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Friday, 25 November 2011                       
STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE MULTIFAITH ADVISORY GROUP IN RECOGNITION OF WHITE RIBBON DAY:

FAITH COMMUNITIES CONDEMN VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
On behalf of Victoria’s faith communities, we, the members of the Multifaith Advisory Group (MAG), join together on White Ribbon Day to voice our support for women affected by violence and to unequivocally denounce such violence.

Violence against women is a sad reality in the Victorian and Australian community, lurking in the shadows and impacting on those of all ages, faiths, ethnicities, education levels and socio-economic statuses.

On 1 January 2011, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he wished to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the historic meeting that took place in Assisi on 27 October 1986, at the wish of Blessed Pope John Paul II. On the day of the anniversary, 27 October this year, the Holy Father held a Day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world, making a pilgrimage to the home of Saint Francis and inviting fellow Christians from different denominations, representatives of the world’s religious traditions and, in some sense, all men and women of good will, to join him once again on this journey.

International Year of Forests: “Giving Shelter, Sustaining life” was the theme for this year’s Annual Gathering of the Interfaith Network – City of Greater Dandenong.   At the Annual Gathering, faith and community leaders gather to renew their commitment to work together in promoting peace and harmony in the City of Greater Dandenong. This is a unique ceremony where the faith and spiritual diversity of the City of Greater Dandenong is celebrated.

The 'A Different Point of View' forum was held on Thursday 27 October at Swinburne College, Swinburne University. The theme of mental health and wellbeing from diverse cultural and religious perspectives was selected by Boroondara Interfaith Network members at the annual planning meeting early in 2011. The key aim of this final event of the 2011 Boroondara Interfaith Network Program was to raise awareness and open a dialogue between community members and service providers on the diversity of mental health and wellbeing needs and understandings in our multicultural community.

Ladies from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association and St Paul Apostle Parish Interfaith and Ecumenical Committee met in Endeavour Hills on Tuesday 18 October 2011, to promote interfaith dialogue . This meeting was initiated by the ladies of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in an effort to better understand the life and works of St. Paul and his role in Christianity.

Applications are now open for the Promoting Harmony: Multifaith Initiatives and Interfaith Networks grants category, as a part of the Community Grants Program within the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship (OMAC).

Brimbank & Maribyrnong Interfaith Network had its second community bus tour to places of Worship on 20th October, between 9:30 am and 1:30pm.  Four separate buses departed from Brimbank and Maribyrnong Councils offices’ to visit Westgate Baptist Church, Quang Minh Temple and Deer Park Bosnian Mosque.

The Service of Remembrance was held in St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne, on the afternoon of Sunday September 11, attended by about two hundred people, in the presence of the US Consul-General in Melbourne, Mr Frank C. Urbancic Jr. People of all faiths were welcomed by Bishop Philip Huggins, North-West Regional Bishop, followed by Opening Prayers by the Hon. Simon Crean, MP representing Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Hon. Sophie Mirabella,  MP representing the Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott.