In a time of globalization and the new social media, there are many challenges to the freedom of expression, including when and particularly when the sacred is involved. This conference, held at the John Carroll University in Cleveland, was designed to foster dialogue and create understanding on an important issue in today’s world.

Mrs Josie Lacey, Chair of NSW Religions for Peace, received the Premier’s inaugural Lifetime Community Service award. She received the award from Premier Barry O’Farrell; Communities Minister Vic Dominello and Community Relations Commissioner Stepan Kerkyasharian.

The July Multifaith Association of South Australia Meeting for March was held at the Unitarian Church on Osmaond Terrace, Norwood on 17th March.

Towards a Vision of a Peaceful and Sustainable Australia: Quaker Voices has been produced by the Quaker Peace and Earthcare Committees as a contribution to the public discussion about the future of Australia.

A wide range of Syrian religious leaders convened in Istanbul to advance multi-religious cooperation for peace in Syria during a meeting, Syria for all Syrians. They committed themselves to the establishment of a Syrian Religions for Peace Council (RfP—Syria).

The Australian Human Rights Commission has launched a new website to provide a more modern platform for the web audience.

Vatican City - Recognizing the important role each other plays on the global stage, Pope Francis and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met Tuesday at the Vatican, discussing common efforts to promote peace and protect human dignity.

ABC Television's Q and A program on Monday 1 April featured several faith leaders and an atheist discussing Faith and Love

The United States Institute of Peace has produced a publication, What Works? Evaluating Interfaith Dialogue Programs.

Christian Research Australia has produced a record called Australia’s Religious Communities: Facts and Figures which examines the recent census and provides statistical information on 90 religious groups in Australia.

Religions for Peace Tasmania completed Harmony Day Walk through the area burned by the Dunalley Fires.

Two speakers who have attended major women’s rights meetings at the United Nations addressed a reception following a service held at the Baha’i Temple in Sydney on 24 March to mark International Women’s Day.

The Golden Rule Poster is now being distributed in an Australian version, which includes Aboriginal Spirituality among the 13 religions on the poster.

The Reverend Doug Dargaville, former General Secretary of the Victorian Council of Churches from 1966 – 1982, and again for a time in 1995, passed away on 19 March 2013.

The UN Secretary-General has released a note on "Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development". This report gathers the views of Member States and international organizations on the identification of indicators for the "pursuit of happiness and well-being."

On February 20th – 22nd 2013, Religions for Peace International convened a meeting in Yangon, Myanmar, of the Asia and the Pacific Interfaith Youth Network

What role does spirituality and religion play in refugees' flights from their home country and during their resettlement in host countries?

Honouring our Pilgrimages and Sacred Journeys was the theme of the World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration in Hobart, Tasmania at Alexander House, Sandy Bay.

The July Multifaith Association of South Australia Meeting for November was held on 25th November at the Unitarian Church in Norwood

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon drew attention to the role of faith leaders in promoting female empowerment, noting that they can help address gender prejudices and support women’s participation in society at all levels.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today lauded the commitment of Pope Benedict XVI to inter-faith dialogue and the promotion of peace, in reaction to the Pontiff’s decision to step down at the end of this month.

Geert Wilders, the controversial Dutch politician, is visiting Australia from 19th – 22nd February.

In delivering the 2013 UN Message to World Interfaith Harmony week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said "For billions of people around the world, faith is an essential foundation of life."

World Interfaith Harmony Week is an annual event in the first week of February each year. For the 2013 celebration in Parliament House, Melbourne, Religions for Peace Australia was one of the sponsors.

The Federation of Australian Buddhists announces that exemptions for religious bodies are opposed to Buddhist principles, as they cause harm to those who are discriminated against, those who discriminate, and the moral fabric of Australian society.

SYN's multifaith radio program Unscriptured is looking for more young people to join its team in 2013.

Leaders of religious and faith-based communities in Sri Lanka assembled at a National Religious Leaders Conference on November 20 to mark the "World Day of Spirituality and Action for Children", pledge their commitment to act as a matter of urgency to prevent child abuse.

(Reuters) - People with no religious affiliation make up the third-largest global group in a new study of the size of the world's faiths, placing after Christians and Muslims and just before Hindus.

In December of 2009, Australia hosted the Parliament of the World's Religions. Brussels was selected as the host city for the forthcoming Parliament.

The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) will change to Sustainable Development Goals after 2015. The UN seeks input on what these goals and priorities ought be, for the world.

Being the last day of school for many Queensland students, Dr Mohamad Abdalla took the opportunity at a Friday sermon to deliver an impassioned appeal to the young boys and girls in the congregation to embrace their identity in this country both as Muslims and as Australians

Religions for Peace NSW recently met at Parliament House, Sydney, with special guest Deputy Commissioner for Police, Nick Kaldas.

The Centre for Dialogue at Latrobe University specialises in the philosophy, method and practice of dialogue between communities, cultures, religions and civilisations.

Prof. Des Cahill (Chair, Religions for Peace Australia) gave an address at Shiva Vishnu Temple, Carrum Downs, Victoria to the Hindu Community. The Hindu Community has nation-building strengths to impart to the community in Australia.

The Multicultural Development Association of Queensland (MDA) hosted a community information session organised by Brisbane’s Rohingya community.

Andrew West on Radio National Religion and Ethics Report recently interviewed a writer who raised interesting perspectives (for Australia) on Islamophobia and Interfaith Ethics.

More than 200 religious leaders, representatives of interreligious councils and peace scholars from the Association of South Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states convened in Bangkok and Pattani, Thailand on 17-19 September 2012, to address the role of religion and interreligious cooperation in resolving conflicts and building peace in the ASEAN region.

Prof. Des Cahill (Chair, Religions for Peace Australia) gave an address at Mooroopna Mosque to rural interfaith networks. To be authentically religious in today’s contemporary world means to be interreligious. This is the interfaith message.

Habitat Uniting Church is conducting an An exhibition of icons about festivals shared between Orthodox, Catholic and Reformed Christians.

13 September 2012, Yangon, Myanmar: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Muslim communties in Myanmar together launched the Religions for Peace Myanmar as the country’s first full-fledged representative and action-oriented interreligious body for reconciliation, peace and development. Approximately 100 religious, diplomatic, political and civil society leaders in Myanmar and Religions for Peace International leaders joined the inauguration.