The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force on Friday, 22 January. Pope Francis’ words at Hiroshima, which defined even the possession of nuclear weapons as immoral, is the latest act of a long teaching spanning the twentieth century up to the present day.
News
Volunteering: Resilience, Relief and Recovery
Volunteering Australia has made a pre-budget submission to the Federal Government, giving the report on research into volunteering in Australia and the impact of Covid-19 on volunteering. The submission makes several recommendations to the Federal Government, which is acting in train to establish a national resilience and recovery entity in the light of the Bushfire Royal Commission’s recommendations.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
You are cordially invited to join us for the first Australia-wide commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January at 7pm. Join the Jewish Communities and Museums of Australia to heed the action to shine our own ‘light’ on intolerance and injustices that continue to prevail.
Brahma Kumaris: Invocations for 2021
Brahma Kumaris (Australia) invite you to Open your eyes to the Youniverse! is with Bishop Philip Huggins and Charlie Hogg speaking onInvocations 2021, Saturday 23 January 2021 at 6:00pm – 7:30pm (AEDT).
Entry-Into-Force: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
In October 2020, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons acquired its 50th ratification, triggering its entry into force 90 days later. This entry into force occurs on Friday the 22nd of January, 2021. That is the day nuclear weapons will be illegal under international law!
Brisbane: World Interfaith Harmony Week Observance
There will be an observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week on Sunday February 7 2020 at 2pm at the Brisbane Bahá’í Centre of Learning. The theme of the observance is Crisis and Victory: How crisis brought us together and focuses on how the COVID-19 pandemic has helped us develop new capacities to build community resilience and promote social cohesion
United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week
United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week is held each year in the first week of February. This year, the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week commences on Monday, 1st February 2021 and will end on on Sunday 7th February 2021.
Designation of Uyghur Muslims’ Treatment in China as Genocide
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) applauds the U.S. Department of State for designating China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as genocide and crimes against humanity.
7th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs
The 7th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs, entitled “2021: A Defining Year for Accelerating Gender Equality, Equity and Justice” will be held virtually 8:00 -12:30 pm EST/New York on, Tuesday 26th January 2021.
WCC Faith and Order Commission publishes two volumes on moral discernment
Current tensions within and between churches are often the result of disagreements over moral issues. Churches thus face challenges to preserve unity and meet obstacles to restore unity. Seeing the urgency of the matter, the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) Faith and Order Commission took up the task to assist the churches in finding a way to deepen mutual understanding leading to dialogue. Its study group on moral discernment presents two publications.
Halki Summit IV – COVID-19 and Climate Change: Living with and Learning from a Pandemic
Halki Summit IV, this year in the format of a series of webinars, will explore the theme “COVID-19 and Climate Change: Living With and Learning from a Pandemic.”
The series, which will be presented 26-28 January, will feature a presentation by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon, along with theologians, scientists, and environmentalists who will serve as panelists and respond to live questions from the audience.
The summit is named for the island of Halki, or Heybeliada, on which the first such gathering was originally convened. The summit assembles focused groups from diverse religious and social, as well as civil and corporate sectors, including eminent theologians and speakers from across the ecumenical spectrum.
Online celebration – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
World Council of Churches (WCC) interim general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca is inviting the global ecumenical family and friends to join the WCC for a livestreamed public prayer service on 25 January, the final day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
