Pope Francis expects to die in Rome, still the Catholic pontiff, without returning to spend his final days in his native Argentina, according to a new book titled The Health of Popes.
In an interview granted to Argentinian journalist and physician Nelson Castro at the Vatican in February 2019, the pope said he thinks about death, but does not fear it.
Extracts from the book were published Saturday in Argentinian daily La Nacion.
Western society – in particular, democracies – are slowly coming around to Gender Equality in all arenas of human activity. Women now work in occupations previously only held by men; vice-versa, we now have men working as nurses, an occupation previously only taken up by women. Some religions have taken up women in leadership roles, other religious traditions are not so drawn upon to inspire social change.
An enlightened society practising social justice to all its citizens will not visit violence when women enter new roles previously taken up by men. The road to Gender Equality is long and rocky. In this research paper commissioned by the Victorian Department of Health and undertaken by Queensland University of Technology, we look at gender backlash and the strategies needed to overcome this. This is a work of social justice for both men and women.
Gender Equality is Sustainable Development Goal №5.
Due restrictions imposed on film theatres during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jewish International Film Festival will stream its movies “At Home’ from 17 February 2021 until 24 March 2021. Stream the best of past festivals on ‘At Home’, a new Video on Demand platform from Classic, Lido, Cameo and Ritz Cinemas.
The Youth Environment Assembly is organized by youth for youth. It is a self-organized space for youth to discuss critical issues and build their capacity to make change in the world. More immediately, the 2021 Assembly is a key moment for youth to organize in the run up to the online session of the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly, the high-level body where countries discuss and help set the direction of global environmental governance. Youth participants raised issues related to, inter alia, incentives for cross-faith youth collaboration, the need for the SDGs to be the basis for all faith-based discussions and children participation.
The Department of Home Affairs has established a website and four social media channels celebrating Australian Values. The website and social media channels will help to promote Australian values and our inclusive national identity. This website hosts information in English and in the top three languages other than English spoken in Australia – Chinese, Arabic, and Vietnamese.
Religions for Peace Myanmar, and Religions for Peace International, on behalf of all its regional and national entities, plead with all stakeholders, to deescalate the sad turn of events in the streets of Myanmar. More blood has been shed in this month. Religions for Peace stands with the people of Myanmar in their quest for the sacredness of life. We strongly condemn the shedding of the blood of innocents.
In conjunction with the International Day of Human Fraternity 2021, the World Council of Churches, Pax Christi Northern California, and Soka Gakkai International issued a joint statement, entitled “A Plea for Preserving Our Shared Humanity,” that expresses concern over the insidious development of weapons systems that lack meaningful human control. Read the Interfaith Statement on Killer Robots.
The Sydney Statement is an interfaith charter for building bridges between believers from different religions. It is available in booklet, A4 size and full size poster format. The Sydney Statement is the work of POWR Youth in Sydney over several years and was launched online recently. As the work of Australian Youth, it is a work of high merit.
Women of faith have a vital role to play in promoting more effective dialogue and cooperation in a world struggling to overcome the divisive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That conviction was shared by Jewish, Buddhist and Christian participants in a webinar organized by the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland to mark the 1- 7 February observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
VATICAN CITY – The Vatican Philatelic Office has issued a new block of postage stamps highlighting Pope Francis’ innovative ventures into interfaith dialogue.
The set of stamps, which is to be released on Feb. 22, boasts snapshots of Francis’ meetings with leaders of the world’s major religions over the past six years and marks the beginning of the ninth year of his pontificate.
The Multifaith Advisory Group (advises the Minister for Multicultural Affairs in Victoria) engages with the 2021 Observance of United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week with a statement on Unity in Diversity, along with a video from the Faith Community leaders of Victoria.
In Commemoration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week The Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations and The Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations in partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and sponsorship of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity have the pleasure to invite you to an interactive panel dedicated to the celebration of The International Day of Human Fraternity A Pathway to the Future
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned about the potential for further violence against religious communities following the military coup in Burma. The Burmese military, also known as the Tatmadaw, perpetrated a genocidal campaign against the Rohingya people, and these same military officials are now claiming power following the coup.
My dear Friends,
I write these lines as a spiritual leader, empathising with the sentiments of millions of people at this moment. I write to my dear people, the civilian leaders, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) and the international community. I have watched with sadness the moments of darkness in our history and watched with hope the resilience of our people in their struggle for dignity. We are journeying through most challenging times of our history. I write with love towards all, seeking a durable solution, praying for an end forever to the periodic darkness that envelops our dear nation.
Religions for Peace International is in solidarity with the people of Myanmar. Just as this organisation, convening faith leaders and institutions for over half a century, prays together for the healing of this nation, it condemns any and all efforts which subvert the democratic will of its peoples.
Pope Francis will mark the International Day of Human Fraternity in a virtual meeting on 4 February 2021, the date set by the United Nations General Assembly for this new annual occasion. He will do so together with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb. The event will be hosted in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed.
In an Op-ed on Psychology Today, Steve Taylor, Ph.D., -senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University – writes about people who have had profound spiritual experiences, yet fall for spirtual conspiracies. In this article, some intriguing history is recounted, and the recent phenomenon of conspiracy theories about the global pandemic and the US Election are examined. Steve Taylor comes to a conclusion which the reader may consider and evaluate…
The Victorian Sikh Gurduaras Council is seeking volunteers to participate in two upcoming events as part of the state government-funded family violence prevention project that was rolled out in late 2019. The project aims to initiate discussions and raise community awareness about the impact of family violence. The project aims to ensure members of the Sikh community feel safe in their home and neighbourhood.