Tasmania – November 2020

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Greetings of peace and many blessings for the beautiful festival of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which is today, 14 November 20!  As the victory of light over darkness, it remembers not that darkness was destroyed, but that it was subsumed back into divinity. For many it is the start of the Hindu New Year.

We would also like to honour the memory of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, a moral and intellectual giant and member of the Jewish faith.  A brief obituary which came from JCCV is included. We hope that all of you, your families and communities continue to be safe and well as the year comes to peaceful close!

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Diwali in Australia: What you can and cannot do with COVID-19 restrictions

Family and Diwali lamps Diwali – a festival observed by Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains is celebrated on November 14, 2020, across Australia. Large scale events are cancelled; different Covid-safe Diwali to be celebrated this year. Restrictions and rules differ in all states and territories. One of the most visible Hindu festivals in the calendar, Diwali will be celebrated this weekend but with COVID-19 related restrictions in place, here’s what you can and cannot do.

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Religion, Human Rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals

Religion, Human Rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals

Since May 2020, Religions for Peace and UN Human Rights have collaborated to pilot the conversation around the “Faith for Rights” framework and the #Faith4Rights Toolkit (www.ohchr.org/Documents/Press/faith4rights-toolkit.pdf). The scope of piloting is being expanded through partnering with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the syllabus for the course “Religion and Sustainable Development”.

Religions for Peace, UN Human Rights, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will conduct a two day online event “Religion, Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals” on 23 and 25 November 2020 at 9:00-11:00am ET.

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South Australia: November 2020

Multifaith Association of South Australia

The Multifaith Association of South Australia lists interfaith events, climate events and faith festivals happening both locally in South Australia, and nationally, with internet participation – for the month of November 2020.

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‘Christians and Hindus: Rekindling Positivity and Hope during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond’

The Divya lamp The Vatican greets Hindus on the occasion of Diwali, festival of light. The occasion of Diwali is celebrated by all Hindus, and is known as Deepavali, or the “row of oil lamps”. Symbolically based on ancient mythology, it represents the victory of truth over lies, of light over darkness, of life over death, and of good over evil. The actual celebration lasts three days, marking the beginning of a new year, family reconciliation, especially between brothers and sisters, and worship of God. This year the feast will be celebrated by many Hindus on Nov. 14, 2020. Here, we share the message from the Vatican to Hindus:

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Land, water and fire: the science of a continuous culture

Land, water and fire: the science of a continuous culture

The Australian Academy of Science celebrates NAIDOC Week with a presentation on Land, water and fire: the science of a continuous culture online, on Monday 9 November at 5:30pm. You are invited to join in as they explain how Indigenous knowledge and science of land, water and fire can inform and improve the management of the natural world.

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Victoria: NAIDOC Week 2020 – Virtual Events

NAIDOC Week 2020

NAIDOC Week is an Australian observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday. The acronym NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. It has its roots in the 1938 Day of Mourning, becoming a week-long event in 1975.

Due restrictions for Coronavirus pandemic, Naidoc Week was deferred.

Due the Ring of Steel and numbers of people who can gather together – Victorian National NAIDOC Week 2020 celebrations will be held ONLINE from the 8-15 November. This will be a Virtual NAIDOC Week.

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French Catholics and Radical Islamists

Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the French Bishop's ConferenceEric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the French Bishops’ Conference, has called on Catholics to engage in a “spiritual battle” against radical Islamism. The Bishop said that the last terror attack in Nice demands not only more security, but also efforts to build interreligious solidarity!

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