On Sunday, July 6, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the two chapters of UPF France, in Orsay, and UPF Switzerland, in Geneva, organized an Interfaith Dialogue and Alliance event on “Caring Together” in connection with the theme for 2025, “Weaving Peace Into Everyday Life.” Four speakers presented their perspectives from Buddhism, Judaism and Islam, Christianity, and Unificationism.
This 47th Dialogue and Alliance francophone Scriptural reasoning took place online and onsite. Moderated by Chantal Chételat Komagata, Secretary General of UPF Switzerland, and the objective was to explore the spiritual, social, and human value of mindfulness through the perspectives of different religious and cultural traditions.
The meeting began with an introduction recalling the importance of mindfulness in a world marked by stress, chronic inattention, and conflict. All spiritual traditions offer inner resources for cultivating this essential quality for living together.
The first presentation was given by Venerable Michel Tao Chan, representative of Buddhism. On the occasion of the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday, he expounded on the Buddhist teaching of "right mindfulness" (the eighth step of the eightfold path). According to him, attention is inseparable from mindfulness, experienced moment by moment in daily life. It allows one to remain peaceful, even in the face of adversity, and to transform inner understanding and purification into concrete actions. "Mindfulness in everything is what saves us," he summarized.
Next, Angélique Moguet de Giovanni, ambassador for peace and interfaith activist, presented a cross-dialogue between Judaism and Islam. She highlighted that, in both traditions, spirituality is intimately linked to attention to oneself and others. Humanity, created in the image of God (Genesis), deserves respect and dignity. Similarly, the Quran reminds us that to forget God is to forget oneself. She emphasized the sincerity of intentions and the responsibility of translating faith into concrete actions of fraternity and peace.
After these two presentations, a short musical break allowed for the audience to enjoy "Il suffit de peu," a song written by Michel Penhard and performed with his wife, Marie-Françoise.
The third speaker, Francis Fasel, a spiritual therapist and author, offered a Christian perspective by commenting on the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. He linked this parable to spiritual vigilance and awakening, comparing the sleep of the spirit to inattention. Jesus invites us to overcome fear and dare to do good, cultivating an open attention to the Kingdom of God within ourselves and others. He pointed out that fraternity extends to all of creation, from minerals to animals and human beings.
Dr. Laurent Ladouce, a researcher and representative of Unificationism, presented a reflection on the "society of attention." He demonstrated that attention is at the heart of medical care, governance, education, and even the economy. Inattention, on the contrary, generates accidents, waste, and social crises. Ladouce defended the idea that attention is not only a moral quality, but also a vital resource for civilization.
The forum continued with a question-and-answer session. Discussions focused on the diversion of attention by the media and politics, the need to strengthen attention in children (through play, empathy, and appropriate education), and the importance of valuing invisible human skills—such as humility, compassion, and collaboration—beyond purely academic or technical skills. Several speakers also discussed the urgent need to redirect global attention from the logic of war to peacebuilding, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16.
In conclusion, the moderator thanked the speakers and participants from fifteen French-speaking countries, highlighting the spiritual richness of the Francophonie. She emphasized that mindfulness is both an inner practice and a collective responsibility, essential for building peace. The program concluded in a fraternal atmosphere, marked by gratitude, music, and a desire to continue these exchanges at future meetings.