Paris, France—"Vulnerable But Strong?" was the theme of the 26th interconfessional meeting held by Dialogue & Alliance.
About 20 participants attended the June 18, 2023, Francophone meeting in person at the Espace Barrault conference center in Paris. In addition, viewers in the following nations connected via Zoom: Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritius, Republic of the Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.
The moderator was Claire Aune, a member of the French board of Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an organization that is affiliated with UPF.
The first reading was a look at Judaism. It was Genesis 24:11-21, read by Modeste Amoussou, then commented on by Tirzi Martin, a graduate of Unification Theological Seminary in the United States.
The second reading brought a Muslim perspective. It was the Koran XLVI.35, read and commented on by Naseer Ahmed Shahid, chief missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community France.
There followed a short cultural break: a video of the song "Fragile," performed by the famous rapper, singer and composer known as Soprano. The choice of this song made all the more sense as June 18 was not only Father's Day but also the United Nations’ International Day for Countering Hate Speech.
The final reading brought a Unificationist perspective. It was Genesis 32:7-13 (the meeting of Jacob and Esau), read and commented on by Laurent Ladouce, a researcher with UPF.
The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session moderated by Yves Massey, president of partner association APro Paix.
The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, July 23, on the theme of humility.
A recording of this program is available at https://youtu.be/2Uu4jsu2F2k
