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NZ Interfaith Group

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The NZ Interfaith Group welcomes you in the spirit of understanding and cooperation between all of the faiths in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The NZ Interfaith Group has evolved from a variety of interfaith groups that have been active in different parts of New Zealand over the past 20 years. Members of many faiths are represented in these various groups, that have come together in an annual forum for the past few years.

For more information about this site, please contact Paddy Payne: 04-472-2021 (w); 04-472-2027 (f); info@interfaith.org.nz (e); PO Box 5428, Wellington (p).

 2009 National Interfaith Forum - Auckland

 News
Te Korowai Whakapono: Religious Diversity Network News - June 2009 
by paddy		 21/06/2009 10:30 p.m.
 
Contributions sought for children’s anthology of practical spirituality 
by paddy		 21/05/2009 2:01 a.m.
 
Te Korowai Whakapono: Religious Diversity Network News - May 2009  
by paddy		 21/06/2009 10:30 p.m.
 
Beyond Tolerance - some thoughts from Sonya Sier 
by paddy		 25/04/2009 8:21 a.m.
 
National Interfaith Forum 2009 photos available here 
by paddy		 20/03/2009 1:19 a.m.
 
Living in Harmony - Speech by Hon Pansy Wong, Minister of Ethnic Affairs 
by paddy		 9/03/2009 12:32 a.m.
 
National Interfaith Forum 2009 - opening address 
by paddy		 4/03/2009 12:30 a.m.
 
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 Events
19/07/2009 2:00 p.m.   Inaugural meeting for the incorporation of the Wellington Inter-Faith Council - Wellington 
This inaugural meeting for the incorporated Wellington Interfaith Council is open to any persons  interested  in learning about interfaith relations.   You are warmly welcome to come and find out about the work of the Interfaith Council,...
1/08/2009 7:30 p.m.   "Yulia and Friends Peace Concert" - Youth Concert for Global March for Peace and Nonviolence - Wellington  
Representatives of many faiths will be lighting candles for peace as part of the fundraising concert for the Global March for Peace and Nonviolence which will start in Wellington on 2 October. See www.worldmarch.co.nz or contact mackay.lachlan@gmail.com...
2/08/2009 3:30 p.m.   "Yulia and Friends Peace Concert" - Concert for Global March for Peace and Nonviolence - Wellington  
Representatives of many faiths will be lighting candles for peace as part of the fundraising concert for the Global March for Peace and Nonviolence which will start in Wellington on 2 October. See www.worldmarch.co.nz or contact mackay.lachlan@gmail.com...
9/08/2009 12:00 p.m.   Peace Sunday - Gisborne 
The Gisborne Inter-Faith community is being re-formed with plans for activities being formulated for the year. An interfaith service will be held on Peace Sunday, August 9th, in remembrance of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
10/08/2009 12:00 a.m.   Islam Awareness Week - National  
Islam Awareness Week (IAW) this year will be from August 10-17, with the theme of “finding a balance in life”.
IAW will once again involve the presentation of the annual Harmony Awards. The Harmony Awards recognise efforts to improve understanding and...
23/08/2009 9:00 a.m.   The NZ Diversity Forum - Neighbourhood and Asian Peoples in New Zealand - Wellington 
The Diversity Forum is held annually on the anniversary of a forum convened by the Speaker of Parliament in 2004.
The forum was held in response to the desecration of Jewish cemeteries and a racial attack on a group of Somali youth in Wellington. The...
23/08/2009 1:00 p.m.   Interfaith in Action (NZ Diversty Forum) - Wellington 
As part of the NZ Diversity Forum, the Wellington Inter-Faith Council is hosting a meeting to present stories of Interfaith in Action in the Wellington area.
More details to follow.
24/08/2009 1:00 p.m.   The Religious Diversity Forum - "Kia Ora Neighbour, People in Your Neighbourhood" - Wellington 
The Victoria University Religious Studies Programme will host the annual religious diversity forum on Monday August 24 from 1- 3pm as part of the wider New Zealand 2009 Diversity Forum in Wellington.
The religious diversity forum continues the focus...
3/10/2009 9:00 a.m.   1st New Zealand Hindu Elders Conference - Auckland 
Hindu Elders Foundation, a division of the Hindu Council of New Zealand Inc., is organising the 1st New Zealand Hindu Elders Conference on October 3. The theme of the conference is “Old is Gold” and the conference will be held at the Hindu Heritage Centre,...
(More Events...)
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 Contact details for regional groups
Auckland Inter-faith Council, PO Box 21-551, Henderson
Pres: Mrs Suzanne Mahon, AIFC@slingshot.co.nz, 09-625-9898
Sec: Mr Tipene Daniels, 027-246-2266
 
Wellington Interfaith Council, PO Box 20037, Wellington South 6029
Chair: Dr Pushpa Wood, pushpa.wood@paradise.net.nz 
Sec: Mr Tiopira Rauna, tiopira@xtra.co.nz, 021-450-733
 
Christchurch Interfaith Council, Refugee and Migrant Centre, Peterborough & Madras St, Christchurch
Pres: Dr Ron Macintyre, Ronald.Macintyre@canterbury.ac.nz 
Sec: Dianne Downward, stepdown@slingshot.co.nz 

 Internet Sites and Resources
  Aotearoa New Zealand Interfaith Network The Aotearoa New Zealand Interfaith Network is part of the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme and is a mailing list that brings together faith communities, interfaith groups, government agencies, academics and individuals interested in interfaith ...
  BBC Multifaith Calendar An excellent multifaith calendar that allows you to look at festivals and holy days by religion or by month, with detailed info given about most dates
  BBC Religion & Ethics The BBC's site on religion and ethics with information areas on Atheism, Bahá'í, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Mormonism, Paganism, Rastafari, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, Unitarianism, Zoroastrianism
  BeliefNet We are a multi-faith e-community designed to help you meet your own religious and spiritual needs -- in an interesting, captivating and engaging way ...
  Center for Interreligious Understanding Through educational programs and policy leadership, the CIU brings people of all faiths together to learn about our history, our shared values and why we must live and work together toward a society of justice and peace ...
  Centre for Faith and the Media The Centre for Faith and the Media is an independent, non-profit organization to inform, advise and help media and the general public achieve a stronger understanding of spiritual history, practices and values in Canadian society.
  Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions The mission of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions is to cultivate harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its other guiding institutions ...
  Dunedin Abrahamic Interfaith Group Our group was formed here in Dunedin in the aftermath of the events of September 11th 2001 out of spontaneous expressions of solidarity and goodwill between leaders of our three faiths, the police and the Dunedin City Council.
  Interfaith Encounter Association The Interfaith Encounter Association is dedicated to promoting peace in the Middle East through interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural study ...
  Interfaith resources A list of some of the many organisations throughout the world which are involved in inter-religious activities ...
  International Association for Religious Freedom The International Association for Religious Freedom is a registered charity based in the United Kingdom which has the aim of working for freedom of religion and belief at a global level ...
  International Council of Christians and Jews The ICCJ serves as the umbrella organisation of 38 national Jewish-Christian dialogue organisations world-wide.
  International Interfaith Centre, Oxford, England Building interfaith co-operation in the world ...
  Internationally recognised Values Education Program Living Values Education Program (LVEP) is a comprehensive values education program. This innovative global character education program offers a wide variety of experiential values activities and practical methodologies to educators, facilitators, parents
  Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace The IIFWP (Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace) was founded in the hope of building a world in which peoples, cultures, races, religions, and nationalities could live together in harmony, mutual respect, cooperation ...
  Jews, Christians, and Muslims working together 3faiths.org is a blog dedicated to telling the stories about positive interactions between the three abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
  Multifaith Action Society of B.C. The Multifaith Action Society in Vancouver, Canada, was founded in 1972 as an ecumenical society and has become fully interfaith in nature and purpose ...
  MultiFaithNet MultiFaithNet is a self-access research, learning, information and dialogue tool, providing updated access to global electronic resources and interactions useful for study of world religious traditions and communities and the practice of inter-faith ...
  PBS Religion and Ethics Since its debut in 1997, RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY has set itself apart from the mainstream media by providing distinctive, cutting-edge news coverage and analysis of national and international events in the ever-changing religious world.
  REonline Religious Education Online. REonline is a family of websites, with www.reonline.org.uk at its centre. Great resources for education of children of all ages.
  Spiritual "non-secular" Discussion Forum Spiritual / Gnostic / Mystic Discussion Forum for all sincere seekers of Ultimate Truth
  The Council of Christians & Muslims (Inc.) NZ Christians and Muslims in dialogue together. The Council exists to promote dialogue and respectful understanding between the two faith communities, and to work together towards the elimination of racism and religious discrimination in NZ society.
  The Inter Faith Network of UK The Inter Faith Network for the UK works to build good relations between the different religious communities in the UK at both national and local levels ...
  The Interfaith Alliance The Interfaith Alliance and The Interfaith Alliance Foundation - the national non-partisan advocacy voice of the interfaith movement. Our 150,000 members are from more than 70 faith traditions and people of good will ...
  The Revealer A daily review of Religion and the Press.
  The Sacred Site Radha Sahar's site that has information on many of the world's faiths ...
  Waikato Interfaith Council Web site for the Waikato Interfaith Council.
  World Conference of Religions for Peace The World Conference of Religions for Peace is the largest international coalition of representatives from the world's great religions who are dedicated to achieving peace ...
  World Congress of Faiths The World Congress of Faiths publishes the leading journal on interfaith matters Interreligious Insight.  It arranges a variety of conferences, meetings, retreats, visits and group travel ...
  World Faiths Development Dialogue Its aim is to facilitate a dialogue on poverty and development among people from different religions and between them and the international development institutions.
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 Multifaith Calendar
Date
Title
3 Jul
Ghambar Maidyoshem endsUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Zoroastrianism - Ghambar Maidyoshem celebrates the creation of water, the sowing of the summer crop and the harvesting of grain.
4 Jul
International Day of Cooperation (UN)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
5 Jul
WassanaUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Buddhism - Wassana marks the beginning of the three-month 'Rains Retreat' for monks and nuns.
9 Jul
Martyrdom of the BábUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Bahá'í Faith - Martyrdom of the Báb memorialises his death. Bahá'ís suspend work on this day.
13 Jul
Kalimat (Words)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Bahá'í Faith - Kalimat (Words), the 7th month of the Bahá'í year.
19 Jul
Mi'rāj al-Nabiy (begins in the evening)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Islam - Mi'rāj al-Nabiy commemorates the ascension (al-Mi'rāj) of the Prophet to heaven. Muslims interpret the event literally and symbolically. The festival begins in the evening.
26 Jul
Dharma DayUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Buddhism - Dharma Day commemorates the Buddha's first discourse, called the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma (or Dharma), following his Enlightenment.
30 Jul
Tisha B'AvUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Judaism - Tisha B'Av, or the Ninth of the month of Av, is a major fast day commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in ancient times.
30 Jul
Oh-harai-taisaiUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Shinto - Oh-harai-taisai, the Grand Purification Ceremony, has been held since ancient times to obtain purification from sins and offences committed during the first half of the lunar year. In earlier times, the Imperial Japanese Court led the ceremonies. A large ring of woven grasses and reeds is placed at the entrance of the shrine premises. Walking through the ring symbolises inner purification. Such rings are a common sight at shrines at this time of year.
1 Aug
Kamál (Perfection)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Bahá'í Faith - Kamál (Perfection), the 8th month of the Bahá'í year.
1 Aug
LammasUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Wicca - Lammas (also called Lughnasad) is the celebration of the grain harvest, the Harvest of First Fruits. Many traditions celebrate Lammas as the funeral of Lugh, the sun God whose strength is visibly waning by late summer.
2 Aug
International Forgiveness DayUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
5 Aug
Nisf Sha'banUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Islam - Nisf Sha'ban, the 15th day or middle (Nisf) of the eight month (Sha'ban), is the Night of Repentance in preparation for Ramadan. It begins in the evening.
5 Aug
Raksha BandhanUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Hinduism - Raksha Bandhan (tying on protection) is a festival in which unmarried girls and women tie amulets on the wrists of their brothers for protection against evil.
6 Aug
Transfiguration (Western, Eastern - New Calendar)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Christianity (Western, Eastern New Calendar) - Transfiguration celebrates the appearance of Jesus in a transfigured state during his earthly life to three of his disciples, as narrated in the Gospels.
9 Aug
International Day of the World's Indigenous People (UN)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
10 Aug
Fravardeghan days begin (Shenshai)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Zoroastrianism - Fravardeghan Days, also know as Muktad (memorialising ancestors), are ten days in preparation for Nowruz (the start of the New Year), observed by Zoroastrians who follow the Shenshai calendar.
12 Aug
International Youth Day (UN)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
13 Aug
Sri Krishna JayantiUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Hinduism - Sri Krishna Jayanti (or Janmashtami) celebrates the birthday of Krishna. According to the Hindu epics, Krishna was the eighth incarnation of the God Vishnu. His purpose was to destroy the demon Kansa who was responsible for the increase of evil in the world.
17 Aug
Paryushana-parvaUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Jainism - Paryushana-parva is the holiest period of the year for the ascetic Shvetambara sect. Celebrated for eight days concluding on Samvatsari, it is a time of dedication to Jain ideals through fasting, worship of the Jina, and reading the life-story of Lord Mahavira from the Kalpasutra.
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 Resources
Final report of the New Zealand Delegation from the Asia Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 2008  
by paddy		 25/09/2008 12:09 a.m.
 
Interfaith Directory 
by Paddy		 8/06/2008 9:43 p.m.
 
Proceedings of the 3rd Forum available 
by Paddy		 8/06/2008 9:42 p.m.
 
Understanding the Three Abrahamic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam 
by Paddy		 8/06/2008 9:42 p.m.
 
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