The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative is conducting an online conference. The IRI Colombia 2020 National Conference, where national and global experts will discuss the vital importance of the Amazon rainforest and the work that IRI Colombia – Iniciativa Interreligiosa Para Los Bosques Tropicales is doing to mobilize action across the country to protect forests and the rights of indigenous peoples. Online on 3 December 2020. All interested persons are invited.
News
Covid: What Happens When Summer Heatwaves Strike?
If the predictions are true and this summer proves to be extraordinarily hot, more people than ever before will be working from heated-up homes instead of air-conditioned office buildings.
It is crucial to develop concrete ideas for how the urban population can safely navigate the summer.
The long-term goal for livable cities in line with SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) must be green-blue infrastructure, which not only benefits climate change adaptation and mitigation (SDG 13) but also gives us space for leisure and recreation, and ultimately contributes to human health and well-being (SDG 3).
STORIES BEYOND COVID – Celebration of life
The Islamic Council of Victoria will conduct a Video Festival from February 15-21, in 2021. Diverse communities across Victoria are invited to share their experiences of Covid-19 and the unique ways of coping taken up. Video submissions are invited before 31 December 2020.
Online prayer service on World AIDS Day
The World Council of Churches will host an online prayer service on World AIDS Day, observed this year on 1 December. The Prayer Service is available for download and reading during the livestreaming.
The Dalai Lama on Surviving the Climate Crisis Together
For the sake of future generations, the Dalai Lama tells journalist and activist Franz Alt, we must develop a sense of universal responsibility — for the earth and all humanity. Working together as one is the only way we’ll survive the climate crisis.
faithSAFE
Family Violence and Violence Against Women is a major social and human rights issue in our society. In Australia, one in three women will experience some type of intimate partner abuse at some stage in their life. Family Violence has an enormous impact on women and their children, eroding their mental, physical, emotional and financial well being.
Preventing and responding to family violence requires action from all sectors of our society – including faith communities. In particular, faith leaders can play an important role in raising awareness and emphasising equality and respect toward women.
faithSAFE is an online resource designed to assist faith communities in taking a primary prevention approach to the issue of family violence and violence against women.
Overview: Faith Communities Supporting Healthy Family Relationships
‘Faith Communities Supporting Healthy Family Relationships‘ is a Participatory Action Research project established by the Multifaith Advisory Group based on recommendations 163 and 165 of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. It is funded by Multicultural Affairs within the Department of Premier and Cabinet and is being implemented in partnership between University of Melbourne and the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health.
2020 Narrm Oration
The University of Melbourne presents the 2020 Narrm Oration by Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher on the topic of Our Country, Our Way: How Indigenous people and knowledge can save Australia’s environmental and social unravelling. The Oration will be delivered online on Thursday 26 November 2020, at 6PM.
Sikh community celebrates first anniversary of the installation of ‘Ik Onkar’ sculpture in Victoria
Members of the Sikh community gathered in a small town in regional Victoria on Sunday to mark the completion of one year since the historic installation of the ‘Ik Onkar’ sculpture in a public space in Australia. The sculpture was installed in November 2019 to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. The sculpture was made to order by artist Iqbal Singh Gill from Punjab in India.
2020 Australian Refugee Association Oration: The Future is Intercultural
The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre (UniSA) and Australian Refugee Association (ARA) present the 2020 Oration, The Future is Intercultural. This oration will examine Australian capacity to interact across all cultures in a post-pandemic world. Intercultural competence will be explored in the Oration.
Human Rights Week 2020
In 2020 Human Rights Week will be a virtual program of human rights related events and activities, beginning on Thursday 3 December and ending on Thursday 10 December – International Human Rights Day.
Anyone can participate in Human Rights Week.
During this week, organisations, community groups and individuals across Victoria may host a virtual morning tea or lunch for their staff, a picnic in a park, others might have a film screening or invite a guest speaker, and some could host a workshop or training session to help their staff build their understanding of human rights.
The theme for Human Rights Week 2020 is ‘Rights in recovery’.
Cooler Earth – Higher Benefits
Celebrating International Children’s Day, the World Council of Churches has released a research paper “Cooler Earth – Higher Benefits: Actions by those who care about children, climate and finance.” The publication gives suggestions of how churches and other organisations around the world can respond to the climate emergency through investment decisions which are crucial to protect children from global warming.
