Non-Violence Training and Interfaith Prayer in Bogota, Colombia

In Bogota, there will be interfaith celebration and workshop. Among the different faiths Lutheran, Menonite, Methodist, Greek Orthodox, Tibetan Buddhist all attended as well as UNICEF and representatives from the Growing Up Together Project.

GNRC Colombia: Celebrating, acting and praying for children

The celebration took place in the Mennonite Church “City Berna” in Bogotá from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with the aim of promoting non-violence and child protection, as a contribution to the DPAC international movement. The celebration was attended by representatives of two religions: Tibetan Buddhism and Christians, as well as representatives of communities and organizations working for peace. It also had a special guest team from “Unicef Colombia”, from whom the GNRC-Colombia has received great support in the last years.

Over 60 children and young people from the Foundation “Growing Together” participated in the event. The Foundation always supports activities for the promotion and protection of children’s rights.

A team of facilitators from UNICEF encouraged the participants to create a mural alluding to nonviolence and good treatment in different settings.

In the afternoon, the young people were invited to play football as part of a Unicef project called “Golombiao” in order to promote non-violent games and the respect of the rules. This made the participants reflect about the high rate of violence that occurs among the youth, during the national football games and likewise in intercollegiate games or in their own neighborhoods.

The day of celebration ended with a moment of reflection and prayer as motivation to think and call for the well-being of children, youth and adolescence. Finally young people participated in a communications workshop on how to navigate safely on the Internet and the social networks.

Report by Mayerly Angarita (Youth Coordinator GNRC Colombia)
Edited and translated by: Silvia Mazzarelli

To read the original version of this article on the GNRC website, please click here.

Para Leer el articulo original en el sitio web de la GNRC, por favor, haga clic aqui.