Düsseldorf, Germany – Lived spirituality and spiritual renewal were the themes of an event held on October 19, 2024, co-hosted by UPF-Düsseldorf and Zivilisation Weisheit Wohltätigkeit Aufschwung (ZWWA, Civilisation Wisdom Charity Upsurge) in the Düsseldorf town hall.
Anja and Sergio Brina of UPF-Düsseldorf welcomed the 120 participants, and handed the program over to the MC, Mr. Emre Tanay, from ZWWA. The young Ukrainian pianist, Ms. Alina Savenkova, set a beautiful atmosphere with her rendition of “The Poet’s Heart.”
The first speech was delivered by Mr. Frank Bernhardt, an Old Lutheran theologian. He called for religions to focus on what unites them rather than on their differences. At the same time, he stressed that people of faith must be well grounded in their own religion in order to recognise and accept the differences in other communities. Any interaction that does not promote one’s own faith is without substance, he said. This message was well received and heartily applauded.
Then followed Dr. Abdulcabbar Boran, head of ZWWA, whose speech in Turkish was translated into German by Mr. Ender Eker. Dr. Boran drew parallels between the Torah, the Bible and the Qur'an, and emphasized the importance of values such as compassion, justice, mercy and honesty. These values are essential for spiritual growth and true happiness, he said. He stressed that every person who sincerely desires to find God will be guided to find the right path or teacher. His speech also met with warm applause.
These inspiring contributions were followed by a short break, giving participants the opportunity to talk together and to sample the delicacies which had been prepared. The event then continued, enhanced by spiritual chants, which prepared the atmosphere between speakers.
Mrs. Edna Noupa, pastor of the Salvation Revival Bible Ministry, opened her speech with a prayer and explained that she had prayed and fasted beforehand to find the right words. She emphasized that religions should work together, as there is only one God for all. She told of her close relationship with a Muslim friend, who stood by her in many situations. She also recalled that Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of UPF, never lost his focus on God despite numerous challenges. Her lively and powerful speech was also much appreciated and applauded.
Then followed Mr. Christian Hausmann, chairman of UPF-Germany, who described the topic of the event as timely and highly relevant, especially with regard to the current conflicts in the Middle East as well as in Ukraine and Russia. The solution to these conflicts cannot come from politics alone, he said; religions and spiritual groups also have a role to play in conflict resolution. He emphasized that although religions take different paths, they pursue the same goal, to come closer to the heart of God. Religions, however, are only the means to an end. They could be compared to a car repair shop: they offer tools and processes to repair and maintain the "inner vehicle." But a functioning vehicle does not need constant repair. His words were also very well received.
The event drew to an end with the presentation of certificates to five new ambassadors for peace by Anja and Sergio Brina. Then the speakers returned to the stage to answer questions posed by the audience. The grand finale was a performance of a dervish dance, bringing a harmonious and worthy closure to the day.
