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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 Wellington over the past 15 years, such as the World Conference on Religion and Peace, and Faith and Community Week.  It is in the process of becoming an umbrella group for interfaith groups in other centres around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Members of the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Latter Day Saints, Muslim, and Sikh faiths are represented in the group currently.

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

 News

New Blog: Jews, Christians and Muslims working together 
by paddy
 29/06/2008 6:36 p.m.
 
Te Korowai Whakapono - National Interfaith Network News - June 2008  
by paddy
 29/06/2008 6:08 p.m.
 
Final report of the New Zealand Delegation from the Asia Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 2008 
by Paddy
 29/06/2008 6:35 p.m.
 
Te Korowai Whakapono - National Interfaith Network News - May 2008 
by Paddy
 16/05/2008 3:44 p.m.
 
Te Korowai Whakapono - National Interfaith Network News - April 2008 
by Paddy
 16/05/2008 3:44 p.m.
 
Festival of Spirituality and Peace, Edinburgh Festival - 2007 Progamme 
by Paddy
 29/03/2008 2:46 p.m.
 
Interfaith forum applauds Police support for speech award 
by Paddy
 18/03/2008 12:20 a.m.
 
National Interfaith Forums - pictures available on this site 
by Paddy
 17/03/2008 10:51 a.m.
 
(More Announcements...)
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 Events

25/08/2008 1:30 p.m.   Discrimination, Harassment and Desecration, How safe is New Zealand for religious minorities? - Auckland 
The proposed theme of the Religious Diversity Forum (part of the 2008 NZ Diversity Forum) on the afternoon of Monday 25 August is Discrimination, Harassment and Desecration, How safe is New Zealand for religious minorities? The NZ Statement on Religious...
8/09/2008 8:00 a.m.   "Uni-Diversity: The challenges of change" Multi-Faith Conference at University of Auckland  
 A multi-faith conference entitled Uni-Diversity: The challenges of change will be held at the University of Auckland in September. The conference will seek to address some of the issues and challenges that are reflected by the increasing diversity...
6/12/2008 9:00 a.m.   6th Global Conference on Buddhism - Auckland 
Auckland is the venue for the 6th Global Conference on Buddhism. The 6th GCB in Auckland will provide a truly exciting and inspiring opportunity for New Zealand individuals and groups affilliated with Buddhists organsations, those interested in Buddhism,...
21/03/2009 1:00 a.m.   Race Relations Day - National 
Race Relations Day in New Zealand marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Activitities are organised throughout the country by ethnic groups, local councils, workplaces, schools, faith communities and media. Many multi-ethnic...
21/03/2010 12:00 a.m.   Race Relations Day - National 
Race Relations Day in New Zealand marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Activitities are organised throughout the country by ethnic groups, local councils, workplaces, schools, faith communities and media. Many multi-ethnic...
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 Contact details for regional groups

Auckland Inter-faith Council, PO Box 21-551, Henderson
Pres: Dr Michael Roberts, miker@ais.ac.nz, 021-335-588
Sec: Mrs Suzanne Mahon, AIFC@slingshot.co.nz
 
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

 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 ...
  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 ...
  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 ...
  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 ...
  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.
 Add new link
 
 

 5th National Interfaith Forum March 2008

 Multifaith Calendar

Date
Title
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.
18 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.
29 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.
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.
3 Aug
International Forgiveness DayUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
5 Aug
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.
5 Aug
Kwan Yin's ' Setting on the Path'Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Buddhism - Kwan Yin's ' Setting on the Path'
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
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.
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).
15 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.
16 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.
19 Aug
Fravardeghan days end (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.
19 Aug
Transfiguration (Eastern - Old Calendar)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Christianity (Eastern - Old 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.
20 Aug
Asmá (Names)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Bahá'í Faith - Asmá (Names), the 9th month of the Bahá'í year.
20 Aug
Noruz (Shenshai)Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
Zoroastrianism - Noruz (the start of the New Year) for Zoroastrians who follow the Shenshai calendar, and the beginning of 1378 AY (after Yazdegird III, the last of the Zoroastrian kings of Persia).
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 Resources

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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