On 21 September 2025, UPF Austria held an Interfaith breakfast on the topic, ‘Pure water, pure air, pure thoughts and feelings’, and Peace Road to commemorate the International Day of Peace. The Peace Road participants walked from the Berggasthaus Dreisessel to the border triangle of Germany, Austria and Czechia, where Peace activists from Germany and Austria met at the Dreisessel mountain inn at 10 a.m. for an interfaith breakfast featuring a typical Bavarian dish, Weißwurst.
The event was initiated by Maria Pammer, UPF Upper Austria, and Mayor Michael Leitner of the municipality of Schwarzenberg. This is the fifth year that a Peace Road has been organised here on the border between Czechia, Germany and Austria. Thirty-five years ago, the Iron Curtain that divided Europe ran through here. In 2024, this 3.2 km hiking trail was officially signposted as the Peace Road.
Ms Pammer welcomed those present and reminded them that the UN was founded 80 years ago and UPF 20 years ago, both initiatives for world peace. However, it seems that we are currently miles away from peace in the world.
Referring to the chosen topic, she said that everyone longs for clean air and pure water, and that we can enjoy this here in this wonderful natural environment. How can we preserve this for future generations and restore it in large parts of the world? An inner change must come first; we must change ourselves internally and work on pure thoughts and feelings. Empathy and living for the sake of others will lead us to treat nature better.
Mr Stefan Schmidt then opened the breakfast with a very profound prayer. Here is an excerpt from it: ...
let us recognise what is essential – that which connects us
beyond our origins, languages and traditions.
Three forces permeate our existence: water, air and consciousness.
They are more than elements –
they are signs of Your presence, symbols of purity,
life and the divine within us ...
After the traditional Weißwurst breakfast had satisfied physical hunger, some of those present shared their thoughts on the topic.
Mr Michael Leitner, mayor of the Austrian municipality of Schwarzenberg, which borders Czechia and Germany, emphasises that hiking and thinking go very well together. We live in a time of sensations. Our children are overwhelmed by a flood of information. A night hike in this natural setting, where you can still see the Milky Way, gives you space to think and listen to your inner voice. This allows you to filter out what is important in religion and find your personal centre.
He is very grateful that Ms Pammer, who is responsible for UPF Upper Austria, launched the Peace Road initiative here five years ago, and presented her and her husband with a voucher from his village in recognition of this.
Next to speak was Mr Peter Haider, President of UPF-Austria, who had travelled from Vienna. He reported on the event held two days earlier at the UN in Vienna to mark the International Day of Peace, which has been celebrated on 21 September every year since 1981. In autumn, the new UN General Assembly meets, and the Peace Bell is rung in New York and in Vienna at the UN in a ceremony. He also recalled that 50 years ago, on 1 August 1975, the Helsinki Accord was signed, which many so-called Helsinki groups referred to for the observance of human rights in the former communist countries of Europe during the Cold War.
Mr Valerio Tammiso explained that he works with youth groups that also support the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Referring to the topic, he emphasised that pure water must flow, a metaphor for these young people not only focusing on themselves but also connecting with others. Many rivers come together and then flow into the ocean. One youth group he has worked with is called C.A.R.P. He draws a comparison with the fish, also called ‘carp’ in English, which purifies the water. These young people want to contribute to the purification of spiritual pollution with pure thoughts and feelings. Through joint activities such as international football tournaments, various sporting events such as the Peace Cup in Prague a few weeks ago, workshops or even joint hiking trips, these young people want to contribute to a better world in spirit, in truth and in action.
Mr Oivind Haugen had just returned from his home country Norway and emphasised regarding the Peace Road that even the ancient Silk Road had enriched cultures. He then distributed a scroll to all those present containing inspiring thoughts on a universal culture of heart.
Finally, Mr Hans Ledermüller, community leader of the Family Federation in Upper Austria, made an interesting comparison. 150 years ago, Dr Semmelweis identified the cause of childbed fever, which killed many women. He recognised that hand hygiene of doctors was important and he is now referred to as the ‘savior of mothers’. At his time, however, he met with massive resistance from his fellow doctors. It was a matter of physical purity to reduce the mortality rate. Today, we must work on spiritual purity in order to increase spiritual life. He concluded with the Bible passage Romans 1:20: ‘For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:’
At 11 a.m., the Peace Road hike to the border triangle of Germany, Austria and Czechia began. The walk was used for good conversations and deep exchanges in beautiful natural surroundings. This hiking trail is popular with many long-distance hikers, but also with many families with children from Germany, Austria and Czechia.
When we arrived at the border triangle, we sang ‘We Shall Overcome’ and ‘Urie’. One family who arrived also, was very inspired by our singing, and so with them together we sang two more mountaineering songs in German.
The conversations in the morning and the hike in the beautiful countryside gave us a lot of energy, which we do not want to keep to ourselves. We want to send it to areas where conflicts are being fought with violence and where people and our Creator, the Heavenly Parent, is suffering.
Thank you to everyone who enriched this day.