The 2009 Parliament: Pre-Parliament Events – Religions for Peace Australia

Melbourne Parliament of Religions Logo
In 2008, the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions invited cities around the world to join in the movement building up to the Parliament of the World’s Religions held in Melbourne, Australia from December 3 – 9, 2009. In the 18 months leading up to the 2009 Parliament over 90 regional interfaith celebrations were held in more than 60 cities around the world.

Symposia, lectures, arts and cultural programs, formal teas, prayer services, peace walks, and educational programs were among the many types of events organized. Below, we give you one example of a Pre-Parliament Event held in Melbourne prior to the Parliament commencing in December.

Pre-Parliament Events: Melbourne, Australia

Sharing Wisdom from Faith Traditions
An official Pre-Parliament event for the Parliament of World Religions to be held in Melbourne in December 2009

A series of seminars as a lead-up to the Parliament. The series is designed to help us learn about some of the major world religions. Each evening will have some personal sharing from a speaker, plus music, art and food appropriate to that tradition. Sessions will take place in the church from 7.30 to 9.30pm.

Judaism ~ 17 June, 2009

Melanie Landau is a lecturer at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University and involved in community education and spiritual direction.

Christianity ~ 15 July, 2009
Bishop Phillip Huggins
Philip Huggins is the Anglican Bishop for Northern and Western Melbourne. He has wide experience of multi-faith and cross cultural ministry and a deep interest in spirituality as an approach to tackling global issues.

Indigenous Australian ~ 19 August, 2009
Vicki Clarke
Vicki Clark is a Mutthi Mutthi woman from Lake Mungo in NSW. Since 1990 she has been the Coordinator of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in Victoria.

Buddhist ~ 16 September 2009

Rev Chi Kwang Sunim is the Spiritual advisor of ‘The Seon Centre’ in Kinglake in Victoria, a centre for Korean Zen Buddhism. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun (Bhikshuni) in South Korea and returned to Australia in 1998.

Islam ~ 14 October 2009

Professor Ismail Albayrak holds the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic Relations in the Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue at the Australian Catholic University.

Hinduism ~ 18 November 2009

Brni Nivedita Chaitanya lives at the Templestowe Ashram of the Chinmaya Mission Australia. She is deeply committed to interfaith dialogue, and is currently the secretary of MIN (Manningham Interfaith Network). She has been a Hindu Nun since 1998.

Download a Flyer for the Pre-Parliament Events

Location for Pre-Parliament Events: East Melbourne, Australia

Location: Holy Trinity Anglican Church, corner of Hotham and Clarendon Streets, East Melbourne, Commencing at 7.30pm – Admission free.

Sikh contingent from the UK at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions — Sikh contingent from the UK at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World’s Religions

A sand mandala takes shape under the careful hands of Buddhist monks at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions — A sand mandala takes shape under the skilful hands of Buddhist monks at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World’s Religions

Evening Plenary with Youth at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions — Evening Plenary with Youth at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World’s Religions

JP Vaswani at the Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders of the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions — JP Vaswani – non-sectarian leader – at the Hindu Convocation of the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World’s Religions

The Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders of the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World's Religions — The Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders at the 2009 Melbourne Parliament of the World’s Religions

Protect the Only Earth We Have - last event of the Melbourne Parliament of Religions, 2009 — Protect the Only Earth We Have – the last event of the Melbourne Parliament of Religions, 2009

2009 Melbourne Parliament Logo and literature © Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions; Images courtesy Parliament Photographer Ray Messner, Flickr