Why did Urantia Peru choose to participate in the ANTFIL 2019? When traditional systems continue to maintain obsolete formats that do not consider the changes that are rapidly being made in humanity, new avant-garde movements led by young people emerge. ANTIFIL (an alternative fair) has arisen in response to the traditional International Book Fair in Lima, Peru, and is entirely organized by young people.
A strong driver for the traditional book fairs is profit. Why is there an entrance fee, when the exhibitors and big publishers already pay an exorbitant amount for showing their products? And everything has a price tag: the stands, the arts, the culture, the exhibitions… that is to say the market of consumption is in the foreground.
In contrast, ANTIFIL has free admission and offers all kinds of cultural genres, whether Literary, Performing Arts, Graphics or Music, all with a criterion of non-discrimination and social, economic and religious inclusion. As exhibitors, we “give value” to the fair with our presence.
We must emphasize that ANTIFIL attracts more and more people every year. It started with 12,000 visitors; two years later there were more than 65,000 visitors and seventy per cent of them are young people! This type of event attracts non-traditional thinkers, change seekers and those with existential questions.
This is the second year that Urantia Peru was present in ANTIFIL, exhibiting, talking, and motivating the attendees to read The Urantia Book. The results? Interesting experiences with young people and adults looking for answers, establishing bonds of respect, consideration, and service.
During the fair, many visitors approached us starting their adventure with the first question, and then continued asking questions such as: “What does Urantia mean?” “Is this a religion?”
And we smilingly respond: “We live on Urantia. And we are not a religion!”
We like to share with everyone, religious or not—scientists, philosophers, questioners—we just look to evolve and live the teachings and it is always a lovely journey of internal exploration. The Urantia Book teachings guide you; they give you the guidelines to do it in your own rhythm of experience and comprehension, according to your free will, and always accompanied—we are never alone.
There should be more ANTIFIL fairs, where the search for knowledge allows us to discern and explore our reality, our neighbors, and the Universal Father.
Cecilia Barreto
Vice-President, Urantia Peru