Flag flown for interfaith harmony

MEMBERS of various faiths and religions convened at the front of St Peter’s Anglican Church on Monday morning to raise the flag for harmony.

The event kicked off the local acknowledgement of World Interfaith Harmony Week, an annual event established by the United Nations and observed during the first week of February.

Members of the Ballarat Interfaith Network helmed the event, which saw the organisation’s symbolic flag raised featuring the colours white and blue representing spirituality and Ballarat respectively, a central dark blue circle representing the earth, and orange stars for harmony.

President Elham Jamali served as MC for the event.

She said it is about promoting harmony and understanding between people of different religions.

“It’s to help people understand our similarities outweigh our differences,” she said.

“It’s a reminder to everyone, especially with the unsettling problems happening around the world now, that we should be concentrating on our similarities and unity.

“We’re all members of the one family, of humankind. It starts with community, that understanding.”

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves preceded the flag-raising with a public address.

She said World Interfaith Harmony Week is an important global occasion to acknowledge at a local level.

“[It] provides the opportunity for all interfaith groups to demonstrate that tolerance, respect, and harmony is universally powerful,” she said.

“At times, it can seem that the troubles of other nations are far away from our lives here in Ballarat. However, change starts in small communities such as ours.

“Ballarat is growing in diversity and vibrancy, and as our multicultural communities expand, they bring new skills, new cultural celebrations, fresh creativity, and inspiration.”

Following the flag raising, attendees were invited inside the church for further presentations, including from St Patrick’s College and Phoenix College students.

The occasion concluded with a unity prayer featuring representatives of various faiths.

Members of the Ballarat Interfaith Network have been celebrating World Interfaith Harmony Week since its inception in 2010 by King Abdullah II of Jordan.