September 1, 2012

21:00, the Chain Bridge. For about half an hour the 12,000 participants  made their way  to this locality.  Then, it was  dark and one could admire the beautiful effect of the lights on the waters of the River Danube.  It was really a breathtaking sight, a well-deserved one after  the seven kilometres walk along the streets of Budapest.

The march   started from the Sports Arena and   proceeded towards  Great Heroes Square.  A wide banner with the words “Let’s Bridge” could  be seen at the  front. The young people were waving the  flags of their respective countries, just as they did when they were in the arena.  A DUNA TV helicopter, flying over the crowd contributed  towards  the  joyful celebration. After Heroes Square,  the march recomposed itself again to  resume its way to Andassy Avenue and then to Szechenyi Square.  Chain Bridge , which is very near,  had already been closed to traffic and  it started to fill up.

Everything was ready for the flashmob. The scarf-shaped light piece of material that each one  carried, had the logo of the Genfest and the “=” sign printed on it. As soon as the word “stop” was heard on the microphone, everyone stopped and put  his/her arms up  holding the scarf.   There was  absolute silence. A countdown of  30 seconds was started, until a voice was heard  uttering  the numbers “3, 2,1”. Then shouts of joy could be heard, and scarves were waved.  Each participant   wrote on his scarf   the   significance of  the “=” sign  for the logo “Let’s Bridge” and    exchanged  this with others. This symbolized the sharing of the same ideal, concretized in so many different ways.

It was 22.30; the crowd started to disperse.   Someone  was heard saying  that this was the largest flashmob done so far on a bridge.  The young people looked visibly proud about all that was happening, and also  because their contribution  was giving visibility  to what they have proposed to do. I was particularly struck by an event that might  go unnoticed.  Two vehicles were  expected to follow the march and pick up the garbage  created  by the 12,000 participants. These two vehicles were declared available for other needs:  no waste was thrown on the ground.

Video on youtube: The Biggest Flashmob on a Bridge! (Genfest in Budapest)

Updated on 6th September 2012

BF

Information Service Focolare – SIF

September 1, 2012

At 3:30 p.m., fed on the typical Hungarian Káposzta, the 12,000 participants continue to build what  they started this morning.

Finishing to build the bridge is the next step. As an image of unity, it goes through concrete actions in every quotidian ambient. Without forgetting what is the key that makes the bridge arch not to fall: to love also when there is pain. Some Italian youth illustrate that, they are committed in a reception center for illegal immigrants. Through images and sound, they present some of their friends. And also Adhelard and Ariane illustrate it. From Burundi, they make all the participants take part of the life in a field of ex-refugee at the suburbs of Bujumbura. Or even Kaye, who, from Philippines, brings her hard experience of familiar separation. These are stories that, until now, have not had a happy end, but, lived with love, allow them to prove the fullness of life also in these painful situations.

It is created, therefore, solid basis which allow us to go through the bridge, the last step of this figurative way. The bridge opens to many streets. Issa, Christian from Nazaret, and Noura, Muslim from Jerusalem, know that. They meet regularly, together with other Christian, Muslims, and Hebrew young people, who have been presented in SportArena through Facebook, to know each other and pray for peace.

It is time for presenting the United World Project, created and developed by some of the youths who are present at SportAréna. A project which aim to create a world observatory for fraternity actions, highlighting the many things that have already been done. It also tries to obtain ONU recognition, and, with this goal, launch a collecting of signatures that starts on the stage. An orange bracelet becomes symbol of personal adhesion to the project. The collecting of signatures and the creation of United World Network, first step of the project, will commit the youth during the next months.

Also the designated president of the Japanese Buddhist movement Rissho Kosei-kai Kosho Niwano, that, together with a delegation of this Buddhist movement fromJapan, adheres to the project and greets the participants.

Finally, the expected speech of Maria Voce. The president of Focolare Movement is welcomed with a long and warm applause. She says she is touched seeing from the stage so many youths who still wait for her words. She says that her heart is taken by this generation and want to help them to look high and do not have fear. “Be yourselves and enter personally in the society. Your contribute is unique, different from that of adults. The generation before you look at you trustfully, you also must have this trust.” Afterwards, she invites everybody to action. An action characterized by the love that touches the hearts and leads them to love. A concrete love that starts with small things which make the life big and affect society. “Only love is creative!”, says Maria Voce, quoting Massimiliano Kolbe, to conclude with Chiara Lubich’s words, inviting everybody to take the world a “supplement of love”.

The 12,000 are very happy when they leave the SportAréna at 5:30 p.m. It is time to take dinner and go to the rally until the Chain Bridge, on Danube, for the flashmob of “Let’s bridge”. The thought of rain, which have passed during the morning, seems to be far away. Of course the clouds are gone but it’s not that the point. It was a day lived at Aréna that will remain in everybody’s hearts and minds.

Updated on 1 September 2012

BF

Information Service Focolare – SIF