Zurich, Switzerland Family and Peace Festival 2015

O Jaag, former cantonal politician in n the 12th of September 2015, Zurich, gave an opening address. the Family and Peace Festival Afterwards, Heiner W. Handschin, was held in the Volkshaus, standing representative of UPF at the Zurich. It was followed by an outdoor UN in Geneva, spoke about “Die concert and a peace march around the Familie als Ort des Erlernens von central part of Zurich. Goya Cheytanov- Menschlichkeit, Friedfertigkeit, Ordonez, president of Women’s Respekt für Menschenrechte und Federation for World Peace (WFWP), Menschenwürde.” “The Family as a organized the event with some Place of Teaching Humanity, Freedom, representatives of the Community. Respect for Human Rights and Human Winfried Schwager and Andrea Virtues.” He explained how important Nakamura were the MCs. it is to create peace within the family in order to expand it into the world. A film was then shown about UPF and its many peace-building activities. The festival started with exceptional performances from Arnold y sus Azabaches a Hispanic band, Ejder Sabanci playing his Turkish ney (type of flute), Nathalie Komagata’s rhythmic dance, Esteban Garzon’s guitar picking and Sascha Kramer’s opera singing with Gertrud Wullschleger’s piano accompaniment.

After the film, a few musical performances were offered by Adrian Trachsel and Ruilong Wäckerlin, two young virtuosos of violin and piano, before Julia Handschin performed “The Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston.

For the second part of the festival, everyone gathered outside of the Volkshaus, on the Helvetiaplatz. Each person received a balloon for the march. Again, people representing the world religions held a tamed dove in their hands and in unison, released the birds while proclaiming peace. The festival kicked off again with the band The ceremony was followed by a special Arnold y sus Azabaches playing a few composition by Kotaro Nishishita on songs from their album, Olivia guitar and voice by Hitomi Kutsuzawa Handschin with a song and Esteban Then, a panel discussion was held in commemoration to the earthquake with a thrilling guitar-picking about “Erziehung zum Frieden in der and tsunami victims in Japan. Mélanie performance. Familie und in einem multikulturellen Komagata performed Debussy’s “Claire Umfeld” (“Education to Peace in the de Lune” on her flute. Family and in a Multicultural Environment”). The panelists were composed of Christof Meier (chief of integration in the city of Zurich), Monika Eishuku Leibundgut (Zen Dojo Zurich), Noëmie Komagata (Youth leader of FFWPU), Lisette Müller-Jaag and Carolyn Handschin-Moser (Director for the UN office WFWP). The moderator, Chantal Chételat Then participants marched onto the Komagata (General Secretary of UPF), After the performances, several street, holding the festival banner, gave each panelist the opportunity to Ambassadors for Peace certificates sunflowers, balloons and posters share their thoughts on the topic before were handed out to Monika Eishuku, printed with quotes of wisdom of great giving the word to the public for a Q&A Lisette Müller-Jaag and Arnold, the peace promoters like Ghandi, the Dalai session. composer and interpret of the band. Lama and Sun Myung Moon. They marched through the city, following the Afterwards, a Water Ceremony for Zurich police who opened the way with Freedom and Peace was conducted. A 1 car and 2 motorbikes, and chanted representative from religion, politics, different songs on peace, love and state and civil society came up to the unity. front and was given a jar containing water from the Zurich lake. In turns, The group concluded their march in they poured the water into a chalice Werdmühleplatz and gathered around representing the unity of all into one as the Buddhist monk Bhante common stream. Then, a toast with Anurudha recited a sutra in both holy juice allowed all to symbolically The first half of the festival concluded German and his holy language. To share a vision for peace and love. with all the participants singing commemorate the completion of the together “One Family Under God”. Family and Peace Festival, the balloons were released into the air, a group photo was taken and sandwiches with goodies were distributed. Click the link for Michel Reymond’s video of the festival: https://vimeo.com/139125781