Tasmania – September 2023 – Religions for Peace Australia

Tasmania Logo

Greetings of peace and joy, as we are celebrating the arrival of spring! This is also the month of peace, as UN International Day of Peace falls on 21 September and some faiths pay special attention in their prayers and meditations in the lead-up to that date. This weekend has been declared a national weekend of prayer, reflection and meditation in support of our First Nations Peoples. As the national referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament now approaches, representatives from Australia’s major religions have formed a powerful multi-faith alliance to celebrate the wonderful opportunity for recognition and reconciliation offered by the impending landmark vote.

Greetings of peace and joy, as we are celebrating the arrival of spring!

This is also the month of peace, as UN International Day of Peace falls on 21 September and some faiths pay special attention in their prayers and meditations in the lead-up to that date.

This weekend has been declared a national weekend of prayer, reflection and meditation in support of our First Nations Peoples. As the national referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament now approaches, representatives from Australia’s major religions have formed a powerful multi-faith alliance to celebrate the wonderful opportunity for recognition and reconciliation offered by the impending landmark vote.

This weekend’s reflections commenced at 11am on Friday September 8 as representatives from Australia’s Buddhist community embarked on a 56-hour meditation, concluding on Sunday at 7pm. Across the weekend, services across faiths and the nation will reflect on the Referendum, focussing on themes of unity and reconciliation, hope and healing.

We hope interested people can join either in groups or congregations, or individually.

Holy Days in September 2023

Date	Observance	Faith/religion
16 September	Rosh Hashannah	Judaism
19 September	Samvatsari	Jainism
19-28 September	Das Lakshani	Jainism
25 September	Yom Kippur	Judaism

The Voice Referendum: a national weekend of prayer, reflection and meditation 8-9 September

As the national referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament now approaches, representatives from Australia’s major religions have formed a powerful multi-faith alliance to celebrate the wonderful opportunity for recognition and reconciliation offered by the impending landmark vote.

This weekend has been dedicated as a national weekend of prayer, reflection and meditation to support our First Nations Poeples. Reflections will commence at 11am on Friday September 8 as representatives from Australia’s Buddhist community embark on a 56-hour meditation, concluding on Sunday at 7pm. Across the weekend, services across faiths and the nation will reflect on the Referendum, focussing on themes of unity and reconciliation, hope and healing.

Congregations from across Australia are invited to register their interest in participating in this historic collaboration.

We hope interested people can join either in groups or congregations, or individually as convenient.

Securing Faith-Based Places Grants program (Grant for improving security) Deadline 11 September

The Securing Faith-Based Places Grant program aims to improve safety and security at religious schools, pre-schools, places of worship, and faith-based community centres. The purpose of the grant is to address the risk of crime and violence motivated by religious or racial intolerance through the installation or upgrade of security infrastructure and/or the engagement of security guards at those sites.

The deadline is 5pm AEST on 11 September 2023. The application portal allows organisations to seek guidance and submit quality submissions.

For more information on the eligibility criteria, application process and FAQs, please refer to the webpage here: Securing Faith-Based Places

Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre

Program for September:

Monday evening meditation:

Our weekly Monday evening Calm Abiding Meditation with Emilia continues (Zoom only) as per usual. A great way to begin your week.

Meeting time: 5.30-6.15 pm

Meeting ID: 843 3802 6421, Passcode: 789858 Direct link

Tuesday evening meditation:

Bookings and details are here

Please join us for another program of Tuesday evenings in the Golden Room at Kickstart Arts. Spend some lovely time with Dharma friends as we explore a very intriguing series of topics this month. All welcome including beginners!

Upcoming program for September 2023:

12/09/23: Developing Insight (with Maurice)
19/09/23: Developing Wisdom (with Maurice)
26/09/23: Integration – Questions and Discussion (with Maurice)

Cost
Sessions are free, however, there are costs associated with running our programs, so we encourage donations. Donations may be made on the night or via our booking system.

What about COVID?
The Tasmanian Department of Health classifies the current risk as Moderate which means COVID-19 is circulating widely in our community.

Masks, along with other COVID-safe behaviours, remain an important way to help reduce the risk of COVID-19. Although no longer mandatory in most situations, State Health recommends people wear masks in indoor settings especially where physical distancing is not possible.

Because many people with COVID-19 experience very mild symptoms and may not be aware that they are sick and infectious, please consider wearing a mask if you attend Tuesday evening sessions in person.

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Retreat at Home

Retreat at Home programme: Quakers

You are welcome to join our Retreat at Home program. An opportunity to connect either in Spirit or supported with two brief Zoom bookends. We will offer you a poem or similar as a resource. Not all participants are Quaker, so choose inclusion.

The next Retreat Day is on Saturday 16 September 2023, from 10.15am to 3.30pm. We usually “meet” on third Saturdays.

There are two modes.

The Zoom group will meet at 10.15 – 11.00 in the morning, and 2.45 – 3.30 in the afternoon. Between those sessions, you retreat on your own.

A second option is that you commit to retreating on your own and in spiritual connection with other retreatants.

You are welcome to whichever mode you choose. And to as much of the day as fits. Brief retreatants welcome – if you wish to set aside a couple of hours for your spiritual nurture please join us.

For more information or to register, please contact Kerstin Reimers kerstin7reimers@gmail.com or 03 6228 4890. Drew can also answer enquiries at drew.thomas@iinet.net.au or 0488 402 210. You will greatly assist us if you register in good time. Late bids are also accepted if opportunity suddenly opens.

Dances of Universal Peace

Dances of Universal Peace with Sangita and Chando, 2-4pm Saturday 16 September at Pat Murnane Hall, 188a Lenah Valley Road, Lenah Valley. Park at the RSL, the hall is just above.

No experience necessary, the simple dances and songs are fully taught. Bring a friend if you like. By donation – $10 suggested.

We will close with tea and sweet treats.

We will be offering Dances of Universal Peace here on the third Saturday afternoon of each month.

For more information about Dances of Universal Peace,

see https://www.dancesofuniversalpeaceaustralia.org/

Tamar Valley Peace Festival

Tamar Valley Peace Festival Program: Didi Sudesh A life of Limitless Love: the pathway to peace 20 September

From The Brahma Kumaris:

As Hobart’s contribution to the Tamar Valley Peace Festival, Didi Sudesh will give a talk entitled Living a Life of Limitless Love: the pathway to peace.

Didi Sudesh is a leader, teacher and yogini, who has touched countless lives all over the world for more than 60 years. Currently, she is the European Director of The Brahma Kumaris visiting Australia for a national tour.

The program includes meditation and questions and answers.

When: Wednesday 20 September 2023, 6.30-8.00pm in person and online
Where: Aurora Lecture Theatre, IMAS Building (UTAS), 20 Castray Esplanade, Salamanca Place Hobart.
Bookings essential on tiny.cc/limitlesslove whether attending in person or online.

The Zoom joining link will be available in the booking confirmation email.

Enquiries: email: hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org or Phone: (03)6278 3788

The program is presented free of charge, however, contributions are welcome to help cover costs.
Download a Flyer for this Event

Calm in the City

Calm in the City UN International Day of Peace Vigil 21 September
Silent Morning Vigil on UN Peace Day

Date: Thursday 21 September 2023 7:30am to 8am
Location: Online

Join us for a special silent UN Peace Day online vigil and offer your peaceful thoughts, intentions, meditations and prayers.

There will be three intentions around peace (7:30 – 7:40am), hope (7:40 – 7:50am), and compassion (7:50 – 8:00am), held around a beautiful visual of our world with gentle music.

Whether you come for 3 minutes or for the full half an hour, it would be lovely to have your contribution to a wave of peace for the day rippling across our world.

Join us in contributing powerful collective moments of peace – and feel free to write your message of peace too. Please register here for the zoom link

**NAYBA (a wonderful opportunity for Faith communities to show how much they contribute to social cohesion in Tasmania)**

I’m writing to inform you that the NAYBA Impact Audit of Tasmania is officially underway!

The audit will measure the collective social impact of the faith community in Tasmania and put a monetary value on the time and resources dedicated to serving those in need.

You can participate in this exciting initiative by completing a simple online survey about the community services provided by your faith community over the past 12 months.

The survey is designed to be as easy as possible. It should only take about 15 minutes to complete, plus some time to gather the relevant information.

Before diving in, please visit the FAQ page to ensure you have all the necessary details at your fingertips. This will also help you decide if there’s someone who should complete the survey on your behalf.

The survey will remain open until Friday 22nd September, but it’s best if you submit your response as soon as possible. Once you’re ready, click the following link to get started:

START SURVEY

← Link

This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase how faith is a force for good across our state and discern how we might better love and serve the precious people of Tasmania.

Every effort is worthy of inclusion, so whether your church delivers an array of services to tackle key social issues, or you simply do your best to care for those in the wider community, I strongly encourage you to take part.

If you have questions or need any help completing the survey, please don’t hesitate to contact Tamara Espinet from the NAYBA Australia team at tamaraespinet@nayba.org

With deep appreciation and every blessing,

Tamara Espinet
Audits & Projects Manager NAYBA Australia
Helping Churches Transform Neighbourhoods
https://www.nayba.org
e: tamaraespinet@nayba.org
m: +61 421 931 349

Secrets of Self Confidence

The Secrets of Self-Confidence: a meditation half-day course

Saturday, 23 September 2023 at 10:00 am-1.00pm

Hobart North Uniting Church

2 Swan Street, North Hobart TAS

Bookings: trybooking.com

Cost: $45.00

Peace Trust

Resisting the militarisation of Australia, presented by Dr. Sue Wareham OAM, the National President of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War

Sunday 24 September 2023 2pm at the Quaker Meeting House 5 Boa Vista Rd, North Hobart

Download a Flyer for this event

Unfortunately this will be the last lecture as the Peace Trust is winding up after the lecture.

Raising Peace Festival

The Raising Peace online peace festival returns to celebrate the International Day of Peace for 2023. For four days from 21-24 September the Raising Peace Festival will bring a series of speakers and workshops discussing the ever more important topic of how we can contribute to a peaceful world.

Religions for Peace Australia will join a network of 30+ organisations to celebrate the final event of multifaith Raising the Peace Festival 21-24th September: https://raisingpeace.org.au/

The Festival will run online over four days but we will join the Meditations on Peace Event (Day 4 Sunday 24th 5-6pm AEST).

Some highlights will be:

Day 1, Thursday 21: The Road to the Referendum and Day 3 Saturday 23, Unpacking the Uluru Statement of the Heart.

Day 2, Friday 22: Peace action takes many forms. In Working for Peace around Australia we will explore three: alternative dispute resolution in remote communities, the peace movement in Ballarat and the brilliant Knitting Nanas, updates on the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security movements.

Multicultural Framework Review

This is the first Multicultural review in a generation and it is being run by an independent agency not by a government department. RfPTas will be presenting a submission on the current position of Multifaith in Tasmania.

Submissions through the website may be presented in written form in English or in your own language, or by audios or videos made on your mobile phone.

The Review will advise the Government on institutional, legislative and policy settings to support and build Australia’s multiculturalism over the next decade. The Review will also consider how existing federal arrangements interact with state and local government settings, identifying potential areas of duplication and gaps, and opportunities for further inter-governmental collaboration.

Please take advantage of the opportunity to provide submissions via the following web link: Multicultural Framework Review (homeaffairs.gov.au). The deadline for submissions through the website is 29 September.

Tasmanian Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework Legislation online information sessions

A new child and youth safeguarding framework became law in Tasmania on the 1st of July 2023. It is known as the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework (the Framework).

Why do I need to know about the Framework?

All activities under the auspices of a faith-based organisation where adults have contact with children are covered by this legislation.

Compliance must begin no later than 1st January 2024. There are no exemptions to the legislation.

What does the Framework introduce to Tasmania that’s new?

The Framework introduces:

a Reportable Conduct Scheme, which requires leaders of specific organisations to notify an independent regulator when concerns are raised about conduct related to child abuse involving a worker, and conduct investigations.
an Independent Regulator, who will monitor organisations’ compliance with their new legal obligations, and provide advice, resources, and support. This new regulatory body is currently being set up.

What does the Framework make law that may be familiar already?

Religious groups that already have safeguarding policies and procedures that align with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations won’t be starting from ground zero when it comes to meeting these new legal requirements.

This is because the Framework legislates 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards that mirror these National Principles.

However even where these policies exist, doing nothing is NOT an option.

How can I find out more about the Framework?

The Department of Justice, in association with the Tasmanian Council of Churches and Faith Communities Network of Tasmania will hold two online forums:

5-6pm Friday September 29: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
5-6pm Tuesday November 7: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The forums will be an opportunity for people to learn about the requirements for compliance, find useful resources and guides, and to ask questions.

The Department of Justice has also prepared this 101 document for the Framework that is a good place to start learning about the Framework and its key elements.

Please advise as soon as possible if translation support is required for these forums, so organisers can seek to arrange it.

If you have any questions, please reach out via cysof@justice.tas.gov.au

COP Meditations

Weekly Multifaith Meditations and Prayers in the lead up to COP 28 in Dubai are being held every Thursday 1.30pm AEST

An interfaith group of people, hosted by the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change and The Brahma Kumaris (WA), is holding an online session of prayers/silent meditation for our sacred earth every Thursday 1.30-2.00pm AEST.

To join: https://zoom.us/j/98905456344 Passcode: 082143

Soul Food

The next Soul Food program will be held at the Baha’i Centre of Learning, 1 Tasman Highway Hobart on Sunday afternoon October 1st, at 3pm

The theme for this program will be Trustworthiness and Truthfulness – The Foundation of Virtues.

Refreshments will be served and all are welcome. Ample free car parking is available.

Looking forward to sharing this unique event with you.

Visit www.soulfood.com.au or 6234 7654. This is a Free Community Event and all are welcome.

Sikh Family Camp

Everyone is welcome to attend a Sikh Family Camp on Friday 6 to Saturday 7 October from 8.30am-7.00pm. Registrationis required by 24 September. Registration must be online only.

Special guest facilitators will be Param Kaur and Jasbir Singh Suropada from Melbourne.

The camp will be held at the Gurdwara Nanak Darbar Hobart, 13 McRorie Court, Cambridge Tas 7170.

There will be children’s, youth and parents’ workshops, outdoor games and activities and great fun and learning.

Download a Flyer for this event

Enquiries: 0438 680 193

Dances of Peace Retreat 2024

This is advance notice from Dances of Universal Peace New Zealand about the Dances of Universal Peace retreat to be held at Mana centre January 23 to 28th 2024: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057646329829

International leader Maitreya Jon Stevens will lead the retreat. Many will be familiar with some of Maitreya’s dances such as ‘Almighty Peace’.

A great opportunity ….may the way be open for you to make the journey!

Reporting Prejudice Motivated Violence Information

The project collaborators were the Tasmanian Peace Trust (who provided a grant of $1000), Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch, Faith Communities Network of Tasmania, Migrant Resource Centre, Multicultural Council of Tasmania and the Australian Hate Crime Network.

Members of Tasmania Police also attended the workshop.

The workshop supported the training of new migrants and refugees in understanding what prejudice and prejudice related crimes and incidents are, what the laws in Tasmania are, what the reporting bodies are for criminal and civil incidents and the language to use in reporting incidents so that the report will be taken seriously by authorities.

Prof Asquith explained when to report to Police and when to report to Equal Opportunity Tasmania for the best outcome. Most migrants do not know about reporting hate incidents to Equal Opportunity Tasmania.

Aimen Jafri, Chair of MCoT and Employment Officer of the Migrant Resource Centre, launched a new booklet Our Safe Community outlining the steps to take to report hate incidents.

If you would like a pdf copy of the presentation, the Assisted Reporting Diagram, what to say when reporting prejudice motivated incidents to authorities and a digital copy of the booklet Our Community Safety, please contact Terry. (See end of this post)

Advocates for Faith Communities with Tasmania Police

As a result of the workshop above, Professor Asquith offered to run a training program for those interested in becoming advocates for their communities with Tasmania Police. People interested in supporting members of their communities when reporting incidents of targeted violence are invited to let Terry know. (See end of this post)

Resources about the Referendum on The Voice to Parliament

Nine leaders from key religious peak bodies have come together to sign a Joint Resolution calling on a bipartisan action to support a Referendum on a First Nations Voice. The peak bodies were the Anglican Church of Australia, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Australian National Imams Council, the Australian Sangha Association, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Hindu Council of Australia, the National Council of Churches in Australia, the National Sikh Council of Australia and the Uniting Church in Australia.

⟴ the Uluru Statement of the Heart which calls for the Voice https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/view-the-statement/

⟴ the February 2023 Australian Faith Leaders Statement to Federal Parliament which said, “ This morning, Leaders of Australia’s major religious and ethno-religious organisations have called upon all Federal parliamentarians to support a First Nations’ voice to parliament, called for through the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart.”

⟴ the Yes / No paper which we should have got in our mail from the AEC. This has translations in many languages

⟴ translated resources https://voice.gov.au/community-toolkit/translated-resources

After discussions over some months, the Executive of Religions for Peace Australia is supporting the Yes vote (see our statement ). We wish you or your faith community every success in your deliberations on the matter. If your faith community has made or is making a public statement in support of Yes vote please could you send it to us, and we will happily publicise it on the Religions for Peace website.