Flag raising to get Interfaith Week underway

EVER since the inception in 2011 of the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week the Ballarat Interfaith Network has publicly celebrated the event with a flag raising ceremony in Victoria Square in front of Ballarat Town Hall.

This year is no exception.

On Monday, 4 February at 11am, the Network’s flag will be raised in support of the world-wide message and intent of the week, namely a call to all people, “To respect our differences and personal beliefs and to unite around the basic principles that people of all beliefs agree upon and to understand that harmony can only come if we build upon a solid foundation of dialogue that has ‘Love of God and love of the neighbour or, love of Good and love of the neighbour’ as its core principle for engagement.”

Ballarat City Council and Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council are partnering BIN in celebrating this declaration of the need for interfaith respect and harmony.

“BRMC recognises the important work of the Ballarat Interfaith Network in connecting people across the gap that typically divides communities along race, class and religion,” said Chez Dichiera, Chairman of Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council.

“Diversity in thought, faith and culture enriches communities and we should all strive to learn about all aspects of our common humanity.

BRMC endeavours to work in partnership with organisations such as BIN to actively promote multiculturalism, cultural and religious diversity and the well-being of the various cultural communities throughout our Region.”

Ballarat Mayor, Councillor Samantha McIntosh, will be opening the flag event, after indigenous leader, Peter Lovett, has given an acknowledgement of country.

Key note speaker will be Mrs Ita Rahmawati, a Muslim member of the local Islamic Society of Ballarat and a current Intercultural Ambassador for Ballarat City Council.

Also contributing to the celebration will be children from Sebastopol Primary School, singing in a choir under the direction of Kellie Battiston.

In addition to the Flag Raising event there will be a film screening of The Kite Runner, based on the best-selling book of the same title written by Khaled Hosseini.

The story is set amid the destruction of contemporary Afghanistan and follows two boys, linked by love, lies, sacrifice, and betrayal, whose friendship endures, despite different life paths.

The venue for this film screening will be at the Sisters of Mercy convent, 151 Victoria St, Ballarat East, showing at 7pm, and followed by refreshments and discussion.

Throughout the week, from 2-9 February, there will also be an interfaith display in the Ballarat Library, showcasing many of the main religions in Ballarat – Christianity, Judaism, Islam, the Baha’i faith, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.