May 2012 – Woman: “Sono molto contenta di essere qui”
Man: “Il team di lavoro è come una famiglia, questa è la cosa più importante di questa iniziativa”.
In conjunction with 300 other cities from around the world, the beautiful coastal site of Caesarea Maritima hosted Run4unity, an initiative now in its third edition that has brought children from around the world to run in the relay of peace. In the Holy Land, this day organized as always by the Focolare movement assumed a particular significance, with many young Israelis and Palestinians coming together in the Herodian city where, according to Christian tradition, Paul of Tarsus was imprisoned. Approximately 400 students in all, including Christians, Muslims, and some Jews. Different beliefs joined together by the golden rule, as the event organizers stated: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – the universal commandment of love that is also transmitted through the games.
Woman: “È la mia prima volta, ero preoccupata di fare degli errori, ma poi mi sono fatta trascinare dall’evento ed è stato bellissimo”.
Woman: “It’s enriching to get together and exchange ideas. This program today is not my idea or that of another; it’s the idea of a body, of the experience of Jesus among us.”
In the Hippodrome of Caesarea, the children were engaged in a variety of games and competitions to test their skills… all this, before the last and more “artistic” part, a show in which the protagonists were again the children. It’s an event that the parents did not want to miss, as seen in the many adults present at Caesarea.
Man: “Penso che un importante lavoro per i genitori e i nonni sia di trasmettere alle prossime generazioni e nelle famiglie questi valori di apertura, accettazione, tolleranza, amicizia”.
The ideal goal was precisely to bring together people from the whole world to pass on these teachings… Values that this land specially awaits with urgency, and that Run4unity tried, once again this year, to witness with an international competition… Without the need to have winners and losers, but with the desire to be united with others.
Original post published in cmc-terrasanta.org