Tour of Garden of Religions in Düsseldorf Uplifts and Inspires
- khwang562
- Sep 25
- 2 min read
Düsseldorf, Germany – On the occasion of the UN International Day of Peace, UPF-Düsseldorf met for a special guided tour through the Garden of Religions in Recklinghausen on September 21, 2025. The group of 20 participants was warmly welcomed by guides Ms. Hageman and Ms. Klusmann.
The garden was once part of the grounds of a Franciscan monastery. After the dissolution of the monastery in 1969, Pastor Alfons Hünting laid out the current park.
The atmosphere of the garden is impressive: A small lake with water lilies, fallen apples under the trees and many loving details invited the guests to linger. A special experience was a visit to the hourglass, which inspired such questions as: What does time mean to me? Am I living in the now? What do I still want to achieve in my life?
In the center of the garden are six natural stone steles: five of them represent the major world religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. The sixth is dedicated to people who do not feel they belong to any religion.
The visitors examined the steles of the three Abrahamic religions. Each stele contains a mirror in which one can see both oneself and the sky, a symbol of self-reflection, closeness to nature and one's own faith.
Another highlight was the joint prayer for peace in sign language, accompanied by atmospheric music. This experience was very moving for many of the group. Afterwards everyone conversed about the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the topic of freedom in particular. There was a lively discussion about the fact that religions have often restricted personal freedom in history. Today, however, many people wish to live their faith or worldview in freedom, with respect and self-determination.
After additional explanations of Hinduism and Buddhism, a meditative dance for peace was introduced. At first the steps were unfamiliar, but in time a harmonious unity developed, accompanied by the song words, "Peace is in me, peace is in you, peace for the world." Everyone experienced shared peace on a small scale.
The final point on the tour was the peace bell, which symbolized that religions should not promote hatred and war, but peace and reconciliation.
Afterwards, Mr. Sergio Brina presented the work of UPF and recalled the founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon. He stressed the importance of the UN International Day of Peace as a global call for ceasefires and non-violence. He also emphasized the importance of commitment to religious freedom – a central concern of UPF – in creating the conditions for sustainable peace. After the official UN prayer for peace was recited, the visitors thanked and applauded the guides, who expressed their appreciation of the group‘s openness and lively participation.
At the end, everyone was cordially invited to the monastery tavern, where lively conversations took place over coffee and cake. The event was a successful, inspiring get-together that all will remember for a long time.
