Convenor of the NSW Branch of Religions for Peace, Josie Lacey AM, has been honoured in the NSW parliament for her service to the community and to interfaith activities. NSW Labor frontbencher Walt Secord has hosted a special event at State Parliament where he addressed the parliament paying tribute to Jewish communal leader Josie Lacey.
RfPA
2022 Backhouse Lecture – Quakers Australia
The Backhouse Lectures are public lectures on contemporary issues delivered annually at the national gathering of Quakers in Australia. They were initiated by Australia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) on its establishment in 1964. Friends from both Australia and overseas have presented lectures. The 2022 Backhouse Lecture, Working for Justice in a Warming World, will be presented by Yarrow Goodley on Monday 5 July at 7.15pm via Zoom.
NSW: Interfaith Symposium – Faith, Social Cohesion and Community Resilience
Affinity Intercultural Foundation and Macquarie University recently conducted an interfaith symposium “Faith, Social Cohesion and Community Resilience” addressing issues around faith communities and the experience of Covid-19. Moderator of the Asian Conference on Religions for Peace (and President, Religions for Peace Australia) Emeritus Professor Des Cahill gave one address to the symposium on the topic of COVID-19: Impact, Responses, Learnings and Ongoing Challenges for the World’s Faith Communities in Australia.
NSW: New offences to ban public display of Nazi symbols
The NSW Government has introduced a bill into Parliament today to ban the public displays of Nazi symbols and to provide further safeguards against hate speech and vilification.
Faith leaders join forces to condemn alleged mosque attack in Victoria
Politicians, community and faith leaders from across Victoria have come together at a mosque east of Melbourne to show their support after the prayer hall was allegedly vandalised. Charges have been laid against eight suspects after the property was damaged last weekend.
Victoria parliament passes bill banning Nazi swastika
Victoria has become the first Australian jurisdiction to ban the swastika, with those who defy the ban to face jail terms and hefty fines.
It is now a crime to intentionally display the Nazi swastika in Victoria. Anyone who displays the symbol could face a year in jail.
An exemption is in place for religious groups who used the symbol before the Nazis.
Victoria: Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Act (2021)
From 14 June 2022, (in Victoria) religious organisations and schools will no longer be able to sack or refuse to hire people based on protected attributes such as sexuality, gender identity or marital status. Religious organisations and schools will only be able to make employment decisions based on an employee’s religious beliefs where these are inherent to the job such as a religious studies teacher, and the discrimination is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.
10th anniversary of the NSW chapter of Religions for Peace
The NSW Branch of Religions for Peace Australia celebrates 10 years – a decade of holding its events and proceedings in the State Parliament. Talks are given by Hon. Walt Secord, Shadow Minister, and Peter Wertheim, co-Chief Executive Officer, Executive Council of Australian Jewry
NSW to create religious advisory council as part of $28m multicultural funding boost
A religious advisory council will be established as part of funding set aside for multicultural communities in the upcoming NSW state budget.
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the initiative is not about conducting an “audit” of faith-based institutions, but “ensuring our religious communities feel safe”.
“This will ensure that our faith-based institutions will have a voice around the table,” he said while making the funding announcement in Sydney on Friday.
NSW: International Day of Yoga Celebrations 2022
International Yoga Day is celebrated worldwide on 21 June of each year. Yoga is an ancient tradition which has many applications. Individuals practice yoga all over the world, and gain benefit the asana poses and excercises bestow. The United Nations proclaimed International Day of Yoga in 2014. This year Art of Living Sydney in collaboration with Consulate General of India celebrates the 8th International Day of Yoga on 25th June, 2022
Adelaide: Interfaith forum on ‘Creation Stories’
The Interfaith Forum at Pilgrim Church, Flinders St, Adelaide, will host an evening/meal/good company exploring the intrigue of creation stories and how it interacts with our own sense of spirit. The Interfaith Forum will meet on the Evening of Wednesday, 29 June at 6pm.
2022: International Day of Yoga in Canberra
Recognizing its universal appeal, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga, which aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga. Integrated Cultures ACT Inc. Integrated Women’s Network (IWN) and the High Commission of India, Canberra invite you to a celebration of INTERNATIONAL DAY of YOGA. You are invited to join for a series of sessions by Yoga practitioners and teachers.
Queensland brings legislation to ban hate symbols
On May 25 (local time), Hindu organisations and activists in Australia, including the Hindu Council of Australia, Australian Hindu Association Inc. and others, raised objections over Queensland MP Annastacia Palaszczuk’s proposal to ban ‘the public display of hate symbols such as swastikas’. After MP Palaszczuk announced the proposal, the Hindus strongly objected to it and urged the MP to change the language of the proposal.
Religions for Peace Australia ~ Annual General Meeting 2022
Religions for Peace Australia will conduct its Annual General Meeting reporting for the year 2020, online, on evening of Sunday 19 June 2022 at 7pm. The Guest Speaker is Professor Samina Yasmeen AM who will give an address on Promoting Social Cohesion: Children as the agents of change. This talk will explore how children have been exposed to jihadi literature, Islamization and have been othered in non-Muslim majority countries (such as Australia). It will suggest that children need to be brought on board from an early age to promote cohesive societies.
NSW: Ubiquitous Trees and Serpents – Early Buddhist Imagery of Southern India
The Australasian Association for Buddhist Studies notifies that its next seminar will take place in the month of June: the University of Sydney will host a lecture on the early Buddhist imagery of southern India. This will be both online and in-person.
NSW: Shoah Memorial Service
The NSW Shoah Memorial Service has a new date. Remembering the Holocaust: A memorial service for Christians and all people of compassion to remember 1933-1945. The Great Synagogue, 166 Castlereagh Street Sydney, NSW, on 31 May 2022
South Australia: Interfaith considers how we form belief
Pilgrim Uniting Church will host an interfaith forum at 6 pm, Wednesday evening 25 May on the topic of how belief is formed.
Faith perspectives on palliative care
How do we support the spiritual needs of patients who are terminally ill? Watch the following videos to learn more about various faith perspectives on palliative care, including: Bahá’í, Tibetan Buddhist, Celtic Pagan, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Representatives of these faiths share a brief outline of their beliefs and how they apply in end-of-life situations. They offer practical advice concerning appropriate ways to interact with a patient and their loved ones in the lead up to death and the period immediately following.