Asuncion, Paraguay – Paraguayans like to eat and celebrate late especially on Fridays, so at 10pm the Club Olimpia stadium was abuzz with the cheers and the energy of 15,000 mostly young people at the Global Peace Festival Paraguay 2010. The Ministry of Education had closed the Asuncion schools for the day to encourage students to attend and perhaps that was an incentive for many.

They swayed and shouted for traditional dancers and contemporary bands alike covering the infield and spread across the terraces lit only by the light from the stage, the concession stands and a misty moon. In the end the party went on till 2 a.m.

They came despite the early rain that delayed the Festival two hours. In fact, by 3pm two or three hundred people were lined up carrying the food donations that would secure them a ticket to enter. Two hours later the line stretched eight blocks.

As well as the music and dance there were “Living for the Sake of Others” awards given to four young people for outstanding volunteer service efforts. There was a historical reenactment of scenes from Paraguay’s independence struggle, looking forward to the bicentennial next year.

The fence around the infield was decorated with a parade of creative and colorful banners for peace made by dozens of local schools. “No Existe Paz Sin Amor,” and “Esta Es La Paz Que Sonamos,” they proclaimed.

Senator Lillian Samaniego introduced GPFF chairman Dr. Moon who told the crowd that Paraguay felt like his second home. He saw a great hope for Paraguay, lying as it does at the heart of South America.

He spoke about the Asuncion Declaration adopted at the Global Peace leadership Conference that morning and concluded with his familiar call-and-response chanting of “One Family under God – Una Familia bajo Dios” spurring sections of the crowd to compete with each other.

Both the Festival and the conference received strong support from the Paraguayan government and society. The president of the National Congress, Senator Oscar Gonzalez Daher, hosted a dinner for conference participants at the Congress building Thursday in honor of Dr. Moon as the founder of GPFF.

In addition, the Ministry of Education just signed an agreement for the Global Peace Foundation-Paraguay to provide them with a character education curriculum and materials to be used in schools throughout the country.

Twenty-eight partners from the public and private sectors supported the Festival with donations or in-kind services. The City of Asuncion was a partner and awarded Dr. Moon the local equivalent of the keys of the city.

From the business community support came from Coca-Cola, Vox cellphone company, Banco Continental, and Digital.TV which provide free advertising. Several NGOs also gave their backing, the most significant being A Todo Pulmon a major environmental group devoted to reforestation in Paraguay.

Perhaps most significant was the donation of the Club Olimpia stadium for the Festival. Therein lies a story. When the Festival was last held there in 2008 the stadium rented for $5,000. But the exposure it gained as result increased the demand for its use until today it can charge $30,000. More than a good deed, the free use on this occasion was an expression of gratitude.