When the government and community leaders seek to provide protection for the community, and isolate some – or all – of a community, there comes a time when people begin to have strong feelings and need support. While those giving support are blessed and appreciated, here, we bring you prayers and meditations from many different religions for your engagement and reflection during this time of isolation and lockdown.
Australia
Freedom of Religion in Australia: a focus on serious harms
The Australian Human Rights Commission and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission jointly delivered a position paper on Freedom of Religion in Australia: a focus on serious harms online, on 1 July 2020. The Position Paper concludes with several recommendations as to how governments in Australia can improve protections for the right to freedom of religion in Victoria and Australia.
Read moreFreedom of Religion in Australia: a focus on serious harms
Submission to Senate Select Committee Inquiry into COVID-19
On 8 April 2020, the Senate resolved to establish a Select Committee on COVID-19 to inquire into the Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee is to present its final report on or before 30 June 2022. Religions for Peace Australia has made a comprehensive and wide-ranging submission to the Select Committee.
Read moreSubmission to Senate Select Committee Inquiry into COVID-19
Joint Statement of Australian faith community representatives: Australia’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic so far, looking ahead now
Religions for Peace Australia has met on several occasions with leaders of many faith communities in Australia to ascertain the state of affairs with regard to the welfare of all during this time of Coronavirus with lockdown, loss of employment, loss of income and quarantine restrictions. The the outcome of these meetings is reported, along with recommendations for the welfare of overseas students, Temporary Protection Visa holders and asylum seekers, all of whom have fallen through the gaps in the welfare provided by government organisations. Several recommendations are made to the Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure.
Religions for Peace Australia Annual General Meeting
Religions for Peace Australia will conduct the Annual General Meeting for year 2019-2020 online using Zoom on Monday 15 June 2020. Interested members of the public are invited to attend and listen to the presentations on Snap back/forward- recovery and resilience during Covid 19 time . These presentations will take place from 11:00am until 12:30pm
Read moreReligions for Peace Australia Annual General Meeting
Prime Minister’s Eid Message
Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP gives one message to Australia’s Muslims on occasion of the end of Ramadan and fasting, a festival by name Eid-al-Fitr.
Australia Round-up – 29 March
On this page, we seek to give account of how different faith communities in Australia – in many states – are providing devotional and spiritual activities for their adherents in this time of Coronavirus – when places of worship in Australia have been closed by the government. There is much information here, more is welcome. Use our contact page if you do not find your community listed, and you wish to have your commumnity’s offerings listed here.
Update: There are a number of new links added for Christian worship in languages other than English.
Covid-19 Crisis: An Interfaith Statement
To Australia’s Religious, Political and Civic Leaders and to the People of Australia,
On Friday, March 20th, 2020, senior interfaith leaders from almost all Australian States and Territories met electronically. We decided to share this message with the Australian community.
Pray but Stay Away
Places of worship in Australia – be they Buddhist, Sikh, Muslim, Christian or Jain – now face the most stringent restrictions applied in living history. Their faithful membership has to stay away. Here, Robyn Whittaker of Pilgrim College, writes about Praying but Staying Away.
Australia-wide Jewish Responses to Coronavirus
Jewish community organisations and leaders across Australia have rallied together to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Jewish institutions, families, individuals and, most especially, the elderly and vulnerable. The intense work done by the Jewish community roof bodies in each State, the Crisis Management Teams of the Community Security Groups, shules, the Day Schools, the aged care sector, the welfare sector and volunteers, all working in unison, has been nothing short of inspiring. We are deeply indebted to all of them.
Australia needs to admit it has a white supremacy problem, extremism experts say
As the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks approaches, two international extremism trackers say authorities need to do more to stop the “potential” for a right-wing terror attack in Australia.
Read moreAustralia needs to admit it has a white supremacy problem, extremism experts say
Christchurch Massacre Commemoration – March 15, 2020
Sunday, March 15th will be the first anniversary of the Christchurch massacre at two of its mosques of 51 people (47 males, 4 females). The perpetrator was an Australian. Religions for Peace Australia issues a Call to Prayer for Faith Communities of Australia to commemorate this event.
Read moreChristchurch Massacre Commemoration – March 15, 2020
Religious leaders appeal to Scott Morrison as ‘fellow person of faith’ for more climate action
Religious leaders have appealed to Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a “fellow person of faith” to heed climate science following the country’s catastrophic bushfire season. The open letter – signed by 18 Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and other faith leaders – urges Mr Morrison to show leadership and urgently transition Australia away from fossil fuels.
Declaration of Principles for the International Religious Freedom Alliance
The Alliance is a network of likeminded countries fully committed to advancing freedom of religion or belief around the world. (Religions for Peace International is a foundation member of the Alliance, hence, Religions for Peace Australia are also members of the Alliance.)
The Alliance is predicated on the idea more must be done to protect members of religious minority groups and combat discrimination and persecution based on religion or belief. The Alliance intends to advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all, which includes the right of individuals to hold any belief or none, to change religion or belief and to manifest religion or belief, either alone or in community with others, in worship, observance, practice and teaching. The Alliance is intended to bring together senior government representatives to discuss actions their nations can take together to promote respect for freedom of religion or belief and protect members of religious minority groups worldwide. Alliance members should be committed to the following principles and commitments and be willing to publicly and privately object to abuses, wherever they might occur.
Read moreDeclaration of Principles for the International Religious Freedom Alliance
Serving Communities with Courage and Compassion
The 2020 Catholic Social Services National Conference at the Catholic Leadership Centre in East Melbourne aims to strengthen and advance our work in Catholic social services through a shared, critical, forward-looking focus on our mission and on the key issues of the day. The conference runs from Wednesday 26th – Friday 28th February 2020.
Australian Baha’i Community: Creating an Inclusive Narrative Project
The Australian Baha’i Community will conduct community roundtable discussions on social cohesion in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Darwin. These roundtables are an integral aspect of a national project being facilitated by the Australian Baha’i Community to collectively ‘Create an Inclusive Narrative’ for our country. The roundtables will take place in February, March and April of 2020.
Read moreAustralian Baha’i Community: Creating an Inclusive Narrative Project
Statement regarding Australian bushfires
The Australian Academy of Science has given a statement about the bushfires that have ravaged Australia in the last few months. There is need for clarity around the issues of climate change and drought, man-made changes to the planetary warming and how man has treated the environment. It is time for clarity and for respect to others in this sometimes voluble conversation in the community.
