In 2020, Religions for Peace Australia amended its Constitution to include support appropriate recognition of the spiritualities of the First Peoples of Australia. In this wise, Religions for Peace Australia wrote to the Prime Minister in August 2020 calling for a Voice to Parliament, a Makarrata Treaty and a Truth Telling Commission. On this page, we provide our reasons for support of the Constitutional Recognition Referendum.
Indigenous
For Our Elders: Embracing NAIDOC Week
For our elders, in honor, we stand tall,
Their wisdom echoes, guiding us all.
In gratitude, their legacy we embrace,
Their timeless teachings, a cherished grace.
Observing NAIDOC Week
From 1940 until 1955, the Day of Mourning was held annually on the Sunday before Australia Day and was known as ‘Aborigines Day’. In 1955 ‘Aborigines Day’ was shifted to the first Sunday in July when it was decided that the day should also become a celebration of Aboriginal culture as well as a day of protest. Major Aboriginal organisations, as well as state and federal governments, all supported the formation of the National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC).
As awareness of the distinct cultural histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples grew, NADOC was expanded to recognise Torres Strait Islander people and culture. The committee then became known as the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC).
National Reconciliation Week 2023
Religions for Peace Australia supports First Nations, and the Proposal for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In this 2023 National Reconciliation Week, Reconciliation cannot be confined to individual actions; it must permeate all aspects of society. One avenue for transformative change lies in early childhood education. By embedding reconciliation in the curriculum, we can shape the next generation’s understanding of our shared history, cultures, and achievements.
Aboriginal elder to visit Vatican for Australia’s Reconciliation Week
Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, an Australian aboriginal elder, teacher and artist, will be in the Vatican from the 29th May to the 3rd June. During her stay in the Vatican, Dr Ungunmerr Baumann will meet with senior officials, discussing faith, ecology, and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. There will be a meeting with the Pope.
Saying Yes to the Voice will herald a better future for us all
Truth-telling is essential. We cannot fall into the racist trap of dismissing authenticated stories of the past as a ‘black armband’ view of history, that pejorative label cynically employed by former prime minister John Howard, writes Sister Patty Fawkner, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.
Colonial Bondage: Liberating Theological Education by Prof. Anne Pattel-Gray
On Wednesday 2 November 2022, Professor Anne Pattel-Gray delivered her inaugural Professorial Lecture entitled, “Colonial Bondage: Liberating Theological Education”. The event was held at St Paschal Chapel in Box Hill, the land of the Wurundjeri nation.
2021 Sydney Peace Prize winner is The Uluru Statement from the Heart
The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a call for peace. It is a game changer. The statement is a rallying call to our citizens to ‘walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future’. Uluru provides the leadership that we desperately crave to achieve respect, recognition, and reconciliation. The 2021 Sydney Peace Prize winner is The Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Senator Dodson criticises failure to reduce ‘awful blight’ of Aboriginal deaths in custody
Senator Pat Dodson, who worked on the 1991 royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, has criticised 30 years of government failure to “relieve this awful blight on this nation’s history”. In a speech to the Senate on Wednesday, Dodson demanded the federal government make it a “top priority” to pressure the states and territories to take action on reducing Aboriginal incarceration rates and deaths in custody.
Truth Telling in Australia – Video
Pax Christi Australia – in collaboration with Religions for Peace Australia, jointly presented “Truth Telling in Australia” which was given by Sherry Balcombe, of Aboriginal Catholic Ministry. This session was recorded at Kildara Centre, Stanhope St, Malvern on Sunday 27 June 2021.
B’nai B’rith Human Rights Oration: Uluru Statement from the Heart
The B’nai B’rith Human Rights Oration will be delivered by Professor Marcia Langton AO, on Sunday 11 July 2021 at 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. This event will be available online and in person. The Patron of the Oration is Mark Leibler AC, renowned for his tireless support of Indigenous rights and empowering Indigenous communities.
Indigenous Reconciliation and Faith: Walk Alongside to Build Religious Inclusivity and Acceptance
At the Annual General Meeting of Religions for Peace Australia (6 June 2021), Indigenous Woman Dr Anne Patel-Gray gave one talk about her work Walk Alongside to Build Religious Inclusivity and Acceptance and – as a Christian theologian and Doctor of Theology – told that Australia is not longer exclusively a Christian country but is now a multicultural and multifaith nation. The road forward for religions in Australia is an Interfaith road. In this article, we bring you the video of Dr Anne Pattel-Gray’s talk, and an overview of her work,What is Walk Alongside?
