By : Surinder Jain.
Religious community from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christainity and Zorashtrian religions met with representatives from Department of Multicultural NSW on 8th November 2018 to discuss issues affecting their religious communities in Australia. The forum condemned recent attacks (1) Desecration of Bharathiye Mandir Hindu temple (2) Pittsburgh (Jewish) Synagogue massacre in America and (3) St Samuel (Coptic) Monastry in Egypt. A one minute silence was observed to pay respect to those who died in the attacks.
The forum felt that instead of reacting to such incidents, we should take pro-active steps to avoid such incidents in future and discussed following recommendations :
- Children should be taught value of respecting sacred places and religious leaders.
- Religious schools teaching a particular religion should also teach respect for all other religions.
- School curriculum teaches students their rights but should also include lessons on students duties.
- Australia already has diversity, emphasis should now be on inclusion.
- Australia has a good model of a chesive multicultural society and it should be a model for other countries.
It was also agreed that there should be an emphasis of imparting religious sermons in English language but religious rituals should continue in their traditional languages.
