Symphony of interfaith prayers for world peace 2010 in manila
In the heat of the summer sun on May 16th, 2010 at the Riverbanks Plaza of Marikina City, the Philippines once again participated in creating a wave of prayerful vibrations around the globe as the Global Peace Meditation and Prayer Day / World Shift Day was celebrated with the Symphony of peace prayers hosted by the Mandala Peace Arts Initiative (MPAI), and made possible by Byakko Shinko Kai, in partnership with The Peacemakers’ Circle Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) and the Riverbanks Center.
Synergetically linking with more than 400 similar events from over 50 countries, the annual Symphony of Peace Prayers (SOPP)* is an inter-religious, inter-spiritual public event that honors and gives gratitude to the beautiful peace prayers from different faith traditions. This year’s SOPP was staged in Marikina City—one of the areas that was gravely affected by the recent huge flood in Metro Manila a few months ago. It was a timely and appropriate site where prayers for peace and healing should take place.
The park by the river was suddenly energized by the flags of the united nations, together with symbols of different faiths and the peace pole. A globe, cloth mandala and an indigenous altar pole (called tambara) became the center of the circle around which an intimate-- yet powerful--group of about 50 lay individuals, religious, representatives of different spiritual groups, peace advocates, cultural workers, and youths gathered together in an atmosphere of oneness and prayerful celebration amidst diverse backgrounds...
Byakko members perform the Divinity-In before people started to arrive...
Registration of incoming participants..
Hare Krishna setting up their booth and the vegetarian food they prepared for the event..
Representatives from different faith groups getting to know each other ..
Members of the Peacemakers' Circle Youth for Unity (Y4U) representing their respective faith traditions during the interfaith prayers...
Mr. Mario “Toots” Fungo, founder/leader of Mandala Peace Arts Initiative, welcomed everyone in behalf of partners and co-organizers. 
To begin the program Byakko members performed the Kokyuho Divinity-In while everyone was engaged in Ocean Breathing. 
Opening the sacred space for the interfaith prayers, Prof. Grace Odal-Devora, a neo-babaylan (ancient pre-colonial priestess) from the University of the Philippines-Manila, performed a Sayaw-Bathala (contemporary dance ritual around the tambara which also consists of offering nature’s elements and flowers).
Bro. John Dowling and company from the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University led an open-eye meditation exercise to prepare everyone to enter into sacred silence.
Sr. Vida Cordero, SFIC (Franciscan Sisters) then engaged everyone in a blessing from the Christian faith...
Mr. Ishilta Pinlac, URI youth ambassador and Y4U member, offered a peace prayer in behalf of the Earth-based traditions
Ms. Sharon Vaswani (URI Southeast Asia-Pacific youth coordinator & Y4U member) offered a Hindu peace prayer...
A Tibetan Buddhist prayer for peace was offered by Mr. Reimon Cosare
Muslim prayer for peace was offered by Peacemakers Muslim youth, Alan Berguia from the Culiat community.
Mr. Rishi Kumar of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) offered a prayer for peace and enjoined everyone to chant: "Hare Krishna!"
Baba Surinder Singh Ragi of the Guru Nanak mission also chanted a Sikh prayer for peace...
Ms. Racquel Castillo of the National Baha'i' Spiritual Assembly in Manila read prayers from the Baha'i Faith tradition...
Shinji Shumei Kai (Japanese spiritual organization) was represented by Ms. Tomomi Cathy Shima who chanted prayers for peace...
Following the interfaith peace prayers were the global prayers from Byakko Shinko Kai. The Prayer for a World Free from Conflict (led by Ms. Norma Beltran) and the Prayer for Harmony Between Humanity & Nature (led by Ms. Queen Frilles) were accompanied by noseflute music rendered by Mr. Leo Emm. Castro of Sanghabi (indigenous cultural workshop group).
Highlighting the event was the World Peace Prayer Ceremony where everyone was engaged in mentioning the names of 198 countries in the world and praying for peace to prevail in each nation and region.
Afterwards, the participants took a few moments of silence to feel the vibration of blessings that was radiated all around.
The “New Seed”, a declaration of action for the upcoming World Environment Day (WED) was then shared by Mr. Ding Reyes of SanibLakas Foundation and chairman of the WED-Phils network.
With uplifting music from the Kaya Green Band, jamming with the ISKCON & Sanghabi, the program was concluded with greeting each other with an indigenous gesture of oneness and kinship. 
Towards the end, warm conversations—accompanied by kirtan chanting-- continued on as bounty and blessings of vegetarian pasta prasadam (lovingly prepared by the ISCKON) was shared by all.
Infinite thanks to all participating individuals and the groups who braved the summer humidity to attend the event: World Peace Prayer Society-Phils., International Society for Krishna Consciousness, SangHabi, Inc., Peacemakers Y4U, Guru Nanak Mission, Franciscan Sisters, Baha'i National Spiritual Assembly, Shinji Shumei Kai-Phils., Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, Saniblakas Foundation, Inc., Culiat Muslim Peacemaker Youth, Binhi ng Kapayapaan, Inc., Kaya Green Band, Integral Art Metta, Inc. (IAM), OHM Center, 1Mandala Project, World Without Wars movement, Ang Komunidad (Humanist Movement), and many others!
*Symphony of Peace Prayers (SOPP) is a yearly event (see www.byakkoblog. typepad.com/ sopp/) that started at the Fuji Sanctuary in Japan —home of the Byakko Shinko Kai (“white light organization”). Now on its sixth year, SOPP has extended its celebration to engage local connecting events in different countries on the same day. On 2007 the World Peace Prayer Society –International and the Club of Budapest came together to make the SOPP its official kick-off event to launch the Global Peace Meditation and Prayer Day / World Shift Day each year (see www.globalpeacemeditationprayerday.org).
Read a related blog on this event from a participant, Russel Maier, a visiting Mandala artist from Canada: http://missive452.blogspot.com/2010/05/may-peace-prevail-on-earth.html
