Beritabali.com,Denpasar. The Resounding Echo of Peace or Gema Perdamaian (GP) is a movement that guides peoples awareness to the importance of living in harmony and peace between people, the world of nature and our Universe. 

 

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This movement is guided by Collective Consciousness; to consider the journey of civilization throughout history and now currently in Indonesia, as it faces humanitarian catastrophes that have been escalating since 2002. Indonesians live with complex diversity; religious, racial, ethnic backgrounds and many competing  factors.  This can give rise to serious contradictions, fights, disputes and aggressive behaviors,  resulting in  disastrous incidents that affect us all.

 

The 2018 Gema Perdamaian Press Conference was held on 3 October with the GP Steering Committee and Chairman of the Committee (GP XVI) Mr Kadek Adnyana, who was accompanied by the Secretary, Wahyu Diatmika. Mr Adnyana said "It is clear to see that our current civilization is increasingly being dominated by ego, and this is being justified through the arrogance of rationality. When we are calm and still our minds, our conscience will be free to whisper 'this is not what we wanted to happen, this is not what we are looking for in our world, this is not how we respectfully treat each other'. 

 

"Civilization must be aligned with our highest values; with joy and bliss, our most essential human qualities”.

 

Mr Adnyana added that living with joy and love towards all will make our lives and those around us more worthwhile and precious. He asks all people to bring this joy into their daily life, and discover the bliss that  is our greatest bond between nature, our fellow brothers and sisters and our Creator. 

 

This year, the 16th Gema Perdamaian event is held on the East side of the Bajra Sandhi Monument starting from 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm. The event will involve the active participation of thousands of people seeking a more peaceful life, and will be attended by a number of central, provincial and district government officers in Bali. Moreover, saints, priests, monks, scholars, community leaders and peace emissaries from around the world will attend the event to support the GP peace collective. Also participating are peaceful activists of all religions, offering their care and support. They are from the Indonesian Pasraman Society; artists, cultural observers, school students, college students, organizations and other communities both locally and internationally.

 

The event expect some 9,300 people to participate in the event, although 800 invitations were sent out. This shows the power of echoing peace, and how a positive initiative such as GP can  transform and reverberate throughout our diverse community.

 

Secretary Wahyu added that the grand event of the GP on 6 October would be preceded by an exhibition of the ethnic diversity of the archipelago, through Carnaval, Padayatra and awarding the Teenager Peace Ambassadors. Special prayers will be offered by leaders of all religions, and on this occasion, all participants will also pray for our brothers and sisters in central Sulawesi and Lombok who continue to be stricken by natural disasters.

 

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Additional and related activities have already occurred that support the GP; such as  the Clean up the World Day with Suksma Bali, a Symposium of Peace with Bali Entrepreneur leaders HIPMI, IWAPI BKOW, and the election of Peaceful Ambassadors together with STIKOM Bali and Peace roadshows to universities. 

 

The purpose of this event is to awaken the community to the importance of maintaining joy, respect and bliss in this Millennial Era of civilization. The event has been greatly supported through various levels of society; our stakeholders are strongly contributing, and journalists and media are broadcasting and extending the reach about the GP mission. 

 

Blissfulness is precious. When we bring love, joy and bliss into our daily life, peace will transform and echo throughout the world. (bbn/rls/rob)