On Saturday, 27 April 2019, more than 800 people including 200 married couples recommitted their love for each other at the Loving Couple Festival event at Kinta Riverfront Hotel, Ipoh, Perak. The crowd consisted of a mix blend of participants representing the Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli communities, were all dressed in beautiful radiant traditional clothes.
The programme celebrating marriage and family, was organised by Universal Peace Federation (UPF) of Malaysia. Supported by the Perak State Government and Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara (LPPKN), the event carried a catchy theme, “Two Hearts in
Love # You & I”.
“The main objective of the Loving Couple Festival was to uphold true family values, building strong, loving and peaceful families to promote unity and national harmony so as to enhance the inter-cultural relationships towards realising national unity in diversity for all Malaysians,” said Mr. D. Letchumanan, the Organising Chairman in his welcoming address.
In his special address, President of UPF Malaysia, Mr Sudesh Balasubramaniam, expressed his concern on rising divorce rates and falling marriage rates in society and the need to address the breakdown of the family institution. “UPF Malaysia recognises the importance of marriage and family to the well-being of the individual and nation, regardless of our multi-cultural and multi-religious origins.”
The religious representatives of the five major religions of Malaysia – Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism gave their blessings to this event through an Interfaith Invocation followed by a joint Water of Harmony ceremony, signifying the universality all
religions place on the importance of marriage and family.
YB Senator Tuan Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (National Unity and Social Wellbeing), in his opening address revealed his joy in seeing married couples coming together to celebrate marriage and reaffirm their commitments regardless of race and religion. He called upon all the people of Malaysia to play their respective roles by engaging in various efforts by the government, private sectors and NGOs to foster national unity and integration for the sake of a better and united Malaysia.
Also present at the event were the Perak State Exco for Education, Technology, Science and Environment, YB Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Bari’s couple and other NGO representatives.
The Loving Couple Dynamics saw interesting sessions where couples participated in meaningful series of engaging games designed to encourage couples to respect and cherish each other to promote healthy family relationships.
To conclude the couple dynamics, National Overseas Director (Malaysia) for UPF, Mr. Yutaka Yamada delivered a congratulatory remark, expressing his wish for the couples to rededicate their marriage commitments and determine to be model loving families for building a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“Do you as husbands and wives, promise to be loving and committed to each other forever?”
Holding each other’s hands lovingly, the couples responded with a determined “YES!” which echoed in the packed ballroom.
The Loving Couple Festival also saw YB P. Waytha Moorthy giving out awards to couples such as the Longest Marriage Award, Model Couple Award, 3 Generation Family Award and Most Numbered Children Award to highlight the importance of true family values in sustaining
healthy marriages.
Participating couples had a really exciting and unforgettable evening enjoying a sumptuous dinner and wonderful performances. They were truly inspired and felt a deep sense of love and joy throughout the programme. They promised to keep their fidelity and love for each other as married couples in support of creating a peaceful society and nation.
