New South Wales

NSW: Social Cohesion and Inclusion National Conference

Social Cohesion for Australia

The Australian Baha’i Community would like to warmly invite you to attend the Social Cohesion and Inclusion National Conference on 8 November 2019 at the Harbourview Hotel, North Sydney. We hope you can also bring your colleagues and networks to engage in this purposeful space reflecting on the strength of social cohesion and inclusion in our country.

Q&As with speakers and panellists have been allocated generous time to allow conference participants to explore their presentations deeply. Participants are also invited to contribute ideas on how social cohesion can be strengthened and maintained in Australia in a roundtable session. These ideas will be distilled into a document to be made widely available.

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NSW Buddhist Studies Lecture: Finding Happiness in Samsara

Australian Association of Buddhist StudiesAs part of the 2019 UBEF Visiting Professorship in Buddhist Studies, Professor Michael Zimmerman will deliver a public talk on Tuesday 17 September 6:00-8:00pm in the John Woolley Lecture Theatre (S325), John Woolley Building (A20), University of Sydney on the topic of Finding happiness in samasara.

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NSW: Buddhist Studies August Seminars UPDATE

Australian Association of Buddhist StudiesThe Australasian Association of Buddhist Studies notifies updates to the previously advertised sessions with Prof. Michael Zimmerman from the University of Hamburg.
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NSW: Buddhist Studies August Seminars

Australian Association of Buddhist StudiesThe Australasian Association of Buddhist Studies notifies that Prof. Michael Zimmerman from the University of Hamburg is the holder of the 2019 University Buddhist Education Foundation (UBEF) Visiting Professorship in Buddhist Studies. As part of this Professorship, he will deliver a series of lectures at the University of Sydney.
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NSW: Call for dialogue against violence and hate

Tony Burke MP at Interfaith Dinner

The Canterbury Bankstown 13th Annual Interfaith Dinner was held on Tuesday 6 August 2019 with the theme “From Christchurch to Sri Lanka – Interfaith and cultural dialogue against violence and hate”. The event included presentation of awards as well as recognition of Order of Australia for Mr Khodr Saleh OAM.

The Interfaith Dinner, held at Punchbowl Community Centre, was organised by Riverwood Community Centre and Canterbury Bankstown Harmony Group at the invitation of Harmony Group President Khodr Saleh, the former deputy mayor of Canterbury-Bankstown Council and supported by Riverwood Community Centre , Canterbury Bankstown Council and United Muslim Association UMA.

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New South Wales: 16th Sakyadhita Conference

The 16th Sakyadhita Conference, held in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales in Australia



The 16th Sakyadhita Conference, held in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales in Australia, proved to be an uplifting and informative event. Held outside of Asia for the first time in its history this year, the conference drew 800 people from 29 countries under the theme “New Horizons in Buddhism.”

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NSW: Australian Association for the Study of Religion Annual Conference 2019

The 2019 Australian Association for the Study of Religion conference will be held from December 5-6 at the city campus of the University of Newcastle, co-hosted by the Australian Association for the Study of Religion and the University of Newcastle’s Centre for the Study of Violence and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. A full day workshop for postgraduates and early career researchers will be organised on 4 December. The Conference theme is Religion and Violence.

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NSW: Power of the Here and Now (interfaith dialogue)

Australian Association of Buddhist StudiesThe Nan Tien Institute is hosting an interfaith dialogue event, Power of the here and now: An interdisciplinary dialogue on walking the talk. Speakers include distinguished Buddhist scholar, Emeritus Professor Lewis Lancaster and Reverend Crews. 
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NSW: Buddhist – Christian Dialogue

Power of the Here and NowPower of the Here and Now: ‘An interdisciplinary dialogue on walking the talk’ Emeritus Professor Lewis Lancaster joins Reverend Bill Crews AM at the University of Sydney for an evening of insights and storytelling, as they share how their experiences and work have led to their own personal transformations.

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The Israel Folau crowdfunding saga is not about freedom of religion

Israel Folau
Photo: Israel Folau chose to prioritise his conscience over his career. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

Dr Simon Longstaff of The Ethics Centre writes about Israel Folau and the fallout from his sacking and the crowdfunding saga. Dr Simon Longstaff says, inter-alia, Religious freedom comes in four basic forms: freedom of belief, freedom of worship, freedom to act in good conscience (which includes freedom from coercion in matters of religion) and finally freedom to proselytise (which includes the right to educate one’s children in the faith). Folau’s case involves the third and fourth of these freedoms.

What Folau believes and how he worships have not been challenged. Rather, he has been sanctioned for what he has done and said — not as a believer, but in his role as an elite rugby player representing Australia. However, can the two roles of “believer” and “contracted player” be so easily separated? That is the question at the heart of this issue.

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2019 Abraham Conference: Healing Memories, Making History

2019 Abraham ConferenceThe Abraham Conference this year is titled Healing Memories, Making History: Genuine encounters in the present will redeem our past for a different future. Our international keynote speaker is Rev Dr Diego Sarrio Cucarella, Rector of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) in Rome. The moderator will be broadcaster Mr John Cleary. The Conference will take place in the Parramatta Mission Fellowship Hall on Sunday 28th July, from 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm.

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NSW: Buddhist Studies June Seminar

Australian Association of Buddhist StudiesThe Australasian Association of Buddhist Studies notifies that its next seminar will take place on the evening Thursday 6 June in the Rogers Room (N397), John Wooley Building (A20), University of Sydney. The topic will be Nothing is pure enough for the pure. A note on the ‘Purification of the view’ (diṭṭhi-visuddhi).

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NSW: Common Dreams Conference 2019

Common Dreams Conference LogoThe theme of the Common Dreams Conference 2019 (A conference dedicated to progressive religious thought and action) is Sacred Earth: Original Blessing; Our Common Home and will take place at Newington College in Stanmore, Sydney, NSW and Pitt St Uniting Church, Sydney, NSW from 111-14 July 2019.

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NSW: Buddhist Studies May Seminar

The Australasian Association for Buddhist Studies notifies that its next seminar will take place on the evening Thursday 9 May in the Rogers Room (N397), John Wooley Building (A20), University of Sydney. The topic will be Women’s Joy and Praise in the Lalitavistara.

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NSW: Muslim leaders visit Parramatta Cathedral

In an expression of support for Christians after the bombing attacks on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed and fellow Muslim leaders and representatives visited Bishop Vincent, Fr Chris and their congregation at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta on Tuesday, 30 April.

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NSW: Graduate Certificate in Humanistic Buddhism

Nam Toem InstituteNan Tien Institute (Unanderra 2526) is offering 10 scholarships for their pioneering Humanistic Buddhism Program worth over $5000 each. The scholarships cover tuition, accommodation (with conditions) as well as vegetarian meals.

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