World Peace Prayer and Flag Ceremony, Milano-ITALY

April 1st, 2012

We had a wonderful World Peace Prayer and Flag Ceremony (WPFC) in Milano, Italy.

It was the first official (public) WPFC in Milano, at Centro Asteria during a beautiful event, “Oriente sui Navigli” (Orient on the Channel), which was especially dedicated to Japan. It was a very rich and profound event with many panel exhibitions and video showings about Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukushima and other northern Japan areas hit by Tsunami. This was a good occasion for people to reflect on the use of nuclear power.

The event included: talented singers and skillful Italian Taiko drummers, Japanese Calligraphy, Ikebana, a lot of Japanese beautiful kokeshi (wooden dolls) martial art demonstrations and a Mandala exhibition, which was not in the program but when I showed ten or more mandalas I had with me (I had them with me because I taught five mandala classes at a junior high school near Como before coming to Milano), they all loved them so much, they created a space for them to be displayed.

Also, the Japanese Ambassador of Milano was invited to attend the event, by the Centro Asteria institute.

We had a fantastic WPFC with 200 small children, comprised of first, second and third grade elementary school students. They were so small and so cute!! Their teachers were so wonderful and supportive; they did a fantastic job with guiding the student flag bearers to take on the role as ambassador for each country. The big theatre was filled with more than 500 people in attendance. It was a joyful ceremony with those small angels.

A lot of peace ceremonies in Italy this year, and I am sure Caterina and others are having or planning other gatherings, too.

Latter part of April, I am scheduled to meet three different spiritual groups in southern Italy, and happily so, to share the teachings of Mr. Goi and Mrs. Masami Saionji.

I feel like we are needed, to facilitate WPFC, Peace Pole plantings, SOPP, and prayer gatherings here in Italy, much more than past years. Italy is facing a big transformation, a big shift, for sure, and we are supporting the evolution with our prayers.

May Peace Prevail on Earth!
May Peace Be in Italy!
Che la Pace Regni sulla Terra!

Infinite Gratitude and Love,

Sonoko Tanaka
Peace Representative of The World Peace Prayer Society in ITALY