Tasmania, February 2018

Tasmania Logo

Greetings of peace!

UN World Interfaith Harmony Week occurs this week. We hope that you can come and celebrate it with us!

As part of honouring the week, Religions for Peace Tas and the Multicultural Council of Tasmania have combined resources to bring a young couple from Melbourne to share their experience and their expertise with us. Nivy Balachandran, Regional Coordinator of United Religions Initiative and Executive Member of Religions for Peace Australia, is a recognised young leader of interfaith and intercultural affairs and works in the area of conflict transformation and cross cultural communication. She will be joined by her husband, Tal Meretz. Nivy belongs to the Hindu faith and her husband is from the Jewish faith tradition.


Greetings of peace!

Getting down to business! Nivy will be speaking as part of the Community Afternoon during the Climate Conference Imagining a Different Future: overcoming barriers to climate justice https://www.climatejustice.network/
Thea Ormerod from Sydney, the Chair of Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, also a speaker at the Climate Conference, and Nivy will share a discussion with us entitled: Faith-based Climate Action: What has been effective?
Date: Friday 9 February 2018, 7.30-9.00pm
Venue: Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd., New Town.
Enquiries: Terry 6272 6521.

While here, Nivy will be speaking as part of the Community Afternoon during the Conference Imagining a Different Future: overcoming barriers to climate justice https://www.climatejustice.network/
Community Afternoon Date: Saturday 10 February 2018, Nivy will be speaking during the session from 2.15-3.45pm.
Venue: UTAS Medical Science Precinct, 17 Liverpool St, Hobart.
Session Title:Reaching Out – ways to connect that work. How can we increase the voices that support climate change action?’
Entry is free to the Community Afternoon, but interested people are requested to register through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/climate-justice-community-event-tickets-42181753761 Spaces are very limited.

The official Conference is an international one and many experts in the field from many countries will be keynote speakers. The inspiring full program can be found at: https://www.climatejustice.network/

In addition, the following two events will honour UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2018:

Negotiating Confrontation

Date: Saturday 10 February 2018 7.00-8.30pm
Venue: Multicultural Hub, 65 Hopkins St, Moonah
Title: Negotiating Confrontation
Download a Flyer for this event
Facilitator: Nivy Balachandran will be joined by her husband, Tal Meretz. Both are founding members of Interaction, the youth branch of Religions for Peace Australia. They are lively, entertaining and knowledgeable in practical ways of communicating across ‘barriers’.

Sacred Listening is the Basis of Interfaith Harmony

Date: Sunday 11 February 2018, 3.00-4.30pm
Venue: UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay
Title: Sacred Listening is the Basis of Interfaith Harmony
Download a Flyer for this event
Facilitator: Nivy Balachandran will be joined by her husband, Tal Meretz. Both are founding members of Interaction, the youth branch of Religions for Peace Australia.

Religions for Peace Australia (Tas Branch) gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania towards Nivy and Tal’s fares and accommodation.

If you have any enquiries, the best way to contact me is to ring me, Terry Sussmilch, on 6272 6521.

We hope that 2018 is a year full of peace for you all, individually and collectively!

Holy Days of February

8 February Nirvana Day (Buddhism)
14 February Ash Wednesday, Lent begins (Christianity)
14 February Mahashivratri (Hinduism)
16 February Chinese New Year (Buddhism)

 

Peace Boat visiting Hobart

The Japanese and Australian Governments have not yet signed the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, claiming instead to be protected by the nuclear weapons of the United States. In both nations, powerful civil society movements are demanding their leaders reject these weapons of mass destruction and abide by the new international legal norm.

The people of Japan and Australia have experienced the impacts of the nuclear fuel chain, from the tragic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to nuclear testing on Aboriginal land in Western and South Australia, uranium mining and radioactive contamination following the Fukushima reactor melt-down.

Making Waves is a speaking tour featuring nuclear survivors from Japan and Australia, travelling aboard Peace Boat’s voyage to Australia from 24 January – 6 February 2018.

Public events, meetings and media opportunities will take place in five cities. The Tour is a collaboration between Peace Boat and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, in connection with local organisations in each city. International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Hobart Event: Friday 2 February 12:30-2pm
Location: Parliament Lawns, Salamanca Place. In the event of wet weather, the event will be moved into Parliament House.
Free event. Register here.

The Sacred Art of Gardening:

A new program entitled The Sacred Art of Gardening will be facilitated by Kris Schaffer, Aboriginal Horticulturalist and Artist.

The ongoing monthly program will start on 3rd February 2018 from 10am-3pm.

Venue: 94 Morphetts Rd, Neika
Enquiries to Kris on 0421042135.

Feel welcome to join in and enjoy the experience of being in Kris’ magical garden.

Soul Food


Date: Sunday 4th February, 3 pm to 4pm
Venue: Baha’i Centre of Learning, 1 Tasman Highway, Hobart.

This month’s program, Sweet fragrance of Friendship, aims to develop the theme of friendship as a foundation for the unity of humankind. The music for this program will be by Toby Stratton, pianist playing jazz and popular genres.

As always we do our best to provide a thought provoking relaxing pleasant program for all, so please join us at the Baha’i Centre of Learning, 1 Brooker Ave, Hobart. Refreshments served. For more information call Val 0404 080 768.

Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre:

Tuesday evening meditation resumes for 2018

Our regular Tuesday evening meditation and teaching sessions start again on 6 February.
Subject: The Six Paramitas or Perfections: a teaching of Mahayana Buddhism

“The practice of the paramitas can be a practice of our daily lives. We are on the shore of suffering, anger and depression and we want to cross over to the shore of well-being. To cross over we have to do something and that is called paramita,” says Thich Nhat Hanh.

Over two weeks we will look at the Six Paramitas, three in the first week and the other three in the second.

The Six are:
Generosity, Wholesome relationship, Patience, Energy, Meditation, and Wisdom
They act as guidelines for our lives.

About Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
Meditation and Discussion 7.30-9 pm, every Tuesday. Entry by $5 suggested donation.
73 Liverpool St [Goulds building, down the laneway to the right of the building,
in the door between the bamboo pots and up the stairs to the 2nd floor]
email info@hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
website www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com

Muslims Like Us

Muslims make up less than three per cent of the Australian population, yet dominate the news headlines and are often misunderstood. 10 Australian Muslims live together for eight days in social experiment, Muslims Like Us, will be aired on SBS on Demand over two nights—8.30pm, February 21 & 22.

 


 

Dancers of Universal Peace:

Attached is the flyer for Anahata’s dance weekend in Hobart in February.

Dates: Friday 23rd Feb 2018 7pm, Sat – Sun 24th – 25th Feb 9.45am – 5.30pm
Venue: Multicultural Hub 65 Hopkins Street, Moonah
Friday evening only: $20
Full weekend: $180,
DOUP Member: $165
Early Bird $20 discount if paid in full by 9th Feb 2018
Registrations and enquiries: contact Nicola 0400051963 nicola.amina@gmail.com or Karuna 03 6239 1047

You can find more information about Anahata on http://www.traveling-light.net/ and about the Dances of Universal Peace on www.dancesofuniversalpeaceaustralia.org

Joining together in Dance and Song with sacred phrases from many traditions, we create a space where feelings of unity, love and grace can arise: We feel the Touch of Spirit on the Body, a Weekend of Dances of Universal Peace with Anahata Iradah. Anahata is a wonderful international dance teacher. I hope you will be able to join us for a wonderful weekend.

Sacred Conversations

Sacred Conversations. Sacred listening. Sacred speaking.. Sacred silence.
Join us for interfaith dialogue, prayer, meditation, music and more. You will be most welcome.
Enquiries to Julian on 0401 673 016

Tashi Choling Dharma Foundation:

Doko-san, the Abbot of Doch-an Zen temple in Byron Bay, will return to Dorje Ling for an eight day Zen Sesshin from 16-24 March. Doko-san’s way of teaching the Dharma is precise and embedded with warmth, wisdom and humour.

If you are interested in participating in this unique opportunity, please contact Maddy on 0408 257 751 or Justine on 0401 788 820. The cost is $650.00

TCC Emergencies Ministry Training:

Alphacrucis College (AC) 45 Melville St, Hobart is offering some chaplaincy and pastoral care courses this year. For more information please contact Ps Dan Pastoor on dan.pastoor@ac.edu.au or 6231 5889.

Spiritual Care Australia:

Can you prove it? Research and Spiritual Care

Does spiritual care make any difference?
Why do we need spiritual care?
What value does spiritual care add?
Can we provide an evidence base for spiritual care without losing its essence?
Make plans now to attend a pre-conference intensive workshop on research and spiritual care that will help you answer questions like these!

Offered by Spiritual Health Victoria, Meaningful Ageing Australia and Stirling Theological College – University of Divinity.

Sunday, 6 May 2018 (9am – 4pm).

King Room, Crowne Plaza, Newcastle.

If you have ever struggled to answer questions like the ones above, then this research intensive is for you. The day will focus on enabling you to understand the importance of research for developing more effective and evidence-informed practice, for teaching and community education, and in formation and training. You will gain practical skills in understanding and initiating research and hear stories from practitioners who have already embarked on the research journey.

Speakers will include:

Dr Heather Tan, Manager Education and Research, Spiritual Health Victoria.
Dr Alan Niven, Director of Research and Professional Development, Stirling Theological College – University of Divinity.
Practitioners actively engaging in research.
Registration details:

You may register on the SCA website along with your SCA Conference registration when registration opens at the end of January. It will be possible to register for only the intensive if so desired.

Places are limited so register early.

Cost of $80 (incl GST) includes access to all slides and keynote speeches, morning tea/coffee and lunch.

Spiritual Care Australia Conference in Newcastle, NSW
Mark your calendar for next year’s SCA Conference being held in Newcastle, in the beautiful Hunter Valley of NSW 6-9 May 2018.

With the theme “Towards New Horizons,” we in the Hunter branch of SCA are planning a conference that will speak to your spirit and to the practicalities of providing spiritual care in the 21st century.

In today’s society, people engage with religion and spirituality in traditional, new and diverse ways. Spiritual care is evolving too, exploring new horizons to meet contemporary needs.

In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
Vice Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
Phone 6272 6521


Religions for Peace Tasmania

Religions for Peace Tasmania