic participant from South Sudan reported on the conflict-ridden situation in her homeland. Eva Altendorfer and Billie Wegman from the Scientology Church stressed the importance of prayer in keeping hope for freedom alive and offered a prayer of complete liberty.

Wolf Osterheld from the Family Federation of World Peace and Unification quoted the American mystic Frank Laubach, who said that prayer is the most powerful force in the world and can release the infinite power of God. He ended his presentation with the words of Rev. Moon: The place where God dwells is filled with love. It is a place where the more you give, the more you want to give, and the more you want to give back, the more you receive, a million times more. This is the Kingdom of Heaven. Such is the love of God.

In conclusion, Annette Bentele offered one of the prayers of Rev. Moon, the founder of UPF, in which he expressed his hope for a united family of mankind.

Report: Robert Bentele (English: Catriona Valenta).