Photo Galleries 2011

Madrid, Spain

Some 200 people attended the first SOPP in Madrid, held in Buen Retiro Park. The ceremony began with peace dances and a procession of flags representing the continents, the Earth, and the universe. After an opening song and a welcome address, participants prayed for peace in each country, one continent at a time. Each continent began with a prayer from a certain spiritual tradition and a song, and then the national flags of that continent were presented. The peace prayer ceremony was followed by readings on the subject of peace, a Sufi dance by an Egyptian dancer, and a theatrical performance by a ‘forest elf’ who offered messages for human beings. After a picnic lunch in the park, some participants stayed for presentations and workshops from various spiritual traditions.

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