On June 30, 2024, Namedy Castle was once again a wonderful place for exchange and encounters.

At the invitation of Princess Heide von Hohenzollern, visual artists, her professor, representatives of 9 religions and spiritualities, musicians and filmmakers, friends of the castle and other interested parties came together once again.

After many preparations by the organization team at Namedy Castle, it initially looked as if the day would "fall through" due to the weather. Because it had rained for many hours, the prayer for peace of the great world religions had to be moved to the castle's Knights' Hall without further ado.

Consonance of nine religious traditions

Yezidis, Buddhists, Jews, Christians of Catholic, Anglican and Old Catholic faiths, Muslims, Baha'is and an independent theologian each expressed their wishes and prayers for peace and healing in their own way.

The prayer, which has been taking place since 2006, has been supported by DML Bonn CC and URI Germany CC from the very beginning. This year, 15 URI members and friends took part. The DMLB CC was once again represented on the Muslim side of the prayer by Wilhelm Sabri Hoffmann, Karimah K. Stauch, Chadigah M. Kissel-Dultz and Sheikh BASHIR.

Their contributions were accompanied and framed by the music duo Sylvia Mel-André (flute) and Johannes André (guitar).

Young artists speak a universal language

Prof. Anna Bulanda-Pantalacci then introduced the young artists. They had lived and worked together for a week at Namedy Castle. They had developed and constructed their installations in the natural surroundings of the castle park with its old trees, pond and meadows. They came from different countries, e.g. Ethiopia, China, Germany and the Ukraine, and were also accompanied by Polish art academics. The words of Prof. Anna Bulanda-Pantalacci and her artists sounded in their own way like those of religious representatives: she spoke of light, friendship and peace.

Commitment to peace and friendship

Princess Heide then thanked all participants and expressed her and the people's wish and longing for peace in very moving words. The deep kinship between the Princess, Sheikh BASHIR, the DML Bonn, URI Germany and the Tariqah As-Safinah became so clear as they thanked each other, with tears in their eyes, for another successful event.

New insights into a piece of unknown cultural history of the GDR

After people had looked around the park and enjoyed choir and jazz music, there was a remarkable film to watch in the Spiegelsaal: "An der Saale hellem Strande - Ein Kulturhaus erzählt" (On the bright banks of the Saale - A cultural center tells its story) by Helga Storck and Peter Goedel.

In this film, the two directors, who both lived in the GDR until 1961 and always remained connected to the fate of this country, tell the story of the cultural centers in the GDR using the cultural center of the Buna-Werke in Schkopau as an example. This cultural center hosted guest performances by renowned artists and houses. The art of the workers and their children and families was also actively promoted, e.g. in painting circles, through drama, singing, music, dance and much more. A remarkable and little-known piece of German cultural history.

It was another very special and moving day at Namedy Castle. Many thanks to the hostess, Princess Heide von Hohenzollern, and all those involved.

 Karimah K. Stauch, URI Europe Coordinator