Quezon City, Philippines, PCFI - Peace Day 2007
Resource Info Edit
|
|
||||||||||||||||
Network [Add] · [List] · [Visualize]
Areas of Focus [Edit]
About [Edit]
Sacred Songs of Peace: An Interfaith Celebration of the International Day of Peace 2007
September 21, 2007
Conference Hall, Environmental Studies Institute
Miriam College, Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City
As the conference hall started to be filled with the flags of the different religious symbols and display banners from different faiths, the presentation area also started to be filled with musical instruments. On one side: a drum set, electric guitars and amplifiers were positioned; on the other side—gongs, drums and bamboos were laid on the floor. Little by little, group by group, people started to fill the chairs. As the early birds took their seats, videos on the United Religions Initiative (URI) were shown.
More and more colors filled the hall. They were colors of diversity. Dressed in street clothes, school uniforms, habits, hijabs, orange and white robes, kimonos, ethnic beads, batik, turbans and what not— they were representatives, members, peace advocates, religious and lay, teachers, and a big number of youths and students coming from different faith groups, schools, NGO’s, and spiritual organizations who came to join The Peacemakers’ Circle Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) and the interfaith community in celebrating the International Day of Peace 2007 with “Sacred sONGS OF PEACE” on September 21, 2007 at the Miriam College Environmental Studies Institute.
Nearly 200 people attended the evening’s musical celebration which wove a symphony of prayers, meditation, chanting, songs and dances from various spiritual traditions. Following the Welcome Remarks by URI SEAsia-Pacific regional coordinator & PCFI OIC, Dr. Shakun Vaswani; meditation & silencing was led by Mr. John Dowling of Brahma Kumaris. This was followed by a song number from a special celebrity guest: model/actress-singer/environmentalist Ms. Chinchin Gutierrez (who recently launched an album of interfaith songs). Writer/dancer/artist-teacher Ms. Maria Abulencia, with the cultural workshop group, Hibla, rendered a spontaneous dance peace ritual. Imam Akmad Wahab of Filipino Muslim Youth Council for Peace & Development offered a Qur’anic chanting prayer and an Islamic song, while the Anada Marga Yoga Societypresented a mantra song. This was followed by lively bhajan chanting and dancing by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON/Hare Krishna). Baba Surinder Singh Ragi of Guru Nanak Mission (Sikh) offered a short prayer-chant.
Another lively presentation was rendered by the Salesian Youth Movement of Don Bosco School (Catholic) who brought their whole band with full equipment. A dance number invoking Lord Ganesha, the deity of wisdom and remover of obstacles was then presented by the Hindu girls in their tradition classical dance costumes, while equally colorful in their kimonos and Japanese outfit were members of Shinji Shumei Kai who also offered chanting and a dance.
Another special group that performed was the Kulay-Wala band --composed of youths from the grassroots community of Brgy. Camarin—representing the GenPeace Youth Network. This was followed by an innovative step dance performed by youths from the Baha’i Faith nationalcenter, and a song number from Mr. Bob Guerrero of the Unitarian Universalist community of Manila. Finally, the Byakko Shinko Kai performed the Divinity-In (movement prayer/mudra), preceding the concluding ceremonies.
The evening was capped with the reading of the UN secretary general’s official message on IDP 2007 and the World Peace Prayer ceremony.This was led by WPPS representative, Mr. Toots Fungo, who distributed to each one in the hall during the ceremony the flag-cards representing the different world nations for which everyone prayed for peace to prevail.
Through Shakun as URI SEAP regional coordinator and PCFI executive director Ms. Marites Africa (who hosted the whole program), the organizers heartfully thank all the participants, performers, volunteers and supporters, and all those who attended the event-- especially representatives from the JPICC-AMRSP (UN-IDP secretariat), Xaverian Missionaries, Miriam Center for Peace Education, Young Moro Professionals Network, Christian Peacemakers Team, Canossa School - Sta. Rosa, Roots of Learning, PeaceTeach, Pax Christi. Thank you all for the beautiful and powerful stand for unity and peace!
12 days ago, we gathered together at the Quezon City Memorial Circle in remembrance of the International Day of Peace-Philippines and the commemoration of the Martial Law in the country. In the spirit of gratitude and friendship, the IDP 2007 Secretariat wishes to express the following messages to all conveners/participants and like-minded peace advocates:
The peace in the sky, the peace in the mid-air,
The peace on the Earth, the peace in water,
The peace in plants, the peace in forest trees,
The peace in all creation, the peace in ultimate reality.
The peace in all things,
God’s peace in peace.
May that peace come to us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
On behalf of the IDP 2007, we thank the following convenors: Association of the Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPICC-AMRSP), Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Urban Missionaries (UM), Women and Gender Commission (WGC-AMRSP) Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation - Cannosian Sisters (JPIC-FdCC), Medical Mission Sisters (MMS) Claretian Missionaries (CMF-JPIC), Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul-(DC-JPSCD) , Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SFIC-JPIC), Franciscan Movement for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation-(FMJPIC-Luzon), Missionary Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit-(SPACO-SSpS), Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines (AMP), Stop the War-Philippines, Gaston P. Ortigas Peace Institute (GZO), Peacemakers’ Circle Foundation (A member of the United Religions’ Initiatives), Balay Rehabilitation Center, St. Mary’s Academy-Caloocan (SMA), Roots of Learning School, Kaalagad Katipunang Kristiyano, St. Augustine International Institute of Justice & Peace (SAIIJP)-University of Regina Carmeli, World Peace Prayer Society-Philippines (WPPS), Charito Planas (Quezon City Parks Development Foundation, Inc), SULONG CARHRIHL, Initiatives for International Dialogue, (IID), Peace Women Partners (PWP), Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) for supporting all the way and in whatever possible means for the “success” of the IDP activities.
We also thank the different civic and religious organizations and individuals for their “gestures of solidarity” during the celebration of the IDP 2006 in the country. The following are: (in no particular order)
Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM), Missionary Society of St. Columban (MSSC), Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM), Charles Borromeo Sisters (CB), Hijas de Jesus Sisters (FI), Guardian Angel Sisters (SAC), Xaverian Missionaries of Christ Jesus (XMCJ), Order of St. Augustine Sisters (OSA), Xaverian Missionaries (SX), University of Regina Carmeli-Bulacan, Order of Friars Minor (OFM)-Our Lady of Angels Seminary (OLAS), Roots of Learning School, Canossa College of San Pablo, Claret Urban Poor Apostolate (CUPA), Bukal Center for Women, St. Joseph’s College-QC (SJC-QC).
The United Nations-Philippines Information Officer Agnes Shari Allman, Atty. Charito Planas (QC Parks Development Foundation, Inc.), QC Mayor Sonny Belmonte, Fr. Jesus Malit, SSS, Mo. Maria John Mananzan, OSB (AMRSP Co-Chairpersons), Sr. Estrella Castalone, FMA (AMRSP Executive Secretary), Fr. Brian Gore, MSSC (JPICC-AMRSP Co-Liaison Officer), Sr. Cres Lucero, SFIC, Ms. Sitti Djalla Hataman, Sr. Estela Cordero, FdCC, Ms. Shakun Vaswani, Ms. Karen Tanada, Ms. Merci Angeles, Sr. Flolyn Catungal, OSA, Ms. Tess Casenas, Mr. Gani Abunda, Mr. Edgar Cruz (Roots of Learning School).
And to ALL those who attended and contributed to the success of the IDP 2007, yet, we cannot mention here for the lack of space. Salamat!
--------------------------------------------------------------
(THE REVISED PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS, BY DANIEL WHITTLES)
Lord, I AM an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is Hatred, I
AM Love.
Where there is Injury, I AM Healing.
Where there is Doubt, I AM Faithful, and
Where there is Darkness, I AM Light
Creator, through your Unconditional
Love,
I choose to be Compassionate,
I choose to be Understanding,
I choose Love,
I choose to See You in All Others and Myself,
I choose to Give, Trusting in my Replenishment,
I choose to Allow, Knowing that all is in Divine Order, and
I choose to Surrender, Knowing that this truly is the path of Freedom.
