Changing the World

God's promises and the full assurance of Hope!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:38:00 +0000

This year’s Easter reflections are centered on God’s promise and the mystery of hope. For Christians, Easter is about transformation and renewed hope, about how things that seem impossible can take on a new form, be transformed, and give new life. It is interesting how hope is conceived in Hebrews 6:9–12.

“But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”.

“The full assurance of hope” is understood as a fulfilled promise, not a hope that is uncertain or conditional, but one that relies on our faith and trust in God. Because of this, we are called to show diligence in our lives, in serving others, and in acting with goodness. Hope is the conviction that God’s promises can be fulfilled, that even when we walk through darkness, there is light waiting for us. It is not the assurance that we will get what we want or that things will always go well, but rather that, even as we traverse the shadows of fear, deception, disappointment, and despair, there is something better waiting for us. The text tells us that going through hard times should not be an excuse to be sluggish or to stop doing good to others.

On the contrary, this full assurance of hope is a confidence that better things are coming—that we will grow stronger in spirit, and that in embracing vulnerability, we come to understand how hard times shape who we are. And so, after darkness, we will not be the same again. This often requires patience and a constant, unbreakable faith in God: faith in what we do not see, faith in others, and faith in ourselves.

This year, I am hoping for transitions, for transformation. I am hoping, with full assurance, that when we reflect on our lives and desire to give more, the paths will align to lead us there; that God will give us strength, light the way, and show us which paths to take. This is not always easy, nor are we always ready or willing to listen, and it requires intentional awareness, deep listening, a detachment from our fixed ways of thinking and seeing, and a willingness to open new doors and walk new paths.

In the current context of increasing conflicts, wars, despair, and rising violence, the full assurance of hope may seem like a fallacy—a distant dream for those suffering. And yet, it is precisely this assurance that can strengthen people’s spirits, give courage, and foster resilience when all there is to see is darkness. It is a faith that goodness can prevail, and an invitation to intentional action, not a passive waiting for God to fulfill His promise, but a readiness to see goodness in others, to connect what seems broken, to forgive, and to act with compassion and courage in the world.

May the Resurrection help us find inner courage, strengthen our faith, and open our spirits to transformation and new beginnings.

Peace,

Maria Lucia

Easter Reflections - The Promise of a New World and our Role!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 12:39:00 +0000

Dear friends,

As a Christian, Easter is a time of reflection, of letting go, of renewal, of a renewed faith. It is a time where you let go of things that oppress you and rejoice in the promise of the anew. But for me more than a time for hoping and renewing our faith on the promise that things will change and be better, it is a time for self-examination of the things that we need to change and how we embody the message Jesus left to his disciples when he resurrected: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

What kind of peace was he talking about? A serenity knowing that he is and will be with us, or the power to be strong as we face the world? Sending us to do what? And for whom? And what role would the Holy Spirit play? I do think are important questions in this Easter.

Today the first reading of the Old Testament came from Isaiah 65:17-25

For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth;

the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating;

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.

I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people;

no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.

No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat;

for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

They shall not labour in vain, or bear children for calamity;

for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well.

Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent—its food shall be dust!

They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.

This is God’s holy word,

life for all people.

Isaiah gives so many clues of what we are called to do to hold God’s peace within us, to act as messengers who have been sent forth to co-create this new world, and receive and live with the presence of the Holy Spirit:

“no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.”

Reminding us that God hears our cries, and has promised us to wipe away all tears. It reassures us that God is not indifferent to our pain, but is working toward a future where sorrow gives way to joy. We are called to help bring comfort where there is weeping, to stand with the distressed, and to be agents of healing and peace in our families, communities, and the world. These words point to wholeness. A world where we are called to help repair brokeness and help people live without fear and in dignity.

“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit... They shall not labor in vain.”

We are called to be builders, to challenge systems of inequality and exploitation, in a world where there is increasing forced displacement, exploitation and poverty; where political systems are being used to exclude, marginalize, fragment, and create divisions and inequities. It is in this world where we are called to plant vineyards – a metaphor for peace and prosperity, for creating the foundations of just peace.

“No more shall there be... an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime.”

We are reminded of a world where the sanctity of life is not an ideal, it is a truth that we should revere every day: Namaste, as Hindus greet each other: recognizing that the divine in me honors the divine in you. We are reminded of life not as a commodity – as it is often used - but as an ethical principle; and our lives and the lives of others as an ethical demand: The recognition that we hold the lives of others in our hands and that what we do or do not do have and impact on ourselves and others.

“Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

This should reassure us that God is with us and within us – he/she is not distant but accompany us through prayer, relationships, nature, and self-awareness. It calls us to reclaim its presence in our lives and nurture the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. We shall not dispair in these difficult times, where there is so much brokeness, intentional hurt and damage to the world and the very systems that are trying to build peace; we shall not dispair when hatred, xenophobia, discrimination and misogny reign; we shall not dispair when our actions to bring positive change seem to be small; we shall not dispair when we are minimized, laughed at and ignored, as God sees and hears, and before we call for his/her help, God is already at play, answering and helping to restore.

“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together…”

This calls for reconciliation – the heart of Easter for me – we reconcile with ourselves, with death, with resentment for taking away something that is sacred; we reconcile with the fact that Jesus was unjustly killed; we reconcile with betrayal; we reconcile with the unseen, the unbelievable, the body made spirit.

Reconciliation with ourselves and others is never easy. Reconciliation s about embodying harmony and it requires authenticity with ourselves and others. Unfortunately we live in a world where people are used to wear masks; they pretend to be someone they are not; they pretend to be happy in relationships that take away who they are; they try to fit and shift their narratives and even principles to get what they need; they lie to try to keep an image of how they want others to see or recognize in them; and the list goes on and on.

Authenticy – truth-telling, is for me at the core of reconciliation. To be able to to feed together as wolf and lamb, in a world that necessitates everyone sitting at the same table and working together – requires that we genuinely remove our masks, that we let ourselves be vulnerable, and act in relationship with one another with respect, ethical awareness, and sanctity.

but the serpent—its food shall be dust!

A powerful reminder that justice will prevail; that even though we strive for forgiveness and reconciliation – and in that seeing the humanity of each and everyone – those who sow evil, hatred, divisions, discrimination and use power to minimize, exclude and strengthen their privileges, will not go unnoticed, as evil will not win.

Justice includes setting aside what is not holy, what is deceitful and harmful – we are not called to work with the unholy to please their interests; we are called to reject injustices, deceitfulness and harm; to speak up against injustices even if that has a political and personal cost.

So what kind of peace was Jesus talking about? A peace from within that gives us power to transform the world; to fight against injustices, to find harmony and our authentic voices. A peace that is only known to those who seek God authentically.

What were we sent forth to do and for whom? To co-create a new world, where dignity is at its center; to create new systems where unity, solidarity and respect are day to day actions; to reconcile and live with wholeness; to labour to build just peace where divisions, hatred, selfishness, inequities, poverty and violence, are not daily realities but exceptions in this new world. For whom? For everyone, but particularly for those who are the most vulnerable, and whose lives are used as commodities.

And what role would the Holy Spirit play?

The Holy Spirit is the breath, the power, the guide, and the presence of God in our lives. It nurtures us, inspiring us to be authentic, holding us to lead and act with justice, strengthening our voice to strive for justice and dignity, and radiating light from within us that can be transformative and liberating.

Photo taken by Manuela Nilsson Uribe

Happy and blessed Easter!

May this time help us to find our voices within and the strength to co-create a new world – a new just and dignified world for everyone.

In peace,

Maria Lucia

Gratitude for 2024 and welcoming the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 13:53:00 +0000

Dear friends,

As the year ends and I reflect on the many experiences, there is one main take away for me this year: Everything happens at the right time for the right reason. In a year when I felt often disconnected with my sense of balance and equanimity, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to rest, to be with friends and family, to be there for them, and to take perspective. In a year when I felt misalignment between my values and those of others – people and organizations –, I am grateful I had time to reflect on what really matters to me and uphold the principles that keep me grounded. In a year where I embraced and received so many great opportunities and had the blessing to grow so much professionally and personally, I am grateful for the challenges and for what has helped me find meaning and purpose.

This year I got to reflect on what it means to ‘become’ – that life process that takes you from one level to the other, a level where you are beyond trying to fit and be accepted, or where you try to prove yourself, to be fully who you are without fear to speak up, to stand up for justice, to be judged. That process that takes you to find power in your own story and to reflect your grace and at the same time your vulnerability. As a life prism, this process of becoming, has helped me see the world from different perspectives and to project my own light through different directions and to different people, with love and compassion.

The process of becoming is uncertain and at times painful, as it has no end and no instructions, and it is in the unseen and unexpected that we embrace the process. This has made me reflect deeply about the importance of faith as expressed in Hebrews 11 – the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Faith expressed in our trust in God, in the goodness of others, in the assurance of our purpose, of our work and service to others.

2024 was about faith. As the year comes to an end, I close my eyes and open my heart to receive a New Year filled with new realizations, with forgiveness, with clarity of purpose, with humility, with confidence, and trust that God – in its most perfect ways – has the control of my life and of my life journey to make me an instrument of peace to help make a difference in this world.

I end the year feeling whole, grateful, content and with peace in my heart. I end the year, reading out loud St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

May the New Year be a year of ‘becoming’ for you too, to find your inner voice, your true power, your own story. May the New Year be a year of beautiful changes and of becoming light to others, in a world experiencing so much darkness. May the process of becoming takes you to be what you are meant to be – by God – in the purest sense.

Love,

Maria Lucia

On the Resurrection, letting go and transformation

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 21:36:00 +0000

Dear friends,

As we end Easter Sunday, I had taken the time to reflect on the meaning of Jesus resurrection, particularly during this period filled with a heavy workload and uncertainty but also of positive new developments.

Easter is always a very inspiring season for me, as it allows me to take stock of where I am at this time of the year, reassess personal priorities and regain new energies as I embrace the meaning of transformation and new beginnings that Easter brings with it. This time I am reflecting about the meaning of letting go and what it means when we have created attachments and expectations.

The following verse from Romans, speaks of the acceptance of Jesus death for Christians but also of the gift we are given to walk a new life with his resurrection. The gift of renewal, of starting anew, and leaving behind those things that make us hold onto life and onto external things, at times, without purpose.

Romans 6: 3: 'Or do you not know that all of us as who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.'

Yesterday during the Easter vigil we also read John 20: 1-18, and one of the most impressive verses that speak of letting go is the one when Mary Magdalene is crying when she discovered that the body of Jesus was not inside the tomb any longer.

"But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples: 'I have seen the Lord', and she told them that he had said these things to her."

Jesus is asking Mary Magdalene to let go of his physical body, he is asking her why she is weeping for material and physical experiences, he questions her: whom are you seeking? implying that who she seeks is not in his body but it is now a transcendent presence. Jesus is now ascending to the Father, and that ascension is also an experience that he is giving to her - to us - he is not going to His Father, it is Our Father, His God, Our God.

Jesus' radical invitation to let go of our expectations, of our fears, of our pain, of our vision of how things should be, to let go of the physical experiences and our sense of who we are or who Jesus was, is an invitation to transform our way of seeing the world and to renew our minds. It is an invitation to elevate our spirits to a new relationship with God, a new relationship with Jesus, who has now become One with God. This divine relationship is based on love, trust, is timeless and transformative.

What can this mean for us today?

I think a simple answer to this is reflected in two ways: Letting go of the idea of permanence and transforming our relationship with God.

1. Letting go of the idea of permanence. In a world that is ever uncertain, where we experience daily changes due to political instability, wars, financial crises, and constant volatility, nothing is permanent. In a world where relationships are constantly changing, where mental health issues shape our connections with others, nothing is permanent. And yet, it is the idea of permanence that we cling onto for happiness, for joy and for security. How do we deal with this contradiction? Preparing ourselves for change, detaching from our expectations of how things should be, being grateful for the little things in life, and turning ups and downs into opportunities for growth and purpose. Living life with a sense of meaning about the the daily experiences - things happen for a reason - with the understanding that there is something beyond what we experience, and that in itself is transformative and radical.

2. Transforming our relationship with God. We often see God as the saviour, as the transformer, as the protector, but what if we change that view of God for what we often don't think God is: The one who suffers, the beggar on the street, the child in a war zone, the mother who lost her child, the friend who is lost, the family member who needs help, and the list can go on. How do we see God in the fable when God is all strength? How do we see God in the one who is suffering, when God is protection? How do we see God in the one who is lost, when God is a Saviour? That transformation of the relationship with God is perhaps what Jesus called us to do when he resurrected - He is not any longer in the physical appearance of someone Mary Magdalene or his disciples knew, but it is in an impermanent form, it is in something they can't recognise for what they knew. Jesus is now part of something that is beyond our own understanding. In the infinite, in the unmeasurable. Perhaps the resurrection is the radical transformation of our relationship with a God that is calling us to be compassionate on daily basis, who is calling us to leave behind our prejudices, to leave behind our own centered-approach of a human-relationship, and asking us to see God everywhere, to touch God with our actions, to see God in each and everyone. Perhaps the resurrection is a call to let go of our own understanding of God, who is now not my God, it is Our God!

May this Easter bring us a renewed relationship with God and others, may this Easter help us detach from what we thing is permanent, and help us embrace transformation in us and in everything around us!

In peace,

Maria Lucia

Reflections from 2023 - Learnings for the New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 14:46:00 +0000

Dear friends,

A blessed and happy 2024!

It has taken me some time to sit and reflect about 2023 and how I envision this new year. I was in Colombia with my family for a long break and came back only last week. In Colombia I decided to be in the moment, be present with my family, instead of thinking about the past or the future. I feel that often we lose sight of the present to be worried about what happened or what might happen! Colombia was that, being present in each moment with and for my family and friends!

This week I started to take stock of 2023 and the learnings I gained. I find this exercise always very uplifting and I take it as a tool for self-awareness and improvement.

Here are my six learnings from 2023, hoping that can resonate with some of you and lift you up in this new year:

1. Make time for physical healing. I started 2023 with a severe iron deficiency caused by undiagnosed endometriosis that has covered large parts of my uterus and ovary. It took me almost five months to feel fully recovered from the iron deficiency after a prolonged period of daily headaches, tiredness and foggy brain. Even though this is not something I could have prevented, the monthly suffering with heavy and painful periods during the last year - more than it usually was - and the signs of tiredness could have been taken more seriously by me. Very often we prioritise other things in our lives, particularly as mothers or leaders, and ignore the signs of health issues. The physical well-being is paramount to our wholeness and capacity to deal with difficulties in life. It affects our social and emotional well-being and when not taken seriously can lead to life-threatening diseases. Addressing health issues early on will be a priority for me in 2024.

2. Practicing empathy. As life gets hectic with the day to day chores and responsibilities, at times we fail to empathise with others. We jump to conclusions, to judgement and criticism. I had caught myself often during the last year expecting from others more than what perhaps was needed, or judging for lack of action, omission or intentional wrong-doing. While it is important to address those, particularly the latter, it shouldn't stop us from listening and trying to understand why people act in the way they do. It shouldn't take away from us our capacity to empathise, and on the contrary it should deepen our listening and our humanity. This year, I want to pause when disappointment hits, I want to slow down when I feel people acted wrongly, and I want to exercise more empathy. I want to take perspective of things and experience equanimity more often.

3. Exploration spirit. This year I had the opportunity to visit five new different countries, and travel to 12. It was an intense period of traveling, taking into account that the first four months I was still recovering from the iron deficiency. I must say that this was perhaps one of most amazing experiences of the year, despite how busy it was. I love traveling, exploring new cultures, visiting new places, trying new flavours, experiencing different smells, and getting to know new people. 2023 was mainly that! I visited new countries: Seychelles, Bangladesh, Mexico, Scotland and Pakistan, and each and every place left a big imprint on me. In particular, my trip to Pakistan was spiritually uplifting. My contact with Islam in this country was a very rare and unique experience for me, from visiting the Grand mosque, interacting with religious leaders and actors from Pakistan and Afghanistan, important reflections about Islam and how it impacts life, as well as theological reflections on meaning, and deepening connections with amazing individuals. I felt renewed and deeply connected in unexplained ways to this country and its people. I wish 2024 to give me the blessing of exploring with an open heart and mind other places and continue building relationships and connections with those I have connected in 2023.

4. Dealing with deception. Deception has an ethical dimension. Being deceived is being lied about something, either knowingly, intentionally or purposely by omitting information, denying facts or exaggerating information. Deception affects our social, emotional and spiritual well-being when it happens with people you have trusted, you love and you have helped. Whatever the reasons the person could have had, it breaks the trust and the relationship. I had never felt deception in such a deep way as I did in 2023, and it had taken a lot of time to deal with it and heal. However, an important learning for me was that this experience wouldn't change me or turn into something I didn't want to. Difficult experiences should make us stronger not harden us. If we lose our humanity in difficult situations, we have lost ourselves. When we let hate and resentment fill our hearts, when we chose material aspects over friendships and loyalty, and dig our heads in the sand to justify ourselves, we have lost our ethical compass and our capacity to empathise with others. This year, was about who I choose to be beyond how others have chosen to do or act, and I have learned to be grateful and compassionate with those who have chosen deception.

5. Be the light. I also realised during this year that often when everything looks dark, we look for light outside, but rarely we see the light inside us or fail to see that we can be light for others who are in darkness. In 2023, I hope that despite the crazy workload, the many trips, the overwhelming experiences, I was light for the people around me. For Manuela when she felt tired and scared, for Paul when he felt overwhelmed by work and under pressure, for my colleagues when they felt down by personal challenges, for friends when they needed to talk to someone or just be listened to, for my colleagues when they were looking for ideas, solutions and new perspectives, or for a stranger when they needed a smile. I am sorry when my light perhaps didn't shine, when my darkness perhaps overshadowed others, and brought sadness or despair, and when I failed to light myself and others. This self-awareness is perhaps a critical part of realising our role in life, taking perspective on our call, purpose and meaning in life.

6. Gratitude. 2023 was not a year to achieve more but to be grateful for life, for friends, for loyalty, for what I have and experience, rather than trying to achieve or have new things. I am grateful for my mom coming to visit us after many years without coming to Europe, with my sister and nephew; I am grateful for little trips, meals with friends, parties at home, family visiting us, new colleagues, new places visited, for our house, for my job and the opportunity it provides me to make a difference in the lives of others with a meaningful and genuine vision and mission, in particular for the opportunity to co-create and co-design new models of education and learning to improve the lives of children around the world together with so many partners and inspiring individuals; for being part of an organization that is led from headquarters by good, inspiring and ethical leaders; for my beautiful daughter and amazing husband, for the strength I have given and received to go through challenges and not give up, and for the challenges in 2023 that have helped me grow and see the world and life differently. I am grateful to God for her presence and for holding and guiding me!

I hope 2024 will be filled with joy, blessings, genuine experiences and realisations. May 2024 be an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.

Peace,

Maria Lucia

When hate is all we know - A call for peace

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 12:35:00 +0000

There was silence and pain. We reached out to close ones, family, colleagues or anyone who has an Israeli or Palestinian connection. We held space, we listened, we joined in crying, in praying. We consoled and we felt the pain. We watched the pictures, read the messages of families, and prayers for those indiscriminately killed or abducted on 7 October by Hamas. We saw the war unfolding before our eyes, the fear of Palestinians living in Israel and in the West Bank as retaliations grew, and the unshattered suffering of the people of Gaza. We saw the growing fear of Jewish people, as if history was repeating for them, their appeal to be protected, as if they had to beg to exist; their uncontrollable panic as if someone was coming for them; their collective trauma surfacing again.

What can explain such an act of terrorism against innocent people when nothing can justify violence for the sake of one’s truth? And yet, there is an explanation that cannot justify the act but can shed light on human suffering and actions: Hatred.

Image copyright: United Methodist Church

It has been 56 years since the occupation of the Palestinian Territory by Israel. For 16 years Gaza has been under siege, it is being referred as an ‘open-air prison’. Both the occupation and the blockade have negatively affected every aspect of Palestinian’s lives and violates all their rights. It has impacted their economy paralyzing their business and creating a recession; it has caused food insecurity, restricted their education opportunities, and possibilities to flourish as human beings. It has fragmented Palestine and their desire to live in freedom as an independent State.

Structural violence as coined by my former professor and founder of Peace Studies, Johan Galtung, is the systematic ways in which some groups are hindered from equal access to opportunities, goods, and services that enable the fulfillment of basic human needs. These can be formal as in legal structures that enforce marginalization or they could be culturally functional but without legal mandate, such as limited access to education or health care for marginalized groups. What has been happening in Gaza and to Palestinians in the occupied territories for half a century now is a continuous, often silent, and brutal structural violence.

When all these conditions are compounded and persistent for decades, hatred is bred in the bone, and hatred manifests itself in acts of defiance, violence, terrorism and self-destruction. Hatred undermines any effort to transform a conflict and can only be addressed from within and through empathy, compassion and inclusion of the other. Hatred needs to be understood to be addressed, and to be addressed its causes and roots need to be spoken about.

Despite several efforts to help bring peace and find a solution to the often-seen intractable conflict between Israel and Palestine, we have witnessed shameful silence by most governments about the structural violence Palestinians go through and particularly the people in Gaza. This type of violence seems to be normalized as it were something deserved by the people of Palestine, or some kind of collective punishment for the violence used by Palestinian militia groups, or as a necessary condition for Israel to exist. There is silence, there is complicity and there is justification of structural violence.

The security within and safety of its borders sought by Israel is a valid and reasonable demand as it is their right to exist and the recognition of the State of Israel, which Hamas categorically denies - a maximalist position to erase Israel from the map. The recognition of the State of Israel is not just an important demand but a critical need and right for many Jewish people. What is not reasonable is the maximalist position for a greater Israel, with an expanded land occupying Palestinian territories, forcing settlements that jeopardize water resources, block agricultural development, and pose a threat to peace and security as it undermines the possibility of a Palestinian State.

What is currently happening between Israel and Palestine is the result of a long-standing history of failure to go beyond maximalist positions and of decades of sown hatred for the other, the irreconcilable possibility of living together and the impossibility of empathizing with the needs of one another. The terrorist attack of Hamas in Israel is clearly a poorly considered tactic with mistakenly calculated risks that will have a life-long impact and scars on both peoples of Israel and Palestine. As a result, the disproportionate response of the Israeli government is clearly a myopic strategy to destroy Hamas with the hope to find safety and security for its people in the future, without consideration of the scale of the humanitarian crises it has created and the unfolding genocide that we are witnessing. Hatred has blinded both sides, and hatred will only breed more violence, insecurity, demonization, polarization and more hatred for the future to come.

I have been silent during the last weeks, not knowing what to say, with fear of saying something that might hurt any of my friends, or not saying enough to do justice to the suffering or the historical perspective of this conflict. I have been silent as we debated internally in my organization what right words to choose, what statements to make and why, and keeping a ‘neutral position’. But today I don’t want to be silent. We can’t be neutral when injustices prevail. As Desmond Tutu said If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. What we are witnessing today in Gaza is the indiscriminate killing of innocent people, that cannot be justified as a response out of fear or hatred; we are witnessing a disguised genocide in the name of the right to self-defense, and to achieve a maximalist view of Israel. We can’t be silent when people, including more than 1 million children and young people (half of the population) in Gaza have been bombarded on daily basis during the last 20 days; when hospitals, schools and mosques are being destroyed, when people are being forced to flee leaving behind all they know within the boundaries of an already crowded and underserved territory; when all means of communication are cut off and when people are hit not just with bombs and rockets but with fear and unspeakable acts of terror. Nothing can justify this violence, as nothing could justify the terrorist attacks inflicted by Hamas.

Source: Agence France-Presse

We can’t remain silent when we are breeding hatred in the next generations, not just of Palestinians, but of many Christians and Muslims around the world who stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and who feel underrepresented by their governments, particularly in the West. We can’t remain silent when we are breeding hatred in the next generation of Jewish people who have been asked, tacitly, to choose between supporting Israel’s government position and actions in the name of security and defense, and becoming traitors and enemies of their own country, as I have seen on social media and shared by friends.

Today we need to call up our moral compass and reclaim our humanity. Let’s go out to the streets and demand a cease fire, sign a petition for your government demanding a stop to this war, humanitarian support, respect for International Humanitarian Law and for civilians; write to your government or member of the parliament, particularly in those countries supporting Israel’s right to defend; unite in prayer for peace; call your Jewish, Christian or Muslim friend and provide solace and consolation; raise awareness about the non-sense of this war; challenge hate speech against Jewish or Muslims with acts of kindness and friendship; tell your children that nothing can justify any kind of violence, and teach them that there is always a choice to solve conflicts. Education for peace today is more needed than ever!

I know that finding a negotiable truce is almost unthinkable at this moment, but we need more governments trying to mediate, and in this the Middle East countries, particularly those who have relationships with Israel, have a critical role to play, as it does the United States.

History will judge us for our silence today. History will judge us for our complicity, and history will show us that when hate is all we know, there is no pathway to peace. Let us no lose sight of the two-state solution and the longer term and genuine desire of both peoples of Israel and Palestine to live in peace.

Let me finish by quoting Mahatma Gandhi’s words in his Quit India Speech back in 1942 when he spoke about the voice of conscience: "You have to stand against the whole world although you may have to stand alone. You have to stare in the face the whole world although the world may look at you with bloodshot eyes. Do not fear. Trust the little voice residing within your heart."

Peace,

Maria Lucia

Jesus' betrayal and resurrection

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 16:36:00 +0000

Dear friends,

As every year, Easter is an important time for me to take stock of life and changes and reflect on how the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus provide me with clues to address challenges and create more meaning to life and day to day situations.

This year I have been thinking a lot about Jesus's betrayal by Judas Iscariot. The famous betrayal kiss, the 30 pieces of silver Judas received to sell out Jesus, and how this unfolded a series of events that led to Jesus' crucifixion. As I started to read more to understand the life of Judas, there seems to be very little information about who he was and his life at that time. All we know is that he was one of the 12 apostles, that he was the only one who was not from Galilee, the only one that actually the Bible identifies by his town of origin, though there are other theories about it. We also know that he was in charge of carrying the bag of money the apostles had - so he was some kind of treasurer, which also shows perhaps the importance he had or the trust Jesus put on him. Other stories also show that Judas was a thief and often stole money from the bag.

The Taking of Christ (1602) by Caravaggio. From left: John the Evangelist, Jesus and Judas Iscariot. The man depicted upper-right, holding the lantern, is thought to be a self-portrait of Caravaggio. Courtesy the National Gallery of Ireland/Wikipedia

When trying to understand his reasons to betray Jesus, we also know very little. Some have suggested that the main motive was money, but others suggest that he has become disillusioned when Jesus showed no interest in organising a rebellion against the Romans to reestablish an independent kingdom of Israel, or perhaps he never truly believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and his own ambition was more powerful than the faith he had in Jesus. Other accounts mention that Judas was under Satan's influence, which changed his heart.

Whatever the reasons and we might never truly understand them, we do know that Jesus knew that he would be betrayed by Judas. Jesus started to see that Judas became distant from him. According to John’s gospel, Jesus understood what was happening already in Galilee, long before the events in Jerusalem that would bring him to the cross (John 6:70-71). Despite this, Jesus chose to continue loving Judas, he kept him on his side and suffered in silence.

This is one of those stories in the Bible that leaves us with many questions and doubts, and yet this story is perhaps one of the most important and powerful in Christianity, as without Jesus' betrayal, Jesus does not get to be crucified, and therefore, there is no resurrection, which is central to the Christian faith. Perhaps other things would have happened that would have led to the crucifixion or perhaps Christianity would have been centred on the triumph of justice and more on the humanity of Jesus than on his divinity.

So why is this story so interesting for me? I have five reflections that I am using this Easter to go through contradictions and reflect on faith, trust, betrayal and love.

1. Trust and friendship. Very little is known as how Jesus might have felt with the betrayal or how it affected him, but we know that he probably trusted Judas as much as he did with the other disciples; we know that Jesus chose them and that the simple fact of choosing them made it an unbreakable call. Jesus built a relationship with his disciples, he groomed them as he was preparing them to spread the message of God after his departure from earth. He entrusted them with responsibilities, shared with them and spent time together as friends, as family. There was trust and there was friendship - and yet there was betrayal! How do we deal with betrayal of trust and friendship when we have given all for a relationship? When we have entrusted the other with our secrets, our love, our dreams and concerns? How do we deal with betrayal when your own trust and love for the other person you have chosen are still unbreakable?

2. Choice. Some analyses of Jesus' betrayal present Judas as if he was destined to betray Jesus to fulfil the Scriptures. However, I do think that Judas had a choice. He could have opted not to hand over Jesus to the Romans and to continue following him. He did not do it though. He might have had other reasons, he might have been disillusioned or resented, he might have needed money, but surely he did have a choice. Very often we do things thinking that there was no other choice, but I want to believe that there is always an option between friendship, trust and betrayal. The importance and significance of this story of Judas is not the reasons he had to betray Jesus: either the fact that he was disillusioned of him or that he expected something else from him, or wanted or needed money, it was the fact that he could have honoured their friendship, that he went on his back to sell him out, that he broke the trust given, and even when he had already agreed to hand him over to the Romans, he continued as his friend and disciple. One could think of impossible situations where options are limited and one is forced to act in ways that are not desirable, and yet honouring trust, friendship and love, should take precedence over those. It is the power of freewill - to choose and make decisions - that we have all been granted as humans and that also make up our dignity as human beings. We always have a choice!

3. Ethical responsibility. Every action entails an ethical responsibility and consequence. The story of Jesus and Judas is founded in an existing relationship, a relationship of trust and friendship, and therefore presupposes an ethical responsibility to care for one another, to respect each other and to act in ways that are mutually nurturing. When we decide to make a decision or act in certain ways, we should do so with the utmost responsibility for the life of others, for the relationship that has been built, and for the respect that has been shared. Having an ethical compass when we make decisions that might have an impact on others, is not only considerate but wise. it doesn't mean that we can always avoid decisions that might potentially have a negative impact on others, but that we ensure that our ways of acting, responding and speaking are respectful, considerate of the trust that has been given to us and of the relationship.

4. Forgiveness. The story of Jesus' betrayal is surely a story of forgiveness and love, of how Jesus decides to continue holding space for Judas despite knowing that he might betray him or have already done it. It is a story of who Jesus was more than what Judas might have done. It goes beyond betrayal to show that even when we are betrayed we choose to forgive, and that forgiveness is what paves the way for healing. This is what we choose to be when situations take away from us what we hold sacred.

5. Love. The resurrection of Jesus this year for me is about love. At the end of the day, Jesus resurrection is about love, it is about Jesus giving his life for us, it is about putting things back right. When we are wronged, when we are betrayed, when our trust and friendship are taken for granted, we trust God that there is something beyond, that there is meaning in our suffering, and in the suffering, there is healing and resurrection.

May the celebration of the resurrection be a source of wisdom to heal and find peace in the midst of darkness, disappointment or betrayal. May the resurrection show us that it is about who we choose to be beyond how others have chosen to do or act!

Peace,

Maria Lucia

Easter reflections - On Transcendence, Vulnerability and Forgiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 14:39:00 +0000

Hello,

It has been a year since my last post. It seems time lately passes so quickly without a pause to collect thoughts and reflections in writing. The year also started in a fast mode and it seems that only until now I had the time to slow down and think about this year.

Easter is always a good time to do so. As a Christian and growing up in a Christian family and a Catholic school, Easter was always a time to reflect, to think about life and what needs transformation; it was an opportunity to think of suffering, death, life and giving up those things that did not allow you to live fully or wholly. I always found it interesting how Easter has always had so much deep meaning for me, despite at times just using Easter to rest or go on holidays.

This time was not different. I took some days off but I have also sat down to reflect, to be with myself and to connect about the meaning of Easter this year for me.

Jesus' death and resurrection carry the meaning of hope and faith but also the meaning of transcendence - that there is something beyond what we see, something that goes beyond the boundaries of our limited understanding of life, and that surpasses the physical presence and awareness of our relations with others. This is such an important reminder in times of stress, suffering, despair or injustices: 'This too shall pass and there is something beyond this'.

Last year I had a difficult situation with a colleague who slandered me in front of other colleagues and defamed me and my character in a malicious way. The untruth of this person and his clear intent to damage my reputation and integrity, and of my team, can only be measured by his lack of authenticity and morality. As I paused to think several times how can someone lie and stand on his lies in such a way and even get credited and be justified for doing so by other colleagues, I decided to protect myself and work on my inner strength - I thought: 'This too shall pass and there is something beyond this' - not to justify what happened but to believe that no matter how others try to hurt you or damage you, there is something that lifts you up, something that grounds you and that carries you - and that turns the suffering into hope and the injustice into faith for transformation.

In Easter when we Christians reflect about suffering and think of the suffering of millions of people around the world, those deprived of basic needs and fleeing persecution and war, it sounds petty to think of my own suffering, and yet, it is only through self-examination of our own lives and experiences that we become more empathic with the lives of others. Jesus too suffered defamation, Jesus too was slandered, Jesus too was falsely accused and Jesus too was betrayed.

I do not have recipes for healing but looking into the wisdom of Easter, I do think there are two things that can help us find transcendence in crucial moments in our lives:

1. Rest in the power of God

2 Corinthians 4:7-10
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.

Knowing God is trusting her mercy, is knowing that she has poured her love in our hearts and minds, and that through her glory light will triumph over darkness. It is not because of our own strength but it is the strength that comes from accepting her power. We made ourselves vulnerable and accept that we are clay jars - that can be broken - we can too be fragile - and yet inside we have the most wonderful treasure of God-giving life and strength, that has been given to us so the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. It is the contradiction of death and life, and the transcendence that beyond our brokenness and weakness, there is wholeness and strength that comes from our faith in God.

2. Forgive!

Forgiveness is a gift to ourselves and not to those who harm us. It is a one way relation, it is a one way healing. Forgiveness gives us the pass to name what has hurt us, to acknowledge it, and to remind ourselves of the damage one can do on others - it is a way to signify that what was done to us is fundamentally wrong in our common humanity and that we are called to do better, to challenge the chain of injustice and turn badness into goodness - for our own healing and the healing of society.

In the words of the late Desmond Tutu:

“We are not responsible for what breaks us, but we can be responsible for what puts us back together again. Naming the hurt is how we begin to repair our broken parts.”
“Forgiving is not forgetting; it's actually remembering – remembering and not using your right to hit back. It's a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don't want to repeat what happened.”

Today when we celebrate that Jesus is risen, we celebrate that we are risen as well - from the hatred, from the suffering, from the untruth, from the deception, from what has broken our interconnectedness with others.

I am better as a human being when I too rise myself from what has damaged me and choose to help rise others as well! When I choose to reconnect the broken parts even if reconciliation is still far in the journey.

Peace,

Maria Lucia

The Resurrection and the Zeal of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 16:53:00 +0000

Dear friends,

A blessed Easter for all those celebrating today!

The resurrection of Jesus is a central element of the Christian Faith; its meaning takes different forms depending on the circumstances each of us are in, and for those who believe, it strengthens our faith and understanding of God's forgiveness of sins and her unconditional love.

Yesterday Manuela and I watched a movie about Jesus' life and the crucifixion. Manuela was a bit surprised during the scene when Jesus came to the temple in Jerusalem and got very angry at people. Jesus started to drive away the tables and benches that were set as a market at the temple. This scene was very different to what she has watched and understood about Jesus - a gentle man who was always calm to respond, who responded with serenity to the insults of others, and ready to embrace those who need it. She asked me: 'mom, why is Jesus so angry? and why is he doing that?' I immediately wondered: Couldn't Jesus have reacted differently and perhaps less violently? His behaviour was contrary to what I have been teaching Manuela about dealing with disappointment, or trying to calm down when we are faced with something we don't like. I simply explained to Manuela that the temple of God is to be a place of worship, a sacred place, and not a place to sell, exchange, or try to cheat on others; and it seems that was happening, and Jesus wanted to let everyone know that it was not right. The temple of God should be a place of friendship, of love, of giving, of sharing, of truth, contrition, repentance, and healing.

Today when reflecting about the resurrection of Jesus in my life, particularly during these times of the Pandemic when life seems simpler but at the same time has become more difficult; I pause to ponder on the significance of the cleansing of the temple just a few days before Jesus was crucified.

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.”

Matthew 21, 12

All the events leading to Jesus crucifixion were signs of what the resurrection would mean: a new beginning, leaving behind the old ways of doing things, and creating and celebrating a new relation with God. Jesus challenged relationships, privileges, the way of seeing the other, trading, the role of women, the view of children. He brought those in the margins to the center and announced a new way of experiencing God in our lives through the relations with others.

Jesus' cleansing of the temple was a call for justice, a call to speak up when people are oppressed, when those in authority positions abuse their power to undermine the dignity of others; a call to stand up for what is right and challenge practices that seem to be normalised, but that negatively affect the interconnectedness of people and the sacredness of life. However, beyond a call to justice, there is a deeper significance to Jesus reaction at the temple.

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
John 2, 18 - 21

First, Jesus was talking about his own body which was sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins and by raising again on the third day, he confirmed that he didn't die in vain and that he lived by the power of God. The resurrection gives us reassurance, hope and confirmation of salvation. It shows that God's promises of forgiveness of sins are true. The cleansing of the temple demonstrated that something needed to be no more for our relation with God to be transformed and gain new meanings. The temple should be no more a market place where animal sacrifices were made to atone for our sins!

Second, I believe that Jesus' cleansing of the temple has also another spiritual meaning, the zeal that characterised Jesus actions. A zeal that can be confused with violence, a zeal that is perhaps less reflected upon, a zeal that consumed Jesus and that led him to speak up and stand up for justice, but also gave him strength, meaning and purpose to help others and transform others.

When I reflect about the life of Jesus, that is the example I see and that I want to believe in, a man who was moved by purpose, that was not passive or just tolerant to others, but a man that was guided by an ethical demand - a man who knew that the lives of others were in his hands, a man who who knew that every action in his life made a difference for others, that his example would transform the way relationships were, and that his life had to be meaningful for that in itself would leave a footprint in others.

It is perhaps that zeal that carried Jesus through the crucifixion and it is perhaps that zeal that made him so spiritually wise. It was not a blind zeal that made him a fanatic, but a zeal that made him a radical in a positive way; that made him see himself as a source of transformation through his body and the embodiment of God's love, but also to transform structures that normalised injustices and call for change and immediate action.

The resurrection spoke to me today to remind me that my passion for justice, that my zeal to transform structures that are oppressive and unjust, and my motivation to respond to the ethical demand we all have to make this world and the daily work we do fairer and transformational, is in fact prophetical. It reminds me that what some at times see as 'reactive', perhaps 'violent', 'too emotional', or 'not diplomatic', is needed for transformation, if it is guided by a spiritual zeal that is concerned for others and their well-being. It also reminded me of humility and the need for patience, as transformation does not come at once, nor it is often welcomed or well understood. It also reminded me that zeal cannot be confused with 'blind righteousness' nor it cannot separate itself from righteousness, the righteousness that calls us to be ethically driven and that holds our care for and interconnectedness with one another.

Today when I talk to Manuela about the resurrection of Jesus, I will tell her that Jesus resurrected to confirm that his life and zeal for justice and transformation was not in vain, and that nothing that defies the sacredness of life and our relation with others and God cannot be transformed or challenged. The resurrection is what God has meant for our lives - the call for transformation!

Peace,

Maria Lucia

Looking back to 2020 and wishing a blessed 2021!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 14:38:00 +0000

Dear friends,

What a year this was! A year of fear, uncertainty, stress, isolation and opposing truths, but also a year of coming together, of solidarity, of determination and empathy – a year to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, of those who are forced to live in isolation, those who are confined to restricted places and movements due to political or socio-economic reasons; a year of experiencing restrictive freedom and challenges to our mental well-being.

For Manuela, Paul and I, it was perhaps a comfortable year compared to how it was for the millions of people who fell into poverty during this period, lost their jobs, experienced high levels of toxic stress, or who had to home school their kids for longer periods with increasing pressures, financial distress or health issues. We have been fortunate to have kept our jobs during this period, and even more fortunate not to have lost any family or friend due to the coronavirus.

We started this year after spending Christmas in Sweden and New Year’s with friends in Herning, a city 300 kms from Copenhagen, which was a very special way to start 2020 reconnecting with friends. We came back for a few days more to Sweden to be with family and get ready for what promised to be a wonderful 2020. Our first months of the year were very active, as if we knew that 2020 would cut short some of our plans. January to mid-March were combined with several trips to the Jura mountains with Manuela for her to learn to ski as well as her first school ski trip; Manuela’s first bicycle bought with her own savings, a trip to Lucerne to visit the Swiss Transportation museum, birthday parties for Manuela’s friends; a trip to Japan for work, and the celebration of Paul’s 50^th birthday in Marbella, Spain just before the situation started to become critical here in Europe.

Looking back we started the year with tons of energy, determined to be a year of sports, healthy habits and new projects. I personally wanted to initiate a few courses to learn more about subjects I am interested in. I also started to look for potential PhD programs and opportunities to strengthen some skills. We also wanted it to be a year to reconnect with family and friends and were planning to have a big party to celebrate our 15^thwedding anniversary, and our 5^th, 50^th and 40^th birthdays.

Things were different this year, we didn’t have big parties, nor we did a lot of sports or initiated new projects. Life stood still for many months in several areas of our lives, but took a fast course at the professional level.

As countries started to put in place preventive measures to control the spread of the virus, France initiated an eight-week lockdown back in March, with all schools as well as all non-essential businesses closed, and full confinement with the possibility to go out around the house for only one hour. In our minds it was clear that despite having to work 100% from home, the priority during this time would be homeschooling Manuela, providing her with a sense of normalcy, possibilities to express herself, learn new things, connect with others despite physical distancing and spend quality time with us. As someone working in education and particularly involved in the field of quality and values-based education, I took this as an opportunity to do activities with Manuela to reflect on important values for our lives in community: respect, solidarity, responsibility, empathy and remembrance of our roots and life stories.

These were two very challenging and busy months for Paul and I as we organized our days to be with Manuela and work at the same time. I sometimes worked from 10 p.m. to 2.00 a.m., or from 4 a.m. to 8.30 a.m., combined with one hour in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon. During the day we did physical activities, handcrafts, science projects, puzzles, mathematics, music, yoga, meditation, cooking, cleaning, dancing, theater, shows, watched concerts or invented treasure hunts, painted flowers for the neighbors and talked to family and friends, among many other things.

I wanted Manuela to reflect on the situation from a reality perspective despite us living in a bubble, so we often talked about how others might be feeling during this time, we sent letters to neighbors, talked about the situation together, role played situations of children who couldn’t go to school and were victims of violence, and talked about poverty and human rights. We tried to look at solutions and ways to make others happy and support them, starting with everyone at home.

Manuela was thrilled with all the activities. She woke up every day looking forward to new things to do and excited to spend more time with us. There were of course days when she was a bit down without the possibility to go to school and meet her friends, as well as when stress from work was part of the routine. I posted all activities done during the day every night on Facebook in hope to provide some inspiration to parents who didn’t have many ideas to support their children. After the lockdown I registered all the activities in a special folder on my Facebook page, which I made public, that clusters all activities with descriptions and explanations on their importance for the development of children. You can have a look here, use and share with friends.

One important highlight during this year was finally being able to move to our new house. Almost six years ago we started a project to build a house in France. It took more than a year to find a good land to buy and then almost two years to get the project started after the construction permit was declined a couple of times. When the project finally started we faced difficulties with the bank due to an insurance that the construction company failed to provide and what was supposed to be a nine-month construction project ended up to take almost two years to finalize and almost one year to get a new mortgage. When we were about to move in March, France entered into a full lockdown which delayed our moving to May. Very much what has happened in our personal lives after that and until now have been focused around packing and unpacking, buying new furniture, and waiting for several months delay in the delivery of anything we bought due to the Pandemic. Needless to say we were extremely happy to have made this dream come true and being able to enjoy our own home. We are very much looking forward to continue decorating it and making it a place not just for us but for friends and family to visit us and spend time with us.

Perhaps one of the most important Latin traditions I value and would like to pass onto Manuela is hospitality. Welcoming everyone in your home for a meal, for a chat, for a drink, or to just say hello, is perhaps one of the most precious spiritual traditions that allow us to connect with one another in a human level. You are welcome, friends, to come to our place and spend time with us when the situation allows it; this year we realized how close we need to be, how important is to care for one another, and how much we take for granted family, friendships and our lives in community.

At the professional level, much of my interest at work when the pandemic started was to be part of the solution. In a moment when we saw lack of global leadership, rising divisions, hate speech, xenophobic attacks on members of minority groups, exacerbation of violence at many levels, and specially domestic violence and violence against children, and the unprecedented closing of schools, leaving 1.6 billion children out of school at the peak of the pandemic, I personally felt I wanted to lead efforts in partnership with others, demonstrate solidarity and bridge a gap in providing common responses to the most pressing issues. The experience I lived during the Tsunami in Sri Lanka back in 2004 left imprinted in me a very important lesson: it is in times of despair and threats to our very existence that we demonstrate what our values and priorities are, how rooted our spiritual connectedness to others and humanity is, and how deep is our sense of true purpose.

During this pandemic, I felt a call to do much more than what I could do in normal circumstances, I felt a deep call to bring people together, to go against pessimism, criticism, lack of cooperation, or selfish attitudes that were often part of the daily interaction with many people, and to help mobilize those around my work to respond to the current situation. I feel fortunate that ideas of cooperation found echo in other colleagues, and specially in those who despite not being able to make decisions were willing to take a part, cooperate and make a difference. My office spearheaded a campaign titled Faith in Action for Children – Our Response to the Impact of COVID-19 on Children.

The campaign ran across all offices of Arigatou International and aimed to create awareness on the impact of the pandemic on children and youth, mobilize faith communities, educators, families and children and youth to speak about and respond to the exacerbation of violence and poverty affecting children, as well as the learning crisis, in a time when children were made invisible in the responses but also when their voices were not heard.

This campaign that started with advocacy actions through development of materials, webinars, courses for educators, collection of voices of religious leaders, children and youth, culminated this year with a one week long conference that brought together online 63 organizations and more than 1700 people, including 130 speakers, among them around 70 children. The conference aimed to provide recommendations and catalyze joint actions to respond to the multi-dimensional impacts of COVID-19 on children. You can learn more about this conference here. A lot of what I am going to be doing in 2021 will be related to the follow up of this conference and the recommendations and joint actions identified; particularly in relation to education and its role in a world where education needs to be reinvented and reimagined, and when we need collective leadership to prioritize values-based thinking as a framework for socio-emotional learning, peace and global citizenship education.

As part of this campaign, I also had the idea of developing an online exhibition, like a virtual museum, to showcase the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people, their voices and the voices of those working to make a difference in their lives. This exciting idea was taken by my team and led by a great colleague and developed successfully bringing the voices of more than 180 children and young people from around the world and more than 60 adults representing several sectors of society. If you have a chance to visit it, don’t miss it. It is a great opportunity to listen to what children and young people have to say during this time and to restore hope and faith despite the challenging situation many are in. You can visit the virtual exhibition here.

At a time when work became so hectic, many people became reactive or not willing to collaborate, many people stood for themselves for their own recognition or to protect themselves – why should I do more or work with others when I am already mentally exhausted and I can use my time for my own projects - failing to collaborate and act in solidarity, as I imagine happened in many organizations and even families. I realized how mental health was an issue for many or for most of us, even if we didn’t acknowledge it; and that affected in many ways relationships, work environments, partnerships and collaborative efforts. Some were struggling to cope, others were battling their own demons, others were dealing with their own flight or fight mechanism, while others were in a limbo of emotions and any additional action was already too much to deal with; after all we were bombarded by uncertainty, unfounded distrust and divisive rhetoric. How could one, in any other way, explain a colleague trying to shut you down and speaking on your back to make others stop any collaborative project that aimed to make a difference in people’s lives? How could one, in any other way, explain lack of response when you propose collaboration in the midst of a crisis? How could one, in any other way, explain people feeling threatened by someone’s leadership? Some of the learnings I gained professionally during this year were to care more about the emotional well-being of the people working with me, reading mental illness not as a threat but as a part of human nature of people in times of distress, but also providing the needed care to move from illness to wellness and wholeness.

At the personal level, what kept me centred was finding the inner strength to free my heart and mind when my body was in confinement. Freedom to move, to choose, to do, is fundamental to our existence, when this is taken from us the full realization of ourselves as human beings can be threatened. Viktor Frankl in his book Man’s Search for Meaning reminded us that “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” He speaks of tragic optimism that presupposes that life is potentially meaningful under any conditions and that humans have the capacity to turn life’s negative aspects into something positive or constructive”.

I believe this year we have realized that we need a radical shift in the way we act, in our ways of thinking and conceiving the world, in our relations with others, in our priorities, in our ways of dealing with stress; in our ways to collaborate, in our understanding of ourselves in relation to others. During this year I have seen this as a main construct of my journey - what is needed to become better not just for myself but for the service of others – how to unlearn what seems rooted in our way of being, and change to an unknown way of being and doing that is more rooted in our collective part in the universe – how to find the Divine in what seems to be ‘undivined’, and how to make sacred more of what we do routinely, placing more value in the process of building together than in the result.

This year I was interviewed by a colleague who has been working for many years in interfaith collaboration on my journey in this field and what has motivated me and inspired me. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to reflect about the many experiences that have shaped who I am today but also what values and principles have guided me in this journey. You can read the full interview here. While reviewing this interview and my journey, I realized a couple of things: sometimes we take for granted where we are in the journey but also who walks alongside with you. I believe this year I have become more aware of where I am in my own journey but also where and how I want to be placed in that journey and who is walking alongside with me. It is not about the main goal or destination but how the journey becomes more whole and purposeful and what gives meaning to it.

I am grateful that 2020 left me with so much to think about, so much to be grateful for, so much that needs to be transformed and so much that needs to be said to those closest to us.

As we close 2020, I am grateful for many things but mostly I am grateful that my mom was accompanied during this time by my sisters; that she was healthy and emotionally strong; I am grateful to my family for being always there; I am grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with friends; to listen to their stories; and become more grounded in my own; I am grateful for a wonderful husband who was not just a partner during this time, but has been my best friend and accomplice in any idea or project. I am grateful to Manuela for her patience, love and inspiring spark; I am grateful for those colleagues who stood up by their principles and ethical demand to do better for the common good; I am grateful for doctors, nurses, medical personnel and those who have been taking care of us by risking their own lives; I am grateful to have been inspired by many of you who have taken leadership in your fields; who have been part of the solution during this challenging time; and who want to create a new normal – a radical new normal.

We close the year here in France with a lot of snow, calm and gratitude and I hope that it will be a year of renewed hope and faith and above all deeper friendships, physical encounters, hugs, laughter, and more positive narratives to share and co-create together!

A blessed 2021 to all of you.

Maria Lucia

Looking back at 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:44:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings from Sweden where Manuela, Paul and I are spending Christmas and New Year's with family and friends.

I didn't want this year to end without looking back and reflecting on how much growth I have gone through, how much life has shaped me this year, and the many learnings I have gained through challenging and enriching experiences.

2019 brought so much to my life. At the personal and family level, Manuela has now turned four and she brings so much joy, love and inspiration to our lives. She started primary school which demands from her more attention and focus on building new skills. She is courageous, smart, funny, thoughtful, kind and open to everyone. She keeps us busy but also full of gratitude and awe. We are also in the process of moving to a new house, which we finished building this year. What a process! The process has been challenging to say the least, with many delays and frustrations, nevertheless, and exciting project for Paul and I that we hope can be made a reality in 2020.

This year has been an exceptional year in terms of work and professional development with many initiatives and projects being spearheaded from my office, a lot of growth in terms of impact and sustainability as well as the advancement of knowledge and collaborations.

Little time was given this year to engagement in other activities, apart from being part of Manuela’s school Board, traveling with Paul and investing in healthy food and eating habits. I am in the process of becoming vegetarian with a preference towards veganism, which has been very useful for my body and soul.

2019 was also a year where many learnings took place but as I sit on this sofa to reflect, I believe I am taking with me the following three learnings:

1. The power of keeping centered. It was a year with a high and heavy work load at the professional level, in an office that has been tremendously growing during the last six years. Managing external demands, expectations, opportunities, people with their ups and downs, and making sure that processes and results honor quality, respect for people, and impact, was not easy this year. I sometimes felt lonely and tired, and at times like swimming against the current; however, what gave me strength and motivation, was the sense of purpose and meaning of the work I do. I am convinced that every initiative in my work has an important role to play in making the world a better place; I believe that every partner, every individual we work with, is helping us realize a world that is better for children. I truly believe that the ethical and spiritual development of children is a missing piece in peace building and a critical part of creating a culture of peace and challenging ‘otherness’ and divisions. This sense of purpose, this sense of doing much more than what an office work requires, keeps me centered, anchored in a strong sense of being in connection with others. It is this sense of being centered that helps me in times of stress, even when my mood changes, bringing me back to purpose.

2. Breaking the glass ceiling. Sexism, ageism and xenophobia have been a common denominator during my 17 years of professional development. It has become even harder when I took up the position of Director of the NGO I work with or even in the community around me when my views are required and decisions need to be made. I have been many times bullied, put down, excluded, ignored and despised on the basis of my age, gender, nationality or how I look like, by people who do not know me but also by people in my professional circles or close to them. I have been patronized and at times belittled. Sadly, this has often been done in environments where we strive for equality, empathy and respect; where we work for the empowerment of young people and to embrace diversity, to challenge stereotypes and for equal partnership. I wish those who give value to people based on external factors understand how damaging it is. During the last year I have learned to become ‘tough’ and to strongly assert myself for what my true value is. I have become stronger in standing up for others who are put down and discriminated against, and to care less for what people think. I have also learnt to distance myself from people and places that create conditions for divisions and discrimination.

How common is a Latin American/Colombian, young woman heading an office in Geneva, working in the field of religion, development, education and child rights, advancing the field and innovating quietly, steadily and yet powerfully? Yes, I am breaking the glass ceiling and I know that I am not the only woman who has to go through it, so I am glad that while I succeed in my work I am also challenging stereotypes, creating spaces for other young women coming from the Global South like me to do the same, and contributing to a paradigm shift.

3. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye

I believe learning to see the value of people for who they really are, through the heart, rather than through the eyes, is the best way to respect others and to connect with each and everyone.

This year I have felt strongly the need to connect more with those who feel invisible, with those who are disempowered, and to accompany them with a helping hand, through listening and cheering them in their successes. I have seen the power of believing in others, the power of seeing beyond the behaviour to understand what lies behind, what shapes people and what stories and experiences they have gone through. I am grateful for the opportunity to be there, present and available, for others in their journey.

As I close this year, I thank those who have been part of it and I thank God for keeping my sense of purpose, for strengthening my sense of being, for grounding me in those beliefs that affirm the essence of humanity and lifts me up to make a difference in my life and the lives of others.

Peace,

Maria Lucia

Post Easter Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 13:49:00 +0000

Hello,

Easter just passed and we are back to work, to routine and to hectic days. For Christians Easter is a very important celebration as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, which is the foundation of Christian faith. It is also important because it helps us to renew our faith by encouraging us to transform our spirit, bodies, habits, thoughts and relationships.

For me Easter reminds me of our inner power to transcend difficulties, our capacity to go beyond, to find beauty where our physical eyes see none, to stand up for justice when injustice is normalised, to stand up for others, and to challenge the status quo. Jesus died for a larger purpose, he saw the humanity of those who were judged as sinners, he stood up for those who were discriminated against, and challenged the system at that time. His resurrection reminds us that there is purpose in our struggles and that through that purpose we can transform ourselves.

During this period my reflections have led me to think about the importance of being true to ourselves and speak up when decisions, processes, actions and words affect others. More often than not we keep silent letting others decide and act in ways that are detrimental for others. This includes politics, community decisions, work processes, family relations. For me Easter is a powerful period to find in the interconnections with others the power to transform ourselves positively.

In Colombia we are currently in the middle of the elections period, where the Presidential elections will take place at the end of May. Colombia is a highly polarised country due to more than 60 years of armed conflict that have caused not only human and financial losses, but also a broken social fabric and fragmentation of its population. As Elections take place, Colombian people are involved in discussions about their favourite candidate very often through heated debates that try to diminish other political parties, ending up in attacking those who are for the opposite candidate. As this process evolve and we see through social media how arguments in favour of a candidate are often responded by demonising the other person, I reflect on the ethical underpinnings of our behaviours, attitudes and actions, and how instead of letting dialogue and relationships transform us positively, we let those get the worst of us by trying to prove ourselves right.

In my work fostering ethics education for children, we believe ethics is about relationships, and how we see and relate to ourselves in relation to others. "I am because you are"- Ubuntu, a Nguni Bantu term meaning "humanity". We see the primary manifestation of ethics and values as how one chooses to relate to oneself, to others, and to earth, which sustains all life, upholding human dignity, seeing the humanity of the other, and guiding our lives with the highest consideration to respect everyone and everything.

If one looks at situations, decisions, actions, behaviours, attitudes and relationships using ethics as a prism, the result is truly transformational, as it is not anymore solely about us, but about us in relation to others, about them in relation to us, and about the interconnectedness of one another. We hold each other in each others' hands, and that provides the foundation to the way we relate and behave with others.

In a world that is increasingly more divided and where violence (direct, structural and cultural) becomes the norm to resolve conflicts, one should be vigilant that we don't let ourselves become part of a system that justifies violence and injustices in the name of solidarity; of decisions that are made in the name of justice but leave others behind, discriminate, fragmentise and divide groups of the population; actions that politicise our relationships, and how we see the "other"; and attitudes that are founded by fear that disconnects us from one another. We should be vigilant that society and communities we are part of do not silence us and make us part of a system that justifies violence through righteousness.

As Easter has passed and reflections continue to take place, today I pause to think of decisions and relationships in the last months through the prism of ethics - to push myself to look at the humanity of the other, to revere God in the humanity of the other, and to humble myself to become less righteous and more guided by the power that lies when we welcome the "other" in our lives, as a gift and as part of who we are.

Today, I pause as Jesus often did, to connect with myself, to regain inner power, to stand up for injustices, to find in dialogue and relationships positive transformations and spiritual strength.

Peace,

Maria Lucia

2017 in Review - learning and awareness

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Hello,

It's been a while since I sit down to write. I always promised during the last two years that I would go back to writing, that I would take time for myself more often, that I would prioritise more time for reflection and that I would go back to my blog. I, however, didn't achieve this during the year, though I believe I gained more inner strength and regained energies that had been taken away from me, helping me to reconnect to myself. Today I am hoping to write from that inner place that has grown in me.

I am now in Sweden with my husband and daughter, enjoying quality time with family. The pace of life during winter here is very different to what we are used to and we are enjoying just by being present and the simple things in life!

Husband and daughter are finally asleep and I am seated now on the sofa, watching the stars through the window, going through pictures in my computer and through memories of this year in my mind. What a wonderful year it has been. A powerful one, a difficult one, a challenging one, and amazing one!

Many things happened during this year; At the personal level, it has been great to see Manuela grow so much and becoming more independent and herself. She is now two years old and you can now recognise her character, her personality as well as many of her talents. She not only shines but makes others shine. She is strong, fearless, fun, sensitive, smart, and sweet. She sees through people in extraordinary ways. She has redefined for me the meaning of life. Beyond Manuela, Paul and I had also a challenging and yet rewarding year with the purchase of a land to build our new house and with it all the preparations and work to get started. We are looking forward to moving there by the end of summer next year. It was also a year of many travels and opportunities to spend time with my mom and family in Colombia. I had my sister and her son coming to visit us, trips to meet old and new friends, new countries, new experiences and the great opportunity to travel continuously with Manuela, which made my work and life much easier!

At the professional level I saw my office grow extraordinarily, particularly in terms of content, strategy, results and collaborations, as well as people. It was a great year growing into developing a knowledge hub on ethics education for children and tapping into new contacts, resources and opportunities. A year of positive achievements, of developing a more cohesive team, of going beyond reality to possibilities.

At the spiritual level, it was a year of testing limits and definitively a very challenging year to connect with myself in the midst of raising a small child, traveling and a demanding job. Yet, it has been a year of rediscovering myself, of being at ease with what my body can give and do, and recognise my limitations. A year of slow reconnection, of longing for much more transcendence, and to serve.

As the year ends and I find time to myself, here are my top 10 of the things I have learned this year:

1. Time management is not how you manage to squeeze all the demands and activities in a day, but how you manage to give quality time to the important things in life.

2. Growth only happens when you are in an environment of trust, where you feel safe and you are free to explore, try, create and interact, without fear to fail, without negative criticism; with a support network that can challenge you with respect.

3. Toxic people, yes, there are toxic people! I believe we need to give a chance to everyone but that shouldn't be in detriment of who we are. We can sometimes empathise too much with people by trying to understand why they act as they do or what we did that triggered their behaviour, that we let ourselves be affected by it. There are myriads of reasons why people bully, hate, dismiss, diminish or downplay other's feelings or actions. None of that say anything about us, but only about them. We need to learn to detach of those people and isolate their words, behaviours and actions from our inner selves.

4. We are what we believe in. We need to believe in something that is beyond us. Something that helps us transcend, that helps us see the bigger picture, that carries us when we feel disempowered, something that connects us to ourselves and to others, and helps us see beauty where there seems none. That "something" we believe in, ultimately is what we are.

5. Let go and let in. There is perhaps nothing more important to be in peace with oneself than letting go of grudges, bad feelings and negative experiences, and allow ourselves to continue without letting those things drag us. It is even perhaps more important to let in the learning that comes with those experiences, and the growing that takes place in us sometimes in invisible ways and at times painfully. I also think that part of let in is believing in our gut feeling, being forceful enough to claim our rights and stand our ground for what we believe, without loosing ourselves. Let our inner self and beliefs guide us.

6. Believe in people. This is perhaps one of the most important learnings for me this year, just let people shine by trusting them. There is enough distrust and doubt in this world, and it is perhaps why people are disconnected from one another. We live like islands, protecting ourselves from others, afraid of getting in touch, of smiling, of asking, of listening, even of touching. Believing in people means seeing through them and letting go of our expectations and fears.

7. Breath in and breath out. Just take several times to breath in and breath out during the day. Let go of toxic thoughts, receive positive ideas and images, and oxygen our bodies and mind.

8. Don't let time pass without reconnecting. A simple call, text, message, a coffee/tea, to reconnect with those we haven't been in touch with, makes life so much different. Sometimes we just need someone to talk, to remember a nice time together, or feel the power of friendship.

9. Take time for ourselves. Perhaps the most difficult thing this year. Taking time to read, write, exercise, pray, meditate, and connect with our inner self. When it happens it gives a sense of growth and calm but also sense of belonging and transformation.

10. Be grateful. In the midst of hectic times we often forget to be grateful for what life gives us, for people around us, for who people are and for whom we are because of them.

I wish you all a blessed holiday season and a year 2018 full of learning, time to reconnect, time to be, time to transform ourselves and time to heal and help healing. A year to contribute to bring peace in our own worlds and through the work we do.

In peace,

Maria Lucia

Maternity and impermanence

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 22:55:00 +0000

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”

Heraclitus

Hello,

Time has passed very quickly these months. Manuela is turning three months today 8 March, and I only have one month left of maternity leave.

The last week I have been reflecting a lot on the meaning of impermanence and how true it is during the period of maternity. Every moment with a new born child is a moment of change, a moment that does not come again, a moment where he or she is impacted by every action and inaction of his/her parents. How true it is for a new born child who is shaped permanently by the interactions with their caregivers and whose lives depend solely on us.

Being a mother now has made me see impermanence in a more tangible fashion. Every pain, sacrifice, sleepless nights, insecurity, intranquility, is a moment that passes and leaves behind a learning and a sense of change in ourselves as mothers - we mature, we become more empathic, we become weaved with the lives of our children. We are not the same as parents after every change that our children experience. We grow as they grow. We change as they change.

As I see Manuela grow and develop every day, I cherish every moment with her, every smile, every new sound she makes, every intense look into my eyes, every playful movement, every desire to move and be by herself, every time I feed her, every time I hold her, every time I put her to bed and every morning when she wakes up with a big smile. Each and every moment is so unique and special that makes me value life and enjoy it differently. It is in the little things that I rejoice. It is in the simple moments with Manuela that I am rediscovering what is essential and myself. As I mentioned in my previous post - I believe it is the closest I can be to God. It is in the presence of a child where purity, innocence, tranquility and love, take a real meaning.

Today when I looked into Manuela's eyes to say Happy three months, I just saw how much she has changed since the day she was born and how time has passed so quickly. I immediately thought again about impermanence and how scary it is at times to have the responsibility of helping her grow and develop in her full potential, being aware that my actions as a mother have an incredible impact on her life now and forever.

Whatever a child experiences has an immediate consequence, and how I behave and the example I give her are the best educational tools I have, even now when she is so small. This is perhaps the great importance of impermanence as a mother - to be able to adapt, to understand, to see beyond the changes our children go through to be able to provide them with a proper environment for them to grow, thrive and fully develop.

Awareness is perhaps the key to impermanence. Our capacity to reflect on the changes we go as parents, the changes of our children, and of the environment around us. Our capacity to accept that every thing changes, that there is purpose in those changes and that each change leads to becoming and being.

What a great moment this is - maternity. it is an opportunity to rediscover myself, to value the impermanence of life through the changes my child, my husband and i go through, and life as it truly is.

Love,

Malu

Becoming a mother - wonder and bliss

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 13:21:00 +0000

Hello,

It has been almost two years since I stopped writing my blog systematically. I don't have a single reason why I stopped writing apart from the fact that life became more hectic and the last year was a particular tough one for me. However, I do have a very compelling reason to start writing again in the way I did it before. I have become a mom! Yes, Paul and I had a baby girl last December and now we are enjoying parenthood.

During the last months - during and after pregnancy - I have become more aware of my emotions, of my reactions, of what happens around me, more aware of life. I feel the need to reclaim the time for myself and with myself to reflect upon that awareness and to channel it into inner strengthening. Giving birth to our child Manuela has triggered a spiritual button in me and I believe it is through writing that I can better express what her birth means to me.

When Manuela was born, I told my husband: "I don't think we will ever be closer to God than right now. This is the closest we can be to God" The birth of a child is for sure one of the most powerful spiritual experiences one could have. The power of giving life, of the many transformations that happen inside the uterus of a woman, the awe, the interconnection between mother and child, the moment she comes to the world and look at you with wide open eyes, that instant when she crawls to your breast looking for food, that moment when you hold her in your arms and feel timeless, paralysed and in wonder.

Manuela has come to our lives with joy, curiosity and with an indescribable inner depth from the first moment she was put in our arms. Her curious eyes, open hands, careful attention to us and to everything around her, just fill us with joy and with an immense feeling of love, gratitude and simplicity. Life is just that - that interconnection that feels endless and takes over any other feeling or thought.

Here is the video of when Manuela was put in my arms just after she was born. I didn't have words to her, just tears and profound awe.

Thank you, Manuela, for coming to our lives and for making us feel complete. Thank you, God, for this miracle of life and for your presence in our lives through her.

In peace,

Malu

Manuela looking intensively

Her first check up

Skin to skin with pappa!

Resting with mama!

Goodbye to my father!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 17:51:00 +0000

Hello,

It has been more than two years since I last posted. There will be more time later during this year to update this blog, this time I want to share about my father's passing a month ago.

My father died on 9 July 2015 after a month in the Intensive Care Unit with a respiratory problem complicated by a blood clot that got into his lungs. I managed to spend with him two and a half weeks during his time at the hospital. I had to leave Colombia but with the idea to return two weeks later but my father died before I could come back.

It is difficult to describe in words the feeling of loosing my father and how I feel now after a month. It is also difficult to let go of the pain. It is difficult to think that my father is not here any more and that we will not be able to share more moments together. I am happy to know though that we managed to spend time together during his last month of life and that wherever he is now, I am sure he is watching over me.

Below are some photos and the words I wrote and read at his funeral - only in Spanish.

Peace,

Malu

In my First Communion, 1987

My sister, my father and me - probably sometime in 1985

Paul and my father - 2008

My father and I - 2012

Domingo, 11 de julio de 2015

Para papá,

Y la brisa es cada vez más fuerte, toca cada espacio de la piel…

Y la brisa se torna cada vez más latente y penetra cada memoria, cada recuerdo, cada alegría, cada tristeza, cada raíz...

Y la brisa lleva tu nombre, lleva tu presencia, tus enseñanzas, tu forma de ser…

Hace dos días cuando te fuiste, esa misma brisa era helada y desproporcionada, hoy la brisa es más cálida pero todavía fuerte, reacia, duele, duele mucho…

No hay dolor más grande que ver a las personas que amamos sufrir, pero tal vez uno de los dolores más incomprensibles es el dolor que se siente cuando las personas quienes nos dieron la vida, a quienes les hemos dado la vida, o quienes han moldeado lo que somos, parten de este mundo. Es como si una parte de nosotros se extinguiera, como si a un árbol le arrancaran sus raíces, como si el alma se partiera en varios pedazos y la dispersión de éstos causara pánico, choque, miedo, angustia y dolor, mucho dolor. Nos cuestionamos a nosotros mismos, cuestionamos quienes somos, nuestra relación con esa persona que se fue, lo que pasó, el por qué, lo que hicimos y no hicimos, lo que ella pudo y no pudo hacer, y lo que pudimos haber hecho diferente.

Papá… hoy es difícil entender por qué te fuiste de este mundo tan rápido, es difícil pensar que ya no vas a estar allí cuando te llamemos, que venir a esta ciudad ya no será lo mismo, que escuchar tu voz ya no será posible, que ya no podremos contarte sobre nuestros sueños, éxitos y vida, que no podrás ver crecer a tus nietos y tampoco conocer a aquella que viene en camino, que ya no podremos lidiar con tus cascarrabias, ni preguntarte cómo estás, que ya no estás con nosotros físicamente.

Te fuiste papá, y contigo te llevaste una vida llena de muchas experiencias, de construcciones, de logros, de arrepentimientos, de alegrías, de dolor, de satisfacción. Te fuiste papá y dejaste un legado que lleva tu sello personal en muchos sentidos, una empresa que construiste con tus propias manos y cabeza y que manejaste exitosamente por más de cuarenta años, un negocio que ha ayudado a muchas personas y que hoy es sostenible; una familia que te amó y te seguirá amando como eras y por quien eras sin condiciones; dejaste relaciones de afecto y gratitud con muchas personas a las que ayudaste incondicionalmente. Fuiste y sigues siendo una inspiración para muchos, un ejemplo de tenacidad, de honestidad, de arduo trabajo, de constancia y dedicación. Un hombre desapegado de las cosas materiales, sin lujos, sin pretensiones. Un hombre que se mostraba tal cual como era. Fuiste, papá, como un roble, firme y fuerte y tal vez por eso nos queda difícil entender ahora por qué no estás más con nosotros.

Papá, no fuiste el padre perfecto, pero siempre, sin excepción, estuviste ahí cuando te necesitamos, no pudiste haber ido a muchas de las ocasiones especiales que marcaron nuestras vidas, pero estuviste presente cuando queríamos hablar contigo, visitarte, cuando necesitamos algo, cuando te llamábamos. Nunca estuviste ocupado para nosotros.

Ayer cuando me detuve a pensar en tu vida, pensé que te faltó tiempo, que no fue justo que hayas partido en las condiciones que lo hiciste, sin poder expresarte, hablar y decir lo que sentías, tu voluntad, tus deseos. Ayer le pregunté a Dios por qué no tuviste otra oportunidad, cuando la querías, cuando clamabas por vivir más. Por qué te fuiste y sufriste con tanto dolor y por qué tu cuerpo se fue apagando. Hoy me pregunto cuándo estamos preparados para partir y cuándo para dejar que las cosas fluyan y las personas se marchen.

Hoy cuando tengo tiempo para pensar y meditar en tu partida de nuevo, me doy cuenta que siempre tenemos dos opciones cuando alguien se va de este mundo, una lamentarse por la vida que fue y que pudo haber seguido, y dos aceptar que en este mundo todo cambia, fluye, va y viene, venimos a un mundo que se nos ha sido prestado, pero sólo venimos y estamos de paso, para luego viajar a otros lugares en donde Dios tiene guardado y preparado para nosotros otro papel. Nuestro paso por la tierra es pasajero, es un camino que parece largo pero en realidad es parte de muchos otros caminos; sembramos relaciones, cosechamos una vida, pero nuestros cuerpos sólo están hechos para soportar un tiempo material determinado. Nuestra alma por el contrario viaja, es libre, es transferible, y sigue vigilante, no muere, no cesa, no se esfuma, por el contrario se transforma a través y mediante las experiencias construidas durante el tiempo vivido, las memorias recreadas en las mentes y corazones de las personas que amamos, lo que logramos construir, lo que vivimos y con quien lo hicimos.

Papá, partiste, pero tu alma sigue viva en nosotros tus hijos, que reconocemos en nosotros mismos tu forma de pensar y actuar, en tus nietos que llevan mucho de ti en sus personalidades, en cada historia que construimos juntos y que construiste con mi mamá. Partiste, papá, pero nos dejaste el legado más lindo que es el de seguir adelante, el de luchar hasta el final, el de volver a nuestro origen y querer cambiar, el de confiar en las personas que amamos, el de permanecer vigilante y atento a pesar de las dificultades y contradicciones.

Papá, fuiste un hombre con un carácter muy fuerte pero tu corazón siempre fue el de un niño, sensible y sincero. Hoy queremos que sepas, que reconocemos y nos llevamos con nosotros ese corazón y no tu carácter, que reconocemos y nos quedamos con las memorias del papá alegre, con tu determinación, con tu compromiso y responsabilidad, con todas las cosas lindas que te caracterizaban. Lo otro, papá, ya no está y fueron parte de la transitoriedad de la vida. Hoy, papá, nos quedamos con tu voz cuando cantabas, con tus chistes y buen humor, con tus lágrimas cuando partíamos, con tu mirada y con tu amor. Si alguna vez quisiste que te perdonáramos por lo que hiciste o pudiste haber hecho mejor, hoy queremos que sepas que todos en tu familia, ya lo hemos hecho y sólo guardamos en nosotros la imagen del padre excepcional que fuiste.

También papá te pedimos perdón por haberte herido en ocasiones, inconscientemente, por lo que no hicimos y pudimos haber hecho mejor, en donde estés ahora, bríndanos tu perdón y amor.

Sigue caminando, Cesarín, ahora sin dificultades para respirar, ligero, sin las limitaciones del cuerpo. Sigue marchando, Cesarín, ahora con la posibilidad de cuidarnos y vernos desde cualquier lugar. Sigue Cesarín presente en nuestras vidas, a través de nuestros sueños, en las nuevas experiencias y a través de las huellas que dejaste. Sigue tu camino, Cesarín, sigue haciendo camino, con la certeza que en el más allá también nos vamos a encontrar.

Con profundo amor y gratitud por lo que somos ahora,

Tus hijos y esposa

Different is just different - It is neither bad nor wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 20:55:00 +0000

Hello,

Today after a long time without blogging I decided to spend some time to catch up with my posts and also to write down some reflections that are going on in my mind these days.

During the last nine months that I have been working in my new job, I have encountered in several occasions fear to change, skepticism to try new things, take risks. I have had discussions with people who are afraid of changing the way things are and who think of change as something threatening. This way of thinking is not at all new to me and it is for sure not something exclusively related to the field I work with. Fear of change has become sadly part of our existence and our understanding as human beings. We are all, in a way, afraid of changes; some more than others and some deal with it in more positive ways. I guess this is part of being human on this planet! What is somehow more shocking for me is that whenever I encounter a strong and difficult resistance to change or to do things differently, I have also encountered a great fear of the "other", a fear of differences, of people who do and think differently; resistance to accept and embrace different ways of doing things. We are not only afraid of change, we are afraid of differences!

Whilst analysing this, I have come to realise how much this behaviour is engrained in our upbringing, in the contexts we live, in our families. Sadly growing up in environments where uniformity is the rule, where standing out is not well perceived, where obedience to the norm is rewarded and out of the norm punished, where everyone should do and behave in the same way, children are raised being afraid of trying new things, of enjoying life with others who are different and of appreciating diversity.

Often people who are deeply afraid of changes and of doing things differently have a black and white mentality and seldom accept that different is just different, it is neither bad nor wrong.

Taken from http://blog.postjoint.com/lateral-marketing-be-different/

Unfortunately our education systems and society often try to box us into one single way of thinking, into either/or mentality, into a dichotomy. This is definitively cultural violence, violence that is slowly, cleverly and sadly injected into our thinking, into our sense of being human. We need to challenge our education systems to appreciate diversity, to embrace creativity, to let children experience new things, to let children explore possibilities, new realities, to transcend the current, the present. Envisioning a new reality and a new way of doing things, of relating to others, is only possible when we create spaces to do so.

Rejecting changes without consideration and understanding and avoiding differences can easily fuel discriminatory practices, feed bullying behaviours and disrespect. It can easily become violent! "Different" is not an enemy, is not wrong, it is not bad!

I invite you, together with me, today to look at ourselves, deeply into our own ways of thinking and acting, and reflect on our fear of change, our fear of differences, our fear of doing things differently, of letting others do things differently, of giving space to understand things with a different lens. It is in a way natural to be afraid from time to time, to react when changes are brought to us, to be cautious; it is the way we deal with those changes and differences that can make a difference not only for ourselves but also for our children and next generations.

Thinking differently, changing the status quo and embracing diversity can definitely change the world!

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

― Apple Inc.

DIFFERENT IS JUST DIFFERENT - IT IS NEITHER BAD NOR WRONG

The Journey 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 00:01:00 +0000

Hola,

It is that time of the year when many things come together: holidays, family, reflections, memories, friends, thoughts, resolutions and feelings. It is that time of the year when a mix between consumerism and spirituality take place, when things slow down and at the same time the rush of meeting friends and family get in between, when millions of people in the world get together to pause and get ready for a new time, and when life somehow seems to take different shapes and forms.

Today when I look back to all things that happened in my life in 2013, I have tears in my eyes. It has been a wonderful year, with many opportunities, possibilities, discoveries and encounters. A time of many realisations, of self-knowledge, of challenges, of changes and of blessings. It has been without doubt a year of re-discovery and finding myself, of standing up for my dreams, of letting go and strengthening my inner self. A year of loosing and redefining friendships, of traveling, learning and above all of finding balance.

Still many things remain to be done and fulfilled, many aspects of my life need to be fostered and taken care of more, and yet I am fine knowing that as long as I am aware of those I am a better person; that as long as I am humble and recognise that I am not perfect I make myself vulnerable and therefore more human; and that as long as I acknowledge my imperfections and accept them I give free rein to my spirit and become more myself. And yet I am also aware that awareness doesn't always come easily and in many occasions blindness takes place and is stronger.

Today when I look back I think of 2013 as a year of change and redefinition, of new beginnings and experiences; I want to give thanks to God for the path he has provided for me, for guiding my hands and my soul through new journeys, for making me stronger and more aware of who I am, and for making me realise about my imperfections.

Thank God for the light, hope and strength and for the wonderful human beings you have placed in my life journey.

Peace,

Malu

Workshop on the Learning to Live Together Programme in Athens-September 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Hola,

August to October were very busy months with meetings, strategy development, workshops, recruitment, administrative work and assessment of what has been done. In September we organised in Athens the first Basic Training Workshop on the Learning to Live Together Programme. The main goal of this workshop was to introduce the program in schools through the training of teachers of primary, secondary and gymnasium levels to be implemented as part of religious, physical, civic and general education courses in their different educational settings.

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Inter-Orthodox Center of the Church of Greece, under the leadership of Dr Angelos Vallianatos, National Advisor on Religion Lessons for the Greek Ministry of Education.

We had 24 participants whom for four days engaged in several discussions about ethics, spirituality and interfaith and intercultural learning, and actively participated in practical activities using the learning approach and methodologies of the Learning to Live Together programme. Ample space was given for experiential learning and reflection as to allow teachers to develop facilitation skills to be used in their classrooms.

It was a challenging and yet a very meaningful workshop where teachers reflected about their own understanding of spirituality and what it means in their daily life, in their society and in their teaching profession. There were many discussions about the purpose of silence and how to practice silence in our lives and whether it is something inherent to certain societies or able to apply everywhere.

At the end of the workshop, participants made commitments to adapt the programme to kindergarden activities, to promote inter-religious understanding and respect in secondary schools, and to use it in physical education, and in primary school classes.

This workshop wouldn't have been possible without the work of Gelly, one of Arigatou International's official trainers, who made it all possible to bring the Learning to Live Together programme to Greece and is still supporting the follow up. Here in the photo, Gelly, Vera and I having a great time together before the workshop.

Before the workshop - Preparations. It takes at least two full days to get everything set up for the workshops we organised. It requires a great deal of team work and creativity. Here Gelly and Vera preparing some of the materials

Gelly and Vera again - two wonderful people with whom I have spent wonderful time together bringing the Learning to Live Together to many corners of the world!

The workshop took place in the Inter-Orthodox Center of the Church of Greece. A very beautiful place, close to nature, full of symbolism and perfect for meditation and reflection.

The church at the Inter-Orthodox Center

Gyros made of roasted chicken, served with tomato, onion, tzatziki sauce and wrapped in pita bread, but this was was great!

On the last day of the workshop I had the visit of my friend Christos, whom I met in Poland 10 years ago. It was just great to see him again, meet his two kids, catch up for a little while and give each other a big hug. Thank you, Chris, it was great to see you!

It was a great time and experience both personally and professionally and I am glad that a few months after the workshop, participants are already sharing how they are using the manual in their school settings and excited about the results with the children they work with.

If you are interested to learn more about Arigatou International and its Ethics Education Program, you can visit our website following this link http://ethicseducationforchildren.org/en/

Hugs,

Malu

Eighth Wedding Anniversary in Cyprus

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:03:00 +0000

Hola,

We spent our eight wedding anniversary in beautiful Cyprus. We were looking for a destination not so far from Switzerland, a different place where we have never been to, a place close to the sea and with great food. We were hesitant in the beginning since Cyprus is not a popular destination in Switzerland and we don't hear much about it as a great place to spend holidays. We, however, thought it was a great opportunity to explore other places and have a short and yet relaxing time to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

Here a few pictures and comments that capture the great time we had together!

Our first snack when we arrived to the hotel in Aya Napa

Our wedding anniversary night out! Delicious dinner

We rented a motor bike to go around Larnaca and other nearby beaches

Beautiful Protaras in the South Eastern Coast of Cyprus -clean waters, sandy beaches, many water sports, and great food, a bit packed but wonderful! This is Fig Tree Bay that stretches for 500m and the waters are clean enough for the beach to have been awarded blue flag designation. According to Wikipedia, the Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards. FEE's Blue Flag criteria include standards for water quality, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services and general environmental management criteria.

Protaras is known as one of the most beautiful places in Cyprus and its beaches and facilities are catered for families, which makes it very friendly and easy to explore.

Water sports

You can chose from ski jet, paragliding, parasailing, waterski, wake boards, bananas, flyfish, pedal boats and many others

And here we are doing jet ski! It was exciting, fast and fun

After a great time on the beach we continued our motorbike trip exploring the area!

Went around to small towns with beautiful landscapes, churches, architecture and wonderful weather

We also passed by the Famagusta Gulf View Point. For those who don't know, Cyprus has been in conflict with Turkey for more than 30 years. In 1974 Cyprus was divided de facto when the Turkish army occupied one third of the island. The Turkish Cypriots subsequently declared independence in 1983 as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRCN) but it has only been recognized by Turkey. In 1985 the TRNC adopted a constitution and held its first elections.

As a result of the occupation, several Greek Cypriots had to flee from the areas where they lived and became displaced. They were never allowed to return.

There is a section of Famagusta, one of the TRNC controlled areas, called Varosha that was blocked and fenced off by the Turkish army just after it was captured and still remains in that state today. People call it "the ghost town"because even though buildings have been looted yet they look as when people lived there more than 30 years ago.

Afar a Turkish military watch tower over Famagusta

On our way back we stopped to have some dessert! Here with Vilma and Betty!

And to end a great day we had a typical Cyprian dinner with great cocktails

Next day we took a cruise around Ayia Napa. Here are Cape Greco caves between Ayia Napa and Protaras

Enjoying the sun, the breeze, the colours and the water!

Made a stop to swim! Here is Paul jumping from the boat

In the far distance you can see Famagusta

In the swimming pool at the hotel after a great day

Next day we went on a tour to Lekkosia or Nicosia - Cyprus capital passing through the Troodos mountain range and the Mount Olympus, the highest point on Cyprus at 1952 meters. Known scientifically as the Troodos ophiolite complex, the area was created about 80 million years ago and rose from the sea about 20 million years ago to create the island. It is one of the most widely studied geological formations in the world providing information on the birth of the earth’s crust.

Metamorphosis Christian Orthodox church located in Kakopetria, a traditional Cyprus village, located in the wooded Solea Valley, halfway up the northern slopes of Mount Olympos.

Lit a candle for peace in Cyprus

The village's name - Kakopetria - means 'bad stone', relating to the legend of a fabled stone that rolled over and crushed a newly wedded couple

We stopped at a small village on the top of the Troodos range - we bought some local products including wine and oil.

Went to Omodos - an ancient village built around the ‘Timous Stavros Monastery’ – Monastery of the Holy Cross. Omodos is just beautiful - filled with narrow alleys and wood crafted verandas that display coloured flowerpots.

Omodos is located at an altitude of 900 meters, in the centre of the famous wine making region of Cyprus. Omodos is built around the Monastery of the Holy Cross which, according to records, dates back to the arrival of Saint Helena in Cyprus (A.D.337). The Monastery is home to a piece of the Holy Rope with which - it is said - Christ’s hands were tied to the Cross. When Saint Helen came to Cyprus in 327A.D. she visited the Monastery and presented the piece of holy rope with a section of the blood-stained rope that bound Jesus to the Cross.

In the centre of the Monastery an imposing Church stands having a gilded icon stand inside, dating back to 1817.

We arrived in Nicosia/Lefkosia where we were given some time to explore the city. We were told by our tourist guide that there was no time to go inside during the tour, however, Paul and I were curious and wanted to see how this part of the city was so decided to cross the border. Nicosia or Lefkosia as it is the name in Turkish is the capital of Cyprus - both the Greek and Turkish areas.

The banner reads: "The last divided capital of the world". At the border our passports got stamped and we entered the Turkish Republic of the Northern Cyprus.

Cyprus is subdivided into four main segments. The Republic of Cyprus that occupies the southern two-thirds of the island (59.74%). The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus occupies the northern third (34.85%), and the United Nations-controlled Green Line that provides a buffer zone that separates the two and covers 2.67% of the island. Lastly, two bases under British sovereignty are located on the island: Akrotiri and Dhekelia, covering the remaining 2.74%. (Wikipedia)

The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus is a demilitarised zone, patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), that was established in 1974. The zone runs for more than 180.5 kilometres (112.2 mi) along what is colloquially known as the Green Line and has an area of 346 square kilometres (134 sq mi).

Indeed when we entered the language immediately changed from Greek to Turkish, the currency changed from Euro to Turkish Lira and the architecture was more predominantly Persian. Here you can see the flag of the TRNC and a mosque.

On the streets of Lekosia -

Streets of Lefkosia

Me in the middle of the old town in Lefkosia

Back in Larnaca to enjoy our last evening!

Last dinner in Cyprus!

Our last lunch having 'meze' - traditional Cyprus dish - which consists of many dishes like stifado (kind of stew), delicious dips, tavs, tahini, humus, taramasalata (fish roe dip), octopus, mixed salad, moussaka, chiromeri, fresh olives, grilled halloumi cheese, among many others and a great dessert!

Delicious dessert - ready to leave beautiful Cyprus

It was a great time to celebrate our 8th Wedding Anniversary, rest, spend quality time together and recharge energies for an intense end of the year! Cyprus is for sure a totally recommended location for short holidays!

Peace,

Malu

Meetings in Nairobi, Kenya - August 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 20:46:00 +0000

Hello,

After a great workshop on the Learning to Live Together Programme in Japan at the beginning of August I went to Nairobi for a meeting of the Steering Committee of the new Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty launched by Arigatou International. It was a great meeting with great experts, inspiring leadership and promising outcomes.

The meeting lasted two days during which we engaged in dialogue about the main areas of work of the initiative and the scope of work. It was an interesting meeting with constructive ideas and feedback. The Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty is a global effort to mobilize faith-inspired resources to end child poverty by addressing both the spiritual and structural causes of poverty. The initiative is child-centered and multi-faith in scope and action.

After the Steering Committee meeting, another meeting was held only with the Directors of Arigatou International. This was the first time we were together after my appointment and the appointment of the new Director of the Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty.

I also visited the Arigatou International Nairobi office that was recently opened and that hosts the offices of the Global Network of Religions for Children and the Interfaith Initiative to End Child Poverty

After the meetings, I had the chance to go around the city with two of the most inspiring individuals I have had the privilege to meet during my time in Arigatou International, they are Vinu Aram from India and Director of Shanti Ashram and Vinya Ariyaratne, Executive Director of Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka.

Interesting banner!

I also had the opportunity to meet my friend Nadia with whom I studied in Basel. She is originally from Cameroon but now based in Nairobi for work. It was just great to see each other again!

Mary from the Ministry of Education of Kenya and who is a member of the INEE Working Group on Education and Fragility. Mary came with very short notice to meet me and I was so glad to be able to talk with her and catch up!

It was a short trip to Nairobi but very inspiring, full of knowledge and exciting to see the take off of the new Arigatou International Initiative to End Child Poverty.

Peace,

Malu

Caux Palace - Panel on Creating Safe Environments for Children

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 22:19:00 +0000

Hola,

Just after a month of starting my new job I was invited to participate in a panel on Creating Safe Environments for Children that was held in Caux, Switzerland on the occasion of the conference titled Children as Actors for Transforming Society – Making Children’s participation work organised by Initiatives of Change in in cooperation with Child-to-Child Trust.

The panel took place on the 28th July with the participation of Ms. Alana Kapell, Child Protection and Participation Specialist, Office of the Special Representative on Violence Against Children, Ms. Camille Warrington, Young People’s Participation Development Officer, University of Bedfordshire, and myself on behalf of Arigatou International Geneva.

The Caux Palace was built in 1900 and is now the home of Initiatives of Change's conference centre. The building is operated as a hotel school for much of the year, the Swiss Hotel Management School, and still houses the Initiatives of Change annual conferences each summer.

View of Montreux from Caux

With Vera walking around before the conference

I addressed children’s safety not only from the protection point of view, but from a development stand. I argued that by creating a safe environment for children that considers their physical and emotional safety as well as their environment, cognitive and spiritual safety, children are empowered to fully participate in society and help transforming the many issues that affect them.

I framed the presentation around the understanding of human dignity and challenged the way safety is perceived and treated, just as a mere component against direct violence. I spoke about structural and cultural violence and underlined the importance of developing critical thinking in children to avoid indoctrination and manipulation. I also stressed the importance of nurturing children’s innate spirituality that allows them to thrive, break the fear of relating to the other, to speak up and to ask questions. I Introduced the Learning to Live Together Programme of Arigatou International and through examples of children’s participation explained how the programme supports the creation of a safe learning experience for children allowing them to strengthen their sense of belonging, of being, becoming, connecting and transforming.

At the end of the panel many people were interested to learn more about Arigatou International and the Learning to Live Together, to hear about our approach to work with children and youth and interested to work with us. Safe learning environments for children is for sure not only a topic of great importance but an imperative need to empower them and to foster their full development.

After the panel, I went with Vera and Paul to Montreux for a nice lunch and to enjoy the beautiful scenery

After Montreux we headed to Yvoire, which is a medieval city in the Rhône-Alpes in south-eastern France. Yvoire is characterised by its medieval buildings and it is being recognised as one of the most beautiful villages in France

Me playing with cows

Peace,

Malu

Rejoining Arigatou International - New challenges ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 10:50:00 +0000

Hello,

Today I have started to officially work again with Arigatou International. Arigatou is an international faith-based NGO committed to building a better world for children. Arigatou is an initiator and sustainer of partnership-based initiatives to secure children's rights and foster children's well-being. With headquarters in Japan, offices in Geneva, Nairobi and New York, and collaborators and partners in more than 46 countries, Arigatou works worldwide to promote interfaith cooperation and collaboration to support ethics education and to address violence and poverty that affect children around the world. Arigatou International has partnerships with UNESCO and UNICEF, and many other international organizations.

I previously worked with Arigatou for four and a half years as Program Officer and later on while I was doing my Masters as a consultant. Today I proudly rejoin Arigatou as Director of its office in Geneva. It is a very exciting position and for sure the most challenging one I have had until now. The office in Geneva serves as the focal point for Ethics Education for Children and the Arigatou international liaison office with UN agencies and child-rights-focused NGOs. My role as Director of the office is to manage its ethics education program through its enhancement, further development and partnerships. I'm also in charge of promoting the full development of children, and the protection and fulfilment of their rights through partnerships and collaboration with other international organizations.

As I mentioned I am excited but also very proud. Having worked with Arigatou before and directly and indirectly with many other organizations, I can say that Arigatou International is a very unique international NGO. I want to share with you three main reasons why it is without doubt a great working place and a role model organization for many others:

1. Non conventional NGO. Arigatou is a Japanese based NGO with a different approach to most international NGOs driven by a western mentality. Arigatou works with a holistic approach towards its core activities, working dynamics and beneficiaries through networking and partnership-oriented processes. It bases its approach on tackling structural issues that affect the full development of children. Most of the times international organizations are set to work on education, health, child rights, etc with the traditional approach of providing these services, training local people, advocating, etc.

Arigatou explores the root causes of issues that affect societies and aims to strategically contribute to those. This is the case of promoting interfaith and intercultural collaboration to enhance the positive role of religions as vectors of peace and contributors to peace building processes, particularly in a time when religion is used to fuel violent conflicts and in many cases discredit the other. It is also the case with the ethics education initiative that aims to contribute to nurturing ethical values in children and youth to promote mutual understanding and respect for people of different faiths and no faith, develop citizenship skills and their ability to work together to transform their societies.

Arigatou is also currently developing an initiative to tackle poverty issues and it is expected to contribute to tackle the root causes and support collaborations between all types of organizations.

2. Trust and dialogue-based working environment. Arigatou is an organization where people are highly and genuinely valued and fully appreciated. Where all ideas are taken into account and where trust is one of the main guiding principles of relations and work. Arigatou has offices around the world that are not managed by Japanese or Buddhist people but by people from other nationalities, cultures and religions that have demonstrated competencies for these positions. Arigatou in Japan places a lot of trust in their staff and believes in dialogue, consensus, constant communication, holistic thinking, networking and the power of collaborative work. It is an organization where ethical principles are applied on daily basis and where coherent speech and action are encouraged every day in all employees.

3. True collaboration between secular and religious organizations. Arigatou doesn't only work with religious organizations, it also works with UN agencies, other NGOs and academics. It aims to go beyond a single approach and to learn from one another to build a world fit for children. Arigatou International has forged strong collaborations with many organizations and individuals that have allowed it to widely work around the world with local partners and create synergies between several organizations. Arigatou promotes in the true sense the meaning of networking, partnership and collaboration.

The office in Geneva has operated for only 10 years but in this short term of time has positioned itself as an active international NGO in child rights discussions and processes, as a leader in ethics education for children, and as the promoter of quality education materials on ethics education.

It has developed in close collaboration with UNESCO and UNICEF an internationally recognized programme for ethics education using an intercultural and interfaith approach, called Learning to Live Together, translated into 10 languages and used in more than 30 countries around the world. It has trained more than 500 facilitators during the last five years after it was launched in 2008, and it has largely impacted informal, non-formal and formal education worldwide. This manual has been used to strengthen interfaith collaboration, to influence peace education curricula in formal education settings, to train on parenting, to tackle violent issues affecting societies and education, and to mobilize youth around the world to take an active role in helping to transform the world.

I am taking up this position with many opportunities, challenges and expectations. It is my believe that the work of Arigatou is not only a bright light in the world, but a role model for many other organizations in the world. I envision the work of Arigatou in a few years not only wider, more meaningful and more recognized, but also as the creator and initiator of forward thinking and strategic international and collaborative work on peace issues, interfaith collaboration, youth participation, and ethics education. The world needs it and Arigatou International has it all to become a leading partner in this work. I am humble and proud to be part of this organization and to contribute to continue changing the world from this new capacity.

If you are interested to learn more about Arigatou, don't hesitate to visit our websites or write to me.

Peace,

Malu

Holidays in Sweden - June 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 21:53:00 +0000

Hola,

This is our last holiday trip before I started to work with Arigatou International again. This time we spent two weeks in Sweden for mid summer. Sweden is especially beautiful in summer time and it was very nice to be there with the family. Here are a few pictures of the best moments!

We went to Sweden mainly to attend the gymnasium graduation of Paul's nephew, Carl. Graduations are coloured by many traditions, one that was particularly interesting for me was that every family prepares a poster of their child from when he/she was a kid and carry it during the ceremony. Each class group comes out and performs a song, a dance, or a hymn, etc, some are more prepared than others, some seem not to want to be there, others look very happy. I was impressed by the diversity of the population. Many graduates from other nationalities different to Swedish or at least from parents who migrated to Sweden, muslim girls, disabled kids, introverts, extroverts, a mix of everything. It was very beautiful to see so much diversity united for the same purpose.

Here is Carl's group

Carl with his poster prepared by his family

The entire Edwardsson's family: from left to right Sara, Chris, Carl and Maria

Just before going to the party. After the ceremony, friends and family give the graduates flowers that are hung around the neck.

Delicious food at Edwardsson's place

Me and Paul

Visited Bäckaskog Castle where Paul and I got married in 2005. Bäckaskog Castle was originally a monastery built in the 13th century and transformed into a castle in the 16th century. In the reformation of 1537 the monastery became the property of the Danish crown. In 1584 Bäckaskog was presented to the governor of crown prince Kristian (IV), Henrik Ramel. In the years 1584-1653, he and his son Henrik Ramel the Younger converted the former monastery into a fortified castle. Karl XV stayed at Bäckaskog every summer from 1845 until his death.

This is the chapel where we got married!

Visiting Paul's cousin and his family - Here with Hanna

Their son Erik is learning how to play the Saxophone, among other instruments, here he is performing for us

Apart from playing the Saxophone he also plays the drums

With beautiful Elsa!

Playing crocket with the kids

Paul with his sister for midsummer celebration

Midsummer meal

Delicious desert

Visiting Paul's friends outside Kristianstad

Went for a weekend to Öland island on the Baltic sea. It is the second largest Swedish island with an area of 1342 Km2 and 25.000 inhabitants.

We had delicious food, enjoyed the spa, travelled around and had a good quality time

Dinner at Hotel Skansen

Enjoying dinner!

And delicious cocktails!

We went karting and guess who won?

Shrimp salad - delicious!

Walking on Öland

Swedish flags everywhere!

Northern part of Öland - Långe Erik, which is a lighthouse built in 1845 and located on a little island, Stora grundet, at the north cape of Öland

Me playing with the stones! It seems many people come here and make stone piles since there were dozens of those everywhere

We went for a visit to the Troll Forest, which is for sure one of the most beautiful forests in Sweden established as a nature reserve. It has pines and oak trees. It also has fifteen prehistoric burial mounds, three marked with stones.

Hiking trails

Then we headed to see the rauks - peculiar stone formations made by the sea

Inspiring! Birds flying in formation, supporting each other and collaborating, a great example for humans

In Kalmar where we had dinner before going back to Kristianstad

It was a great time in Sweden, discovering new places, enjoying different traditions, eating amazing food, experiencing nature and having quality time. A perfect holiday to recharge energies and get ready for the challenges ahead.

Hugs,

Malu

Visiting the UK June 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Lucia Uribe Torres) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:48:00 +0000

Hola,

June was a special month. We travelled to the UK for a friend's wedding and to see several friends and then we spent two weeks in Sweden before I started to work with Arigatou International again. Here is my best selection of pictures and captions from this amazing time in the UK with friends.

On our first day in London we had lunch at Nando's where we had chicken with piri piri and rice. It was just what we needed after our flight and long morning!

Walking along Oxford Street we entered a music shop and to Paul's surprise the members of Megadeth - a famous heavy metal band - where signing autographs. The guy sitting there is Dave Mustaine who was one of the founding members of Metallica.

Here with Ciro Alejandro, a good friend from Colombia who lives in London. We hadn't seen each other for almost five years and here we are happy to meet again!

In Hyde Park

Hyde Park

Catching up and talking about life in the UK and Colombia

Enjoying some beers, food and live music in an English pub

On Friday early morning we headed to a Sikh temple for the wedding ceremony of our friend

What a beautiful wedding! As always I am amazed by the wonderful traditions in our world, by unknown experiences, customs and ways of living, by the sacredness of revering one's own belief and tradition and sharing it with our loved ones, by the mysticism of the religious world and its spiritual grounds.

Arun with some of the women who are surrounding him before the bride enters the temple

The groom and the bride ready to start the ceremony. The ceremony was performed in Punjabi but with a general translation of the main sections of the ceremony and its meaning. It was beautiful.

Paul and I ready to enter the temple

Me with the married couple!

At the wedding reception in Birmingham

Me and Paul enjoying the party. There was great music, delicious food and nice people!

Dinner at our table!

Me with my Indian saree!

Back in London with Sara and Jack - Sara is Paul's niece and Jack is her boyfriend

Went to a Japanese bar/restaurant

Delicious cocktail with passion fruit

Delicious Japanese food

Happy with my handsome and amazing husband!

After a great dinner!

After almost five five years, here were are with Monika, a very good friend with whom I lived in Poland back in 2000. What a nice meeting, just before her wedding!

With Moni and her fiancé!

In front of Buckingham palace!

Another short reunion with Andrea and Charlie - Andrea is a friend from high school in Colombia now living in London - It was short but it was very nice to see her

Spent one night at the house of one of my friends from Sri Lanka - Dhanushka, who lives with his wife and two kids. Dhanushka was the President of AIESEC in Sri Lanka when I was the Director of Learning and Human Resources. He now lives in the UK with his beautiful family.

Dan cooked Kothu - which is a Sri Lankan dish made from a Sri Lankan roti and vegetables, egg, and/or meat, and spices. It is delicious and it reminded me of the time when I lived in Sri Lanka and used to buy Kothu just on the streets of the house where I lived! Good old times! Thank you, Dan, for cooking this amazing dinner and for hosting us!

Sri Lankan breakfast with milk rice called Kiribath, which is boiled in coconut milk, served together with fish curry and sambol! Delicious!

Dan's children!

The entire beautiful family

Also had the chance to meet Charlotte whom I met in Sri Lanka - we went for a short lunch but it was great to catch up and see each other after more than eight years

And last but not least, we briefly met with Gyulyana and Pete with whom I lived and spent wonderful moments in Sri Lanka. They also met in Sri Lanka and then got married. I was so happy to meet them and reconnect after so long time. Their happiness and smiles made the day!

What an amazing trip! New experiences, meeting friends, great food and quality time. I wish I had more friends in Geneva so I can spend more moments together with them. This was for sure a great re-energizer for the year!

Peace,

Malu