The post below, together with the two posts further below it, forms a triad.
The post of 19 May 2018, emphasized the common elements people from different cultures share.
The post of 20 May 2018, emphasized the Jewish/Christian feast of Pentecost which has ever been a festival of multiculturalism before the latter term had been invented.
In spite of the many avenues of humanity to come together to live in peace and harmony, we are still not making a success of the ventures available to us: governments, religions, political organisations, civil institutions. We seem to last for so long or go so far geographically and then we explode and fracture into divisions, wars, and bondage.
One way or another, forms of bondage and slavery and oppression exist across the world - even in places where one would consider they no longer existed or had no need to exist.
In Australia, most forms of payment for work are regulated by industrial awards and agreements. However, many industries are notorious for trying to avoid regulated payments to their employees. The very meaning of the term "employee" is frequently dodged so that such people hide under the term "contractor".
This can often mean that the so-called contractor unwittingfly foregoes legal entitlements such as sick leave, holiday entitlements, workers compensation for workplace injuries, holiday pay and long service leave. And, of course, the employer (well, that term is avoided of course) - does its level best to displace anything that can be used to define an employer/employee relationship - does not approve of trade union membership
A huge statue of Hanuman looms over a Delhi railway station.
Delhi: During the first week of January last year, a group of Indian scholars gathered in a white bungalow on a leafy boulevard in central Delhi. The focus of their discussion: how to rewrite the history of the nation.
By Rupam Jain & Tom Lasseter
The government of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi had quietly appointed the committee of scholars about six months earlier. Details of its existence are reported here for the first time.
Minutes of the meeting and interviews with committee members set out its aims: to use evidence such as archaeological finds and DNA to prove that today's Hindus are directly descended from the land's first inhabitants many thousands of years ago, and make the case that ancient Hindu scriptures are fact notmyth.
The ambitions of Hindu nationalists now, it seems, extend beyond holding political power in this nation of 1.3 billion people with a kaleidoscope of religions. They want ultimately to reshape the national identity to match their religious views, that India is a nation of and for Hindus.
In doing so, they are challenging a more multicultural narrative that has dominated since the time of British rule, that India is a tapestry born of migrations, invasions and conversions. That view is rooted in demographic, archaeological and linguistic fact. While most Indians are Hindus, Muslims and people of other faiths account for some 240 million, or a fifth, of the populace.
On 25 July, 2017 this blog carried a post regarding a Sikh child being refused enrolment in a Christian school because the traditional headcap the child wore did not conform with the school's dress code.
Readers of Beside The Creek will be pleased to know that the matter has now been resolved in favour of the child and his family.
A Christian school unlawfully discriminated against a five-year-old boy when it banned him from wearing a traditional Sikh patka, a child's version of a turban, a tribunal has ruled.
In a win for Melbourne father Sagardeep Singh Arora and his son Sidhak, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled that Melton Christian School breached the Equal Opportunity Act.
Sagardeep Singh Arora with his son Sidhak. Photo: Supplied
The decision, which was handed down on Tuesday, could have implications for the way schools set their uniform policies.
It also paves the way for Sidhak to attend the school of his choice.
____________________________________________________________"It is not reasonable to accept enrolment applications from students from non-Christian faiths only on condition that they do not look like they practise a non-Christian religion," VCAT member Julie Grainger said.
Mr Arora had hoped that his son would start prep at school this year, but the enrolment hit a roadblock when principal David Gleeson said Sidhak would have to comply with the school's uniform policy.
Dear Faith and Community Leaders As part of the commitments made by the Victorian Government in the Victorian. And proud of it. Multicultural Policy Statement, you are invited to participate in a Forum on LGBTI Inclusion in Faith Communities to be held at: Woodward Conference Centre, 10th floor, Melbourne Law Building (106) 185 Pelham St, Carlton VIC 3053 on Thursday 17 August 2017, 9:30 am – 3.15 pm
The Forum will build upon discussions held at last year’s Roundtable on LGBTI Youth in Faith Communities, which focused on mental health and well-being and the increased risk of self-harm and suicide experienced by LGBTI Victorians (see attached Roundtable report).
Research conducted among LGBTI people of faith in Victoria has highlighted the need to create safe, welcoming spaces in our communities and places of worship, and to create supportive networks for faith leaders in which to share experiences and learn from each other.
The Forum will address the role that faith and community leaders play in fostering inclusive environments for LGBTI people of faith. Guest speakers will include Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Robin Scott MP; Minister for Equality, Martin Foley MP; leaders from diverse faith communities; and LGBTI people of faith.
Participants will have the opportunity to share best practice approaches, including the provision of pastoral care to LGBTI people of faith, the use of inclusive language and interpretation of scripture.
We invite you as a faith and/or community leader to contribute to a sensitive and respectful conversation to support positive mental health and well-being outcomes for LGBTI people of faith.
Please advise of your attendance, including any accessibility and dietary requirements, to shoshana.silverman@dpc.vic.gov.au by no later than 8 August 2017.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Forum.
Best regards,
Helen Kapalos Rowena Allen Victorian Multicultural Commission Chair Victorian Gender and Sexuality Commissioner
Shoshana Silverman | Senior Policy Officer | Community Resilience and Social Cohesion Branch Department of Premier and Cabinet | Level 9, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000 T 03 7017 8174 | www.dpc.vic.gov.au | www.vic.gov.au ________________________________________________________
Dear friends & members of the ANZAC Centenary Peace Coalition.,
An invitation to another organisation’s AGM might seem like the ultimate turn off.
Nevertheless Pax Christi Victoria does warmly invite you to our AGM for the following reasons:
We live at a time when relations between the West and Islam are at low ebb. This raises troubling but unavoidable questions for all of us.
How should we relate to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Australia at what is a rather difficult time for them? Many Muslims feel isolated, harassed and humiliated by the words and actions of politicians, important sections of the media and bigoted elements of society.
To help us think through this and other questions we have invited Ghaith Krayem to address us on the occasion of Pax Christi’s Annual General Meeting on Sunday 15 November, at 2.00 pm.
Ghaith was until recently president of the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), the umbrella body of the Muslim communities of Victoria which brings together some fifty member and affiliated organisations. In his position as president and before that as Secretary of ICV, he has played an important leadership role in guiding the Muslim community’s response to terrorist incidents, the government’s counter-terrorism policies and so-called deradicalisation strategies.
Ghaith is one of Australia’s most thoughtful Muslim leaders, articulate and outspoken, with a firm grasp of the needs of Muslim communities and of the diverse views and traditions within Islam. He has at the same time a sharp understanding of how mainstream society operates. Ghaith has held many senior positions within Australia Post, and presently runs his own consultancy Hikmah Consulting.
Ghaith Krayem’s address on Sunday 15 November and the lively discussion that will no doubt follow will help Pax Christi and its friends, supporters and partner organisations to develop a clear set of objectives, strategies and actions over the coming year. The issues to be dealt with are morally and politically challenging. They include:
· Christian-Muslim relations
· Appropriate responses to terrorism and the ‘war on terror’
· Practical ways of promoting a peaceful end to the conflict in Syria
· Australia’s role in the Middle East
· The dangers posed by the Sunni-Shia divide within Islam
· The need to rethink the future shape of interfaith dialogue and multicultural Australia.
The address by Ghaith is open to the public. So, please bring the event to the attention of people in your networks, and feel free to mention it to your social media contacts, whether through Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or other avenues.
I very much hope that you will be able to join us for this crucial discussion on 15th November.
Sunday 15 November, Kildara Centre rear, 39 Stanhope St, Malvern
1 p.m. Shared meal to which you are warmly invited. Bring some food to share.
2 p.m. Address & discussion, Ghaith Krayem until 3.30
Don’t feel obliged to stay for the AGM business. (Actually we lock the doors & don’t let you out until you have agreed to join the committee!)
Warm regards.
Harry Kerr, Convenor, Pax Christi Victoria
Rev Harry Kerr 101 Katrina Street, BLACKBURN NORTH, Victoria Australia 3130 Phone +613 (0) 9893 4946 Mon +61 (0) 424 950 852
The Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) would like to invite you to a public lecture:
Multicultural or mainstream? A new conversation about multiculturalism in Victoria
Date: Thursday 26 November 2015
Time:6pm - 8pm
Location:Drill Hall, Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC
Join the recently appointed Chairperson Helen Kapalos for the Victorian Multicultural Commission’s first public lecture. Drawing on her own experiences in and out of the media spotlight, Helen brings a fresh perspective to an ongoing narrative about what multiculturalism stands for in contemporary Australia. She invites all Victorians to take part in a public discourse which explores and challenges the modern day definition and currency of the term. In sharing the Commission's new strategic direction, Helen will discuss why now more than ever, it is important for Victorian society to be cohesive and inclusive and why we are all part of the solution.
Please give it wide coverage in your groups and associations/
Please encourage people to attend the next Forum on 9 October.
Details to be announced
On 21 August 2015, approximately 80 people gathered at the Eastwood Leisure Centre in Ballarat for a Forum on Homelessness. The place was packed. The place was lively.
People working in organisations related to Homelessness were present. Some of these gave presentations of their work. Most of these were in government funded organisations but there were some present who received no government funding whatsoever and relied wholly on community support to fund their activities. Prominent among the latter was The Soup Bus - a well known #Ballarat institution.
A favourite of many people was Josh Wilkins, the founder of One Voice. One Voice operates without government funding and provides free, clean shower facilities for homeless people. Keep watch because there may be a #Ballarat version pop up thanks to the energies of local people. A bus has already been given for the purpose but there is much more to be done before bus and showers can hit the road. Josh said that his ambition is to become like the community of Sant'Egidio in Italy who started small but now have moved on to providing health care and facilities.
There were people from the general community who were concerned about Homelessness and who were seeking solutions to this grave problem.
The forum was co-sponsored by Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council and Ballarat Interfaith Network. Many thanks to Father Constantine Osuchukwu (Treasurer, B.I.N. and Interfaith Officer, BRMC) and Margaret Lenan Ellis (Public Relations Officer, B.I.N.) who were at the forefront of organising the Forum and a special thanks for the great job that Father Constantine did in chairing proceedings.
If you attended, the Homelessness Forum or if you were prevented from attending, another gathering will be held on 9 October. Stay tuned for further details.
This public forum, to be held at M.A.D.E.
on Friday 22 August at 6pm, presents the opportunity to hear speakers
from diverse faith backgrounds offer spiritual insight into the healing and
enabling power of compassion – within ourselves, our families, communities and
nations of the world.
By juxtaposing Ghandi’s quote on the forum
flier: Be the Change you want See in the World with a topic calling for
increased compassion as a way of implementing positive change, this interfaith
forum invites all attending to both hear and contribute to deeply purposeful
discussion.
Following introduction of the topic by the guest speakers,
everyone will have the opportunity to respond to and discuss the topic with
others in the audience.
Such discussions can be stimulating,
revelatory and even challenging – catalysts for change within ourselves, and
our own fields of influence.
We hope you take the time to join BRMC and
BIN in participating in this Interfaith Forum at M.A.D.E. (102 Stawell St Sth, Ballarat) at 6pm on
Friday 22 August.
In the regional Victorian city of Bendigo, a legal challenge is being planned against a city council decision to grant planning permission for a proposed $3 million dollar mosque.
A lengthy and fierce battle is expected, which some fear may incite religious hatred.
But just 130-kilometres south of Bendigo, in Ballarat, work is quietly and peacefully progressing on another mosque.
