Tribute to the Bridge of Peace

Bridge of Peace

in Europe

Women‘s Federation for World Peace Europe

Tribute to theFounder

The credit for this project goes first and foremost to the Founders of WFWP I– to Rev. Moon and his wife Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, who have been and still are tirelessly at work to inspire people to becoming peacemakers.

The Bridge of Peace is a unique, innovative and effective tool for healing wounds of abuse, misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and war and is the beginning of a sustainable development of a culture of peace.

Bridge of Peace in Europe

• Many Bridge of Peace ceremonies have been celebrated in Europe. A good number of them were embedded in conferences and meetings.

• So far we have no complete register, therefore it is not possible to mention each one of them individually, even though all were crucial for Europe.

I hope all the countries concerned can nevertheless feel the appreciation and

gratefulness for their investment and be inspired by the celebrations mentioned.

1994 - 1995

• East- and West-Germany Friendship meeting 1994 Surinam –Netherlands 1994

• Switzerland - Albania 1995• Netherland : Dutch Women who had been in Japanese

prisons and Japanese Women 1995• Austria – Czech Republic 1995• Czech Republic– Austria 1995 • Albania – Switzerland 1995• 50 years End of World War II Celebration in Germany• 50 years End of World War II Celebration in Netherlands• CIS countries - Germany 1995

Represantatives from CIS States visit Germany

Albania–Switzerland 1995

1996

• United Kingdom - Irleand 1996

• Stockholm 1996

• Hungary - Slovakia 1996

• Germany - Poland 1996 Poland - Germany 1996

• Russia - Germany 1996

• Czech Republic - Germany 1996

• Czech Republic – Slovakia 1996

Hungary –Slovakia 1996

Hungary

Slowakia

Russia-Germany 1996

Czech Republic –Germany 1996

Sweden 1996

1997-1998

• Finnland – Russia 1997

• Austria – Slovenia 1997

• Slovenia– Austria 1997

• Austria– Hungaria 1997

• China- Germany 1998

• North- South Ireland 1998

• Netherlands: Interfaith 1998

In the midst of conflict:North and South Ireland 1998

Germany – China 1998

1999-2001

• Germany Welcome to Resettlers from Russia 1999

• Japan - Germany 1999

• United Kingdom - Germany 2000

• East and West Germany 2000

• Netherlands Different NGOs 2001

Germany- Japan 1999

United Kingdom-Germany, 1999

East and West Germany,Weimar 2000

Netherlands 2001 Intercultural and Interfaith

2002-2004

• Austria - Germany 2002• Jewish German Reconciliation 2002• UK, Watford Muslim-Christian 2003• Germany International Bridge 2003• Jewish - German 2003• France - Germany 2003 • France - United Kingdom 2004• Hungary - Germany 2004 • Belgium- Germany 2004

Austria-Germany 2002

Seebenstein, Austria

German Jewish Bridge of Peace 2003

France - Germany 2003

Paris

Hungary – Germany 2004

Tworepresentativesfrom German WFWP took lettersand presents toHungary andcelebrated a Bridge of Peace with theHungarian ladies, passing the lettersand gifts to themand taking gifts andletters back toGermany.

Budapest

Belgium-Germany 2004

2005

• Germany - Austria 2005• International Bridge at Educational

Seminar Düsseldorf, Germany 2005• International Bridge at Educational

Seminar Stuttgart, Germany 2005• Jewish - German 2005• International Bridge at Educational

Seminar Nienburg, Germany 2005 • France - United States of America 2005• Hungary - Japan 2005

Austria-Germany in Rüdesheim 2005

Hungary- Japan 2005

Jewish –German Sisters visit each other andnew friendships are celebrated

2005 Dresden

2006 -2008

• International Bridge at Educational Seminar Nürnberg, Germany 2006

• Austria - - Germany - Slowakia 2006

• Belaruss - Japan 2006

• France - Germany 2007

• Austria- Germany-Switzerland-Lichtenstein in Bregenz 2008

• Slovenia - Austria 2008

• Interreligious UK, Birmingham 2008

France -Germany 2007, StraßburgConference on the Dignity of Women

Slovenia-Austria 2008

2008 Austria-Germany-Switzerland- Lichtenstein

UK, Birmingham Celebration, 2008

2009-2010

• Uk Birmingham BOP anniversary 2009

• Slovenia – Italy – Austria 2009

• Jewish German Family level 2009

• Netherlands – Culture of Peace and Spirituality 2010

UK, Birmingham 2009

300 women from all faiths, races, cultures and social positions in society attended the July 2009 Bridge of Peace anniversary event

• Nationalities represented :

• Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Congo, Finland, Germany, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Macedonia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Phillipines, Poland, Rwanda, St Kitts, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe

• Religions represented:

• Christianity 115

• Islam 75

• Judaism 3

• Hinduism 35

• Sikhism 30

• Buddhism 3

• Jainism 1

• Sufism 1

• Zoroastrianism 1

• Unificationism 30

• Other 6

Jewish-German Family Bridge 2009

Netherlands 2010'Towards a culture of peace and spirituality'

2011-2014

• Spain- Inter-European BOP 2011 WFWPEuropeConference

• Slovenia-Italy-Austria 2011• German – Muslim Germany 2012 • Czech Republic – Austria 2012• Germany - France 2013• Germany - Slovenia- Austria 2013• Hungary:

Interfaith Jewish –Muslim BOP 2013• Spain – India 2013• Czech Republic - Russia 2014• Scotland Intercultural 2014• UK Watford Intercultural 2014

2011 Spain WFWP Europe Conferenceand Bridge of Peace

Slovenia-Italy-Austria 2011

Germany :Bridge of Peace with Muslim Sisters and Brothers

2012

Jewish-Muslim

Germany -Slovenia-Austria 2013Dachau 2013

Hungary:Interfaith Jewish-Muslim 2013

Spain-India 2013

Germany-France 2013

Celebrating 50 yearsAnniversary of

Friendship: Elysee Treaty

Czech Republic-Russia 2014

Offering prayer and flowers to Russian soldiers - victims of 2nd world war

and Soviet Union occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968

Scotland: Intercultural 2014

7th Bridge ofPeace

Celebrationin Scotland

WFWP Watford/UK, Bridge of Peace Meeting, 2014

It‘s time for manymore Bridges of Peace

A Bridge of Peacewith Music and Dance

ItalyInternational Women‘s Day Celebration

Spain

European Women joined WFWP International in the Middle East Peace Initiative in Israel

International Bridges of Peacein Jerusalem

Many more meaningful and important Bridges ofPeace have been celebrated over the years. Thiswas just an impression of some examples.

We have experienced the power of the Bridge ofPeace in conflict resolution as well as betweengenerations, neighbors and also betweenhusband and wife.

We all need to cross the bridge of peace within ourselves, within myself and my creator, in

order to be a dedicated ‘bridge of peace builder’ in daily life.

Thank you and have a wonderful day!