Song for Peace at the headquarters of WYD Lisbon 2023
The "Song for Peace" project was today, May 10, at the headquarters of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023 for an artistic moment, in conjunction with the Diocesan Organizing Committee (COD) of Lisbon, which included dancing, singing and prayers.
In an afternoon where cultural and religious differences created a spirit of unity and promotion of peace, there was the opportunity to hear the Ismaili choir from Portugal, the recitation of a Hindu poem accompanied by choreography and passages from the Koran. There was also room for a lot of music from different religions and cultures.
Representatives of various religions and churches in Portugal were present, such as Eeshani Lasya, from the Hindu Community of Portugal, Father Peter Stilwell, director of the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Interreligious Dialogue of the Patriarchate of Lisbon and the Council of Churches, Gerson Santos, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Khalid Jamal, Senior Adviser of the Portuguese Islamic Community. Also present were Rolf and Jonas from the Adonia Portugal Project, a Christian association, and the Phydellius choir, a group from Torres Novas.
For Fr Peter Stilwell, it is a contribution to the world and society "to sing for peace and harmony of peoples, beyond cultural and religious differences". He also highlighted the role of WYD Lisbon 2023 in this ecumenical dialogue, since "we are trying to create harmony among all peoples of different tones and sensitivities", but "on a giant scale".
Also Khalid Jamal believes that "it is not only a sympathy or a gesture of affection to get involved in contributing to peace, but an obligation". As for the involvement of the Islamic Community in this project, the Senior Adviser to the President believes that "we cannot but associate ourselves with an initiative like this, which is already in its fifth edition, that tries to promote peace, something that seems very easy to achieve but, as we well know, is not".
Peace is seen as a wealth of diversity present in humanity
Filipe Dias, coordinator of the Song for Peace Project, revealed that "when I created this project, I never imagined the impact it would have", noting that "we have been reaching many countries around the world". The unity of the various religions and cultures is essential because, despite sometimes being "a destabilising factor", the truth is that "in all religions, there is a word of peace and a will for peace", he added.
Adults seem not to hear this cry of the children, this request for peace. They want peace and need to live in peace
The main objective of the Canto Pela Paz (CPP) is to provide actions that promote inter-religious and inter-religious dialogue, where children and young people can, without any distinction and in perfect harmony, be protagonists, agents of change and facilitators of Peace and Unity, through song, music and art, as universal languages".
