History and Achievements

History and Achievements

National Achievements:

In Australia, since 2000, Religions for Peace Australia has:

  • organised with the Victorian Council of Churches the interfaith ceremony celebrating 100 years of the Federation of Australia as a federated, sovereign nation;
  • organised with the Victorian Council of Churches the commemorative service for 9/11 at the Melbourne Tennis Centre attended by 10,000 people;
  • sponsored in association with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs the research study, Religion, Cultural Diversity and Safeguarding Australia, and two companion volumes in Islam in Australia; and Constructing a Local Multifaith Network.
  • Held twice-yearly meetings of Heads of Faith Communities at the NSW Parliament House in Sydney
  • Sponsored interfaith discussions at Shalom College at the University of New South Wales
  • Supported the creation of a Women’s Interfaith Network in Sydney and across Australia

2024:

  • Progressive works on the Multifaith Council of Australia as a national inter-religious council
  • World Interfaith Harmony Day event in Parliament House Canberra: Steps Leading towards Harmony
  • Attendance at ‘Raising Our Tribal Voice’ Conference run by First Nation Christians.
  • Youth Delegate to Asia and Pacific Youth Interfaith Network (APYIN) Youth Peace Camp held in Seoul, Korea
  • Issued Urgent Call for Peace and a Letter of Thanks to Foreign Minister
  • Hosting Scanlon Foundation Talk at AGM: Social Cohesion and Faith Communities
  • Presented at World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy to establish a Trans-National Working Group on Values, faith-based perspectives and global governance
  • Collaborated with Australian Religious Response to Climate Change delivering seminars on divesting from investment in climate-damaging industries and Green Superannuation, Green Banking.
  • Collaboration on Climate Change Programs, Asia Pacific Women of Faith Climate Flagship Project
  • Joined by new observer – Western Australia
  • Meditation and Peacebuilding Forum II: Inner Peace, Outer Peace
  • End the Silence: Interfaith Prayers for Violence Prevention within the home and the community – Australia and New Zealand event
  • UN World Day of Peace – Raising Peace with Faith Communities Event hosted by Religions for Peace, United Religions Initiative, Faith Communities Council of Victoria

2023:

  • In 2023, Religions for Peace Australia adopted a focus on Australia’s First Peoples and Aboriginal spirituality as well as their quest for reconciliation built around the Uluru statement
  • Creation of resource materials, National Referendum on Voice to Parliament
  • Work toward establishment of an Australian Inter-Religious Council (Muiltifaith Council of Australia). Australian Multicultural Foundation and Bishop Huggins provide support.
  • Joining Celebrations of Swami Narayanan organisation (BAPS) in the Sydney Opera House
  • Youth Delegate attends Asia and the Pacific Youth Interfaith Network (APYIN) Youth Peace Camp
  • South Australia joins Emergency Services or Disaster and Recovery Chaplaincy
  • Conduct of Prayers and Meditations on Hiroshima Day
  • Collaboration with Australian Sangha Association (ASA) and Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils (FABC) on Visas for Monastics
  • Girmit Celebration of the Fijian Indian community (Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist) hosted by Canberra Interfaith Forum
  • Tasmania Branch delivers online event, The importance of allyship in responding to targeted violence and discrimination.
  • Participation in Raising Peace 2023 festival, provision of A Multifaith Meditation on Peace
  • Delivery of Forum on Religion, Peace and the Moral Issues of Fully Autonomous Weapons
  • Launch of the Northern Territory Branch of Religions for Peace Australia, Parliament House, Darwin
  • Queensland Faith Communities Council holds Multifaith Prayer Service, Parliament House, Brisbane
  • South Australia conducts Interfaith Service of Healing Prayers for a Wounded World
  • Tasmania Branch collaborates and conducts sessions Family Violence in collaboration with Tasmania Police and the Dept of Home Affairs
  • Faith Communities Council of Victoria joins as Victorian affiliate

2022:

  • World Interfaith Harmony Address, Online, Professor Douglas Ezzy, University of Tasmania, Religious freedom, discrimination, and living well together.
  • Members deliver sessions, Ninth Asian Assembly of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace
  • Youth Delegate participates in Youth Forum, Ninth Asian Assembly of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace
  • Election of President, Religions for Peace Australia as Moderator, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace
  • National Prayer Service, UN Day of Tolerance
  • Queensland Faith Communities’ Council joins national meetings, holds multifaith prayer service at the Queensland Parliament House
  • Observer from Western Australia continues to participation in National Meetings.
  • NSW Branch meets at Parliament House, Sydney, on a quarterly basis
  • Interfaith Symposium: Faith, Social Cohesion and Community Resilience with Affinity Intercultural Foundation and Macquarie University
  • South Australia Affiliate addressing climate change, promotes the statement on Sacred People, Sacred Earth
  • South Australia Affiliate participates in a roundtable discussion on the National Religious Discrimination Bill
  • Tasmania Branch holds Protecting Our Places of Worship at the Hobart synagogue
  • Tasmania Branch collaborates with Police on development of training package addressing Hate Speech and Racism
  • Religions for Peace Australia – in collaboration with Safe Ground, Australian Quakers, United Religions Initiative, Pax Christi, the Multifaith Association of South Australia and the Canberra Interfaith Forum join online seminar on Killer Robots
  • Victoria Branch joins Anglican Bishops event, Set Them Free Initiative, release of detainees from detention centres
  • Participation of Faith Communities Council of Victoria in meetings
  • Hosting National Multifaith discussion: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

2021:

  • World Interfaith Harmony Address, Parliament House Canberra, Senator Patrick Dodson, Interface of Aboriginal spiritualities with Christian spiritualities
  • First National Interfaith Prayer Day held online
  • Sudden closure of Griffith University’s Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and Culture – the Queensland Affilate
  • Participation in Asian Religious Communities in Action: Moving towards an Inclusive, Healthy, Prosperous, Peaceful Asia.
  • Sacred People, Sacred Earth celebration in collaboration with Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
  • Continued delivery of Living the Change series on sustainable living
  • Video: Religion, Spirituality and Mental Health in a time of Covid-19
  • Video: Racism in times of Covid-19
  • Particpation in Faith for Nature, jointly sponsored by the United Nations Environment Program
  • Participation in Multi-Religious Response to COVID-19 and Shared Well-Being, China Committee of Religions for Peace on Solidarity and Co-operation
  • Participation and contributions to Women, Faith and Diplomacy, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace
  • Annual General Meeting Talk: Indigenous Reconciliation and Faith: Walk Alongside to Build Religious Inclusivity and Acceptance
  • Collaboration with Pax Christi forum, Truth Telling in Australia
  • National Forum: Prayers for a time of Community Challenges
  • Presentation: Multifaith and Interfaith History of Australia
  • Observer from Western Australia joins meetings.
  • Activity proceeds to form Northern Territory Branch
  • NSW Event, Parliament House, Aboriginal deaths in custody
  • Continued Particpation in Victoria Police Multifaith Council after restructuring
  • Tasmania Branch assists Australian Compassion Council to declare Hobart as a Compassionate City
  • Tasmania Branch collaborates sessions, Leading Faith Communities in Difficult Times.
  • Victoria Branch contributes to social cohesion consultation held by the Australian Minister for Migrant and Multicultural Services
  • Canberra Interfaith Forum celebrates tenth anniversary of the establishment of its Environmental Garden on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin
  • Canberra Interfaith Forum conducts seminar, The common basis of all faiths and their relevance to current global challenges
  • UN World Day of Tolerance 2021 – online national prayer event

2020:

  • Annual UN Harmony Week Address in collaboration with the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, on the interfaith attitudes and initiatives of Pope John Paul II
  • Australia-wide commemoration of Christchurch shootings overrun by Covid Pandemic and cancelled
  • Relations with Prime Minister and National Cabinet for alleviating the plight of international students and temporary visaed workers such as seasonal workers from Pacific Island countries
  • Bring Faith Leaders together with Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship and the Victorian Multicultural Commission re pandemic welfare for non-Christian faiths
  • Queensland Affiliate conducts consciousness and coordination processes to address the pandemic crisis
  • Submission to Senate Select Committee Inquiry into COVID-19
  • Queensland Affiliate leads G20 Interfaith Summit Forum, Tokyo
  • Multifaith Chaplaincy Project establishes website Multifaith Chaplaincy Australia
  • Multifaith Prayers – International Nurses Day 2020
  • Delivery of Living the Change seminars in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
  • Participation in World Assembly of Religions for Peace held in Lindau, Germany
  • Participation of Youth Delegate in Strategic Vision for Religions for Peace, Building and Equipping Interreligious Councils for Action, New York.
  • Endorsement of the Uluru Statement from the Heart
  • Particpation and contribution to International Seminar by China Committee on Religions and Peace and entitled Interfaith Exchanges and Shared Future for Humanity
  • Liasion with UNESCO Chair in Bioethics; weekly seminar on health aspects of the Covid Pandemic
  • Queensland Affiliate participates in Baku International Youth Forum, in Jakarta (Towards United Human Values) , in London (KAICIID Youth Programme), Vienna (Religious Responses to COVID-19)
  • Sponsorship of session on Interfaith and the Multicultural Agenda at the Hobart FECCA conference
  • Delivery of multifaith sessions at Advancing Community Cohesion Conference, University of Western Sydney

2019:

  • Annual General Meeting commences with response to Christchurch Mosque shootings (by an Australian)
  • World Interfaith Harmony Address, Parliament House Canberra, Rabbi Morris Feldman
  • Annual Lecture: Right to religious freedom, and its legal complexities in the Australian judicial system by former President, Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Linking with Greenfaith and Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
  • Delivery of Living the Change seminars on sustainable living
  • Symposium in China, Religion and Ecological Civilization
  • Leadership of G20 Interfaith in Buenos Aires by Queensland Affiliate
  • Consultations for the World Assembly of Religions for Peace held in Yangon in Myanmar
  • Bangladesh Symposium, The Role of Religious Leaders in the Creation of Peace, Social Cohesion and Religious Dialogue in the Context of 21st Century Asia.
  • Collaboration toward establishment of a state chapter in Western Australia
  • Queensland Affiliate delivers interfaith fora, Who is My God?
  • Tasmania Branch conducts a research project on interfaith activity in Tasmania
  • Canberra Interfaith Forum conducts Multicultural Community Forum to celebrate Family Week

2018:

  • World Interfaith Harmony Address, Parliament House Canberra, Religion and the outcomes of 2016 Census
  • Annual Lecture: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, in collaboration with Melbourne University Chaplaincy
  • Partnership with Australian Religious Response to Climate Change – Sustainable Living Series
  • Creation of new website, Multifaith Education Australia
  • Audit of multifaith activity across Australia
  • Canberra Interfaith Forum seminar on tolerance on the World Day of Peace
  • Session on religion and multiculturalism at FECCA Conference, Darwin
  • Multifaith Association of South Australia seminar Dying and the Different Faiths
  • Tasmania Branch produces booklet, Diverse Faiths of Tasmania

2017:

  • World Interfaith Harmony Lecture, Parliament House Canberra, Government, Leaders and Faith in Australian Politics
  • Annual Lecture: Trial induction program for newly arrived clergy and religious personnel, Monash University
  • Launch of Religion, Spirituality and the Refugee Experience, Australian Human Rights Commission, Melbourne University
  • Provision of review of Chaplaincy and Specialist Spiritual Care in MultiFaith Victoria: A Preliminary Review
  • Assistance and Guidance: Transtioning to a Multifaith Chaplaincy, Australian Army and Australian Multicultural Foundation
  • Annual Address at AGM: Love, Faith and Memory – Indifference and Hatred
  • Participation, Journey for Recognition, Tasmania
  • Development of Faith Communities Council of Queensland
  • Participation, Humanity at the Crossroad event at the Baha’i Centre, South Australia

2016:

  • Keynote Lecture: The Challenge of Compassion in a Global Age, Bendigo Interfaith Council
  • Sponsored the Grand Mufti of Australia at Parliament House in Canberra, for World Interfaith Harmony Lecture
  • Collaborated with Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations conducting a forum at Parliament House in Sydney
  • Sponsorship of Youth Representative from the Hindu tradition at an international RfP youth forum in Paris
  • Conduct of Forum, Providing Culturally Sensitive Palliative Care in Sydney
  • Interactive workshop at the Great Synagogue in Sydney to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Vatican II interfaith declaration, Nostra Aetate
  • Support/Participation in Dine with You, for the UN Interfaith Week, an outdoor interfaith dinner
  • Research study of interfaith chaplaincy in schools, universities, hospitals, prisons commenced
  • Six three-hour briefing sessions for religious instructors from the Baha’I, Buddhist, Greek Orthodox, Hindu and Sikh traditions on changes to delivery of Special Religious Instruction; collaboration with Victorian Government
  • Annual Lecture, Human Existence, Religions and the Digital World, with Melbourne University Chaplaincy
  • Delivery of Religious and Cultural Diversity Training – with Queensland Government
  • Multifaith/multicultural strategy in countering violent extremism – Queensland
  • Seminars on Humanity at the Crossroads: How Spiritual Leadership Can Affect Climate Change, University of South Australia
  • Forum at Parliament House, Hobart: Reflections on Peacebuilding: Achievements and Challenges

2015:

  • Staging of the inaugural UN World Interfaith Harmony Week Address in the national Parliament House in Canberra: Associate Professor Nasir Butrous speaks on Ethnicity, Religions and Harmony: Exploring Christian Muslim Relations in Iraq Today.
  • Support and Collaboration: G20 Interfaith Summit (Surfers Paradise) with Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue at Griffith University
  • Organisational Support for G20 Interfaith Summits at Istanbul (2015) and China (2016)
  • Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue at Griffith University invited to affiliate
  • Delivery of Workshops on Special Religious Education for Baha’i, Buddhist, Greek Orthodox, Hindu and Sikh communities
  • Support for the World Interfaith Harmony Week event at Parliament House, Melbourne
  • Annual Address: Ethnicity, Religions and Harmony: Exploring Christian Muslim Relations in Iraq Today with Monash University Chaplaincy
  • Symposium Religious Freedom and Tolerance in the 21st Century in collaboration with Centre for Global Research at RMIT University
  • Supported Pathways initiative – teaching religion in secondary schools
  • Delivery of Annual Human Rights Week event at the University of Tasmania
  • Sponsorship of Dialogue: Uniting Church and the Muslim Women’s Association

2014:

  • Interfaith Harmony Address, Multifaith Australia – Reimagining Our Common Future
  • Participation in the Interfaith Roundtable sponsored by the Australian Multicultural Council
  • Participation in the World Assembly of Religions for Peace International in Vienna
  • Organisation and Participation, Eighth Assembly of Religions for Peace Asia, South Korea
  • Arrangements for Chaplaincy Services, World AIDS Conference, Melbourne
  • The Diversity of Jewish Religious Groups and their Settlement in Australia – presentation at Temple Beth Israel
  • Annual General Meeting held at Australian Centre for Christianity and Spirituality, Canberra
  • Organisational Response to Public Liability and the Child Sexual Abuse Parliamentary Inquiries in multiple religions and Special Religious Education
  • Creation of repository of educational materials for use in schools’ religious and multifaith classes
  • Symposium Religious Freedom and Respect for the Sacred in collaboration with the Interfaith Centre of Melbourne
  • Delivery of Interfaith Harmony Lecture: Multifaith Australia – Reimagining our Common Future
  • Proposed establishment of the Interfaith Anzac Centenary Commemoration
  • Participation with Australian Partnership of Religious Organizations on Racial Discrimination and Religious Diversity issues
  • Delivery of Weekend Retreat on Multifaith Australia with religious leaders – collaboration with Brahma Kumaris

2013:

  • Dissemination of Religion results in the 2011 Census – Australia’s Religious Profile;
  • Affiliation of Canberra Interfaith Forum
  • Sponsorship of Diversity Education, Pathways of Mind and Spirit
  • Participation in a forum at Melbourne University on “Religion in Universities”
  • Participation in the Agitation Hill lectures on Challenges in Multifaith Australia
  • Participation in Victorian Government Inquiry, Child Sexual Abuse within Religious Groups
  • Endorsement and support for Australian Human Rights Commission program, “Racism: It Stops with Me”
  • Josie Lacey, OAM. – chair of Religions for Peace New South Wales, was presented with a Lifetime Community Service Award by the NSW Premier, Honourable Barry O’Farrell.

2012:

  • Collaboration with REENA: Religious Education in Australian Schools and the RI Secretariat
  • Responsibility for accrediting the Baha’i, Buddhist, Greek Orthodox, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh volunteer religious instructors/li>
  • Sponsorship for a young member to attend the youth forum of the ASEM (Asian-European Summit Meeting)
  • Tasmanian Branch Sponsorship of an interfaith seminar to commemorate Human Rights Week
  • Support for Multifaith Association of South Australia: Annual Interfaith Symposium
  • Establishment of links and collaboration with Canberra Interfaith Forum
  • Keynote address at the National Social Cohesion Conference – sponsored by the Affinity Foundation – From 9/11 to Breivik: Responding Nationally and Transnationally to the Challenges of Diversity and Social Cohesion.

2011:

  • Commemoration of 9/11
  • Commemoration of Bali Bombings
  • Observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week
  • Assistance to the Buddhist Community to stage “Meditations Matters” at Melbourne University
  • Refurbishment and Inception of New Constitution
  • Establishment of Branches in States and Territories
  • Establishment of Religions for Peace Australia Website
  • Proposed Consortium for Regional Interfaith Website
  • Walking Humbly Journey in Tasmania – Five Stages

2010:

  • Membership, Victoria Police Multifaith Advisory Council;
  • Collboration with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – Regional Interfaith Website
  • Formation of Parliamentary Friends of Interfaith
  • Launch of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Freedom of Religion in 21st Century Australia report
  • Sponsorship of Conference on Religious Education in Australia and Curriculum Development
  • Bilateral Agreement with the Chinese Committee of Religions for Peace
  • Launch of World Interfaith Harmony Week

2009:

  • Support and collaboration for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Melbourne, 2009;
  • Participation in Board Meetings, Council of a Parliament of the World’s Religions, Melbourne, 2009
  • Participation in the Regional Assembly of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace in Manila
  • Hosting the Chinese Committee of Religions for Peace, Melbourne
  • Acceptance of commission by the Australian Human Rights Commission to examine the freedom of religion and the freedom of belief in Australia

2008:

  • Foundation collaboration and support for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Melbourne, 2009;
  • 3 hour gatherings of faith leaders at the NSW Parliament House
  • Support for Sikh Chaplain, Commonwealth Games
  • Membership of APRO (Australian Partnership of Religious Organizations)

International Achievements:

At the international level, the achievements of Religions for Peace have been:

  • to have helped broker a peace treaty in Sierra Leone since the late 1990s
  • to have worked for peace in the Balkans since 1998
  • to have sponsored an international network of religious women’s organisations
  • to have established a program to help millions of Africa’s children affected by AIDS in the initiative of the Hope for African Children
  • to bring together every five years several thousand religious and interfaith leaders to discuss global issues, the last being the World Assembly in Kyoto in August 2006
  • to have formed interreligious councils
  • to have built a new climate of reconciliation in Iraq since 2003
Religions for Peace Australia
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