Religions for Peace is pleased to announce the Second Call for Nominations for the Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award. This award recognizes the remarkable contributions of women of faith who are driving multi-religious collaboration for peace, human rights, and shared human flourishing.
Hope for Children Through Climate Justice
The urgency of the climate catastrophe demands strong and effective responses. With fossil fuels driving over 75% of global CO2 emissions, we need to hold accountable those who still finance their expansion, harming us and future generations.
This publication helps to empower people of faith and partners in World Council of Churches global constituency with the knowledge for legal action. It provides a menu of strategies particularly aimed at financial institutions, one of the most powerful levers to accelerate climate solutions. It is a call to answer the pleas of the scientific community and young people to tackle the root causes of harm to creation and protect future generation’s right to life.
Bridging Faiths: The Shared Mission of Ramadan and Lent for Social Justice and Unity
Australia celebrates diversity of cultures and faiths, as evidenced by the events of Harmony Week. The importance of fostering religious harmony is evident for establishing a peaceful and flourishing society. As our world continues to diversify, it is imperative that we embrace and respect differing religious beliefs to nurture social harmony. We must strive to create an environment that champions open-mindedness, tolerance, and mutual understanding among people of all faiths.
Google has dropped its promise not to use AI for weapons
Religions for Peace Australia has opposed the use of Killer Robots, and the growing trend of militarization of the resources of Artificial Intelligence and the arms industry – in Australia and elsewhere. Here, The Conversation reports on Google quietly abandoning a long-standing commitment to not use artificial intelligence (AI) technology in weapons or surveillance. While Artificial Intelligence has given immeasurable benefits in many dimensions of human endeavour, the use of artificial intelligence and robots should not, ever, have the final decision over a human life or many human lives. In this wise, Religions for Peace Australia sides with Pope Francis, who has condemned the use of artificial intelligence and killer robots in warfare or any other sphere of human life wherein robots or an intelligence algorithm decides whether or not humans may live.
Riding the wave that comes: the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Religion in Australia
A new essay from the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute explores how religious leaders and communities in Australia are engaging with artificial intelligence, using it as a tool while grappling with its ethical, theological, and practical implications for faith, authority, and human judgement.
Relational Remedy Framework: Australian Antislavery Sector
The Relational Remedy Framework for peer support was created by Survivor Connections in response to the need for a relational approach to recovery from experiences of modern slavery.
It recognises the unique capacity that survivors have to stand in solidarity with their peers. We learned that walking together can complement traditional service-recipient models, by providing the mutuality and reciprocity needed for relational healing.
Peers support providers draw on their lived experience to offer empathy and expertise. They help survivors navigate the challenges of accessing and engaging with service systems. A Webinar in supporting peer-led systems will be offered on 7th April 2025.
First Nations: Catholic organisations called to resume the journey
After a period of healing, reflection and discernment following the outcome of 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council and Caritas Australia are calling on Catholic organisations to rejoin the One Journey, Together initiative.
Rethinking Islam and Religious Finality
In an increasingly interconnected world, the discourse surrounding religious identity and legitimacy is more relevant than ever. The assertions made by Askari regarding the nature of Islam and its relationship with other faiths challenge conventional views and invite a re-evaluation of how we understand religious finality. His contention that a true Muslim transcends the historical confines of Muhammad and embraces a broader, universal conception of Islam offers a refreshing perspective that could foster dialogue and understanding across religious divides.
Amidst Lent, Passover, and Ramadan: A Reflection on “Love’s Grief.”
Bishop Philip Huggins is a faith leader of international stature; stature clearly known in interfaith dialogue and endeavours. In this reflection, he ponders the festivals of the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. He also ponders the role of grief in true humanness, how the fragile links between humans can be so poignant, so important. Christianity has its Lenten discipline, Islam with the Ramadan fasting, and Judaism is approaching Passover. It is a time that reminds us all of the threads that tie us together: faith and love.
South Australia: Interfaith Matters, March 2025
The Interfaith Matters Forum for March 2025 will be held on Wednesday 26 March, starting at 6.30pm and going until 8.30pm’ish at the Unitarian Meeting House, 99 Osmond Terrace, Norwood. Our overarching theme for 2025 is: Going deeper – Manguri Miinaku: the seemingly eternal quest of the spirit to be, to connect – with self, and others – and to delve deeper.
The Story of Meditation and Prayers for our Earth and COP Conferences
Four years ago, three unconnected people with different faith backgrounds and in different states of Australia were simultaneously thinking about creating a group of interested people to meditate/pray for the planet and its people. Then magically, they connected!
What arose from this connection was ‘Meditations and Prayers for Our Earth and COP.’ We meet online, via Zoom, once a week from the beginning of August to the beginning of each year’s COP conference. During the conference itself the meditations and prayers happen daily.
Women of Faith Transforming Communities Through Multi-Religious Action
From 10-21 March 2025, delegates from UN Member States, civil society, and other stakeholders will convene at the United Nations headquarters in New York for the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). This global policy-making body is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity. It is instrumental in promoting the rights of women and girls, shaping global standards and policy agendas, and documenting the reality of the lives of women and girls across the globe.
Many religious groups are conducting side events in parallel with the sessions of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). Religions for Peace International is also participating in one virtual side-event.
Religions for Peace is pleased to invite you to attend our upcoming virtual event on the margins of the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), Women of Faith Transforming Communities Through Multi-Religious Action on Thursday, March 20th, from 8:00 – 9:00 AM EST on Zoom.