By JoAnne Wadsworth, Communications Consultant, G20 Interfaith Forum

Welcoming remarks were offered by representatives of each of the co-organizing organizations, including Rev. Masahiro Nemoto, Deputy Secretary General Ad Interim, Religions for Peace;

Elias Szczytnicki began the inaugural session by formally welcoming all speakers, participants, and audience members to the event. As the main organizer behind the first FIDELA conference, he expressed his happiness that this second event had much higher international participation, with voices from many different countries in the region, representing the very rich religious diversity of the Americas.

Before introducing the first round of speakers, Szczytnicki invited all to stand and join together in a moment of silence and prayer, asking for the success of both FIDELA and the Summit of the Americas. He then invited representatives from each of the event’s co-organizers to offer welcoming remarks.