Brazil’s National Conventions (Japanese-Language Convention, Convention for Youth)
Number of Attendees Totals 12,478
In Brazil, the National Conventions were held on July 1 and July 22. The number of attendees totaled 12,478. They studied the Truth and at the same time they pledged the further growth of the Movement.
On July 1, the 26th Seicho-No-Ie Brazil National Convention (Japanese) was held at the Anihembi International Convention Center in Sao Paulo. The number of attendees was 2,746, up by 61 people from last year.
Held under the theme, “Everything Is One with God,” the Convention was guided by Rev. Yoshio Mukai (Ordained Minister, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie Latim America), Rev. Marie Murakami (Ordained Minister, Chairperson of Brazil Missionary Headquarters), Rev. Heitor Miyazaki (Ordained Minister) as well as two Assistant Ministers and three Regional Lecturers. Since an increasing number of Japanese Brazilians cannot speak Japanese, a separate site was made available in a small hall at the Convention Center, where a Portuguese-language event was simultaneously held. This measure was introduced four years ago.
The attendees’ comments included, “At this Convention we learned that our existence is sustained by the natural world and that we should be grateful for being connected to nature with the same life, as we live each day. I will continue to propagate in the future.”
On July 22, the 57th Seicho-No-Ie Brazil National Convention for youth was held under the theme, “Let’s Practice Goodness!” The main site was the Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo. Last year a sub-site was set up for the first time to reduce CO2 emissions and enable more people to attend with a short travel time in the vast expanse of Brazil. This year it was increased to two sub-sites: Ruth Cardoso Convention Center in Maceio City, Alagoas in the Northeast, and Auditorium Pontificio Catholic University’s San de Atos Auditorium in Porto Alegre City, Rio Grande do Sul in the South. The number of attendees at the three sites totaled 9,732, up by 1,241 from last year.
The same program was held at the three sites. Rev. Mukai’s message and the performance by the winner of the band contest were transmitted to the three sites simultaneously on the Internet.
The lectures were given along the Convention theme. The Convention was guided by 12 lecturers, including Rev. Yoshio Mukai (Ordained Minister), Rev. Marie Murakami (Ordained Minister), and Rev. Carlos Albert da Silva (Ordained Minister, Chief of Brazil Youth and Young Adult Association), other Ordained/Assistant Ministers, and Regional Lecturers. They separately provided guidance at the three sites.
Remarks by Rev. Carlos Albert Da Silva, Chief of Brazil Youth and Young Adult Association
This year, the Convention was held at three sites for the first time. We organized three management teams to deal with this. Thanks to the cooperation of the Brotherhood Association, White Dove Association, Chiefs of Missionary Branches and all other organizations trying to develop successors, we were able to produce better results than the previous time. I was deeply grateful.”