Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Unity and fraternity at Genfest

Close to half a million people all over the world watched the live screening of an international Christian festival promoting unity and understanding among individuals and peoples.

Genfest, organised by the Focolare movement, was followed widely via Facebook, other media and on the internet.  

Another 12,000 young people were present at the event last weekend at SportAréna, Budapest.  

Forty Irish people from Dublin, Down, Kildare, Antrim, Limerick, Armagh, Meath and elsewhere in Ireland and Northern Ireland attended the youth festival organized by Youth for a United World.

It had as its theme, Lets Bridge, and involved the largest flashmob ever at the Chain Bridge in Budapest, which was held simultaneously with other flashmobs around the world, all of which aimed to show the commitment of the Youth for a United World to build bridges among people, countries, religions and cultures.

Pope Benedict XVI sent a message to all the young people present.  Referring to the theme and bridges destroyed in the Second World War, the Pope said, “Out of the ashes of that terrible conflict, there arose a determination to build peace on lasting foundations, a determination which was to be the inspiration behind the founding of the Focolare Movement.  The bridges across the Danube were rebuilt, and the international community set itself the goal of eliminating once and for all the conditions that might lead to future conflict.”

Laura Cullen, a student at UCD, was among the Irish attending and found it inspirational, especially at a time when Ireland is so down with the recession and other parts of the world such as Syria are torn by war.

”The whole idea of Genfest is to bring about this unity and building bridges, which is a beautiful notion in itself,” she told ciNews.  

“But sometimes you hear things like world peace and you can think it is a bit utopian, up in the sky, whimsical. But when you are sitting in a stadium with thousands and thousands of young people and you realise everyone is here for the same reason and the same goal it becomes very real. Even this idea of unity, we can bring it about in our own daily lives by loving the other as yourself (as in the gospel) like helping someone who is a little sad or opening the door for someone.”

At Genfest there was music, dance, cultural presentations of the nations present, as well as quieter moments of reflection and witness by young people from around the world.  

A group of Italians did an audio-visual presentation on their reception centre that helps illegal immigrants.  

Issa, a Christian from Nazareth, and Noura, a Muslim from Jerusalem, spoke of how they meet regularly with other Christian, Muslims, and Hebrew young people to get to know each other and pray for peace.

The keynote address at Genfest was by Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement, who said, “Look to the love that is God.  He is the only One who doesn’t disappoint you. Place yourselves on his side, trying to see the world and things with his eyes and you’ll be firm pillars of new bridges upon which everyone will walk happy and secure, and others will follow you.”  

She invited the young people to, “be yourselves,” and to enter personally into society. 

“Your contribution is unique, different from that of adults. The generation before you look at you trustfully, you also must have this trust.”

Another solemn moment was when the United World Project was launched. This was conceived and developed by the young people of the Focolare Movement and open to everyone’s collaboration.  

One part of this project is to create a world observatory highlighting and promoting ongoing projects fostering fraternity among individuals, groups and nations. The project involves constituting an international permanent “observatory” to examine and monitor activities and initiatives that generate an increase in fraternity.

At Genfest a start was made in collecting of signatures to support the United World Project and people undertook to wear a special orange bracelet as a symbol of personal commitment to the project. 

The General President of UNESCO, MS Katalina Bogyay, spoke at Genfest. Other civil and religious leaders, including some members of the Hungarian parliament, and the Mayor of Budapest, Tarlos Istvan, welcomed participants of Genfest to Budapest.  

In return, Genfest participants created a ‘Fraternity Corner’ in one of the public parks of the city.  

Chiselled on this lasting reminder of Genfest is the gospel phrase, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”