What’s On: Interfaith Asia Pacific – October 2026

Building bridges of understanding, peace and shared humanity

October brings opportunities across the Asia-Pacific to turn interfaith understanding into meaningful action.

🌏 2–8 October | Queensland, Australia
Life Matters in the Indo-Pacific brings emerging leaders together for reflection, deep listening, reconciliation and collaborative peacebuilding, with regional partners from Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

🕊️ 4 October | World Quaker Day
With the theme Let Peace Be Among Us, Quaker communities across the region are exploring peace, justice and conflict transformation, including a webinar focused on Asia and the Pacific.

🛕 4, 10 & 17 October | Auckland, New Zealand
The Auckland Inter-Faith Council’s Exploring Sacred Spaces programme opens Buddhist, Latter-day Saints and Islamic places of worship to visitors, encouraging connection through firsthand experience.

🪔 21 October | Sydney, Australia
Sharing the Light, an interfaith Diwali celebration at NSW Parliament, brings diverse faiths and cultures together to explore the shared symbolism of light, hope and renewal.

October also features Dashain, Durga Puja and the UN International Day of Non-Violence, reminding us of the values of compassion, courage and the triumph of good.

Across our region, peace begins when we meet, listen and act together.

Sharing the Light – Interfaith Diwali celebration

Our inaugural Sharing the Light event is an interfaith Diwali celebration, of light traditions across religious and cultures.

In the true spirit of interculturalism, we are hosting this event along with our Muslim friends at ICSOA, the Indian Crescent Society of Australia.

Light holds meaning in First Nations cultures, as well as in diverse faiths such as Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and of course in Hinduism, where Diwali is called the Festival of Lights.

Light also holds symbolic meaning for humanists and rationalists who have often used it to signify enlightenment, and freedom from dogma.

Across cultures, it stands for wisdom, the divine, goodness and hope. It is part of daily rituals, prayer and celebration.

This event will bring people from different communities together in a shared celebration that fosters intercultural respect and understanding. We believe that by sharing our stories, we come closer together, and keep our communities connected and resilient.

This event is proudly supported by Multicultural NSW.

NRI Affairs is our Media Partner and The Humanism Project is our community partner.

We are also thankful for the support of faith and community leaders who will come and share their stories with the gathering.

Do join us for this very special evening at the beautiful and historic NSW Parliament.

Wed, 21 Oct, 5:45pm – 8pm AEST

Preston Stanley Room, NSW Parliament
Sydney NSW, AustraliaH

Hosted by Hindus for Human Rights, Australia

Call it out!!

We all benefit from a society where First Peoples can live free from racism and participate fully in every aspect of life.

We welcome today’s announcement of Australian Government funding for the Call It Out Register, an Indigenous-led initiative that helps document and respond to racism experienced by First Peoples.

Through consultations that informed A Fair and Just Future for First Peoples: Social Justice Report 2025, First Peoples consistently identified racism as a significant barrier to the enjoyment of their human rights. The National Anti-Racism Framework also highlights the importance of strong data collection and reporting to better understand and address racism.

This investment is a welcome and important step but we also need coordinated action, from prevention and education to accountability and redress. Together these measures can help create an Australia where First Peoples can thrive free from racism and discrimination.

The Call It Out register is led by the UTS Jumbunna Research at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in partnership with the National Justice Project.

World Labyrinth Day

The Interfaith Centre of Melbourne and the Janssen Spirituality Centre will present a Labyrinth Walk for World Peace on World Labyrinth Day, Saturday 2 May, at the Janssen Spirituality Centre, Boronia, Victoria from 1PM to 3PM. All are welcome to walk for World Peace.

Join thousands of people around the world participating in this moving meditation on the World Labyrinth Day for world peace. Walking the labyrinth is a practice for people of all world religions and philosophies. A labyrinth can be a walking meditation, a path of prayer and a mirror of the soul. A Labyrinth is used in hospitals and in educational settings.

If you are new to the labyrinth, Helen Summers, a Veriditas trained facilitator, will be available to guide you.

Tea, coffee and drinks available. Please bring an umbrella in case of a shower.

Free event. Donations welcome for upkeep of the Labyrinth.
Enquiries: Rev Helen Summers. Email: info@interfaithcentre.org.au

Event Details

Observance: WORLD LABYRINTH DAY
Program: Walk for Peace
Date: Saturday May 2, 2026
Time: 1pm – 3pm
Hosts: The Interfaith Centre of Melbourne and The Janssen Spirituality Centre
Location: Janssen Spirituality Centre
Address: 22 Woodvale Road, Boronia VIC 3155
More Information: Rev Helen Summers info@interfaithcentre.org.au

Women Walk For Peace Not Politics – Sydney, Australia

The Shared Future

First Nations National Walk for Truth

Uniting Church of Australia 5 Year Strategic Plan

With the 2026 year well underway, the Uniting Church in Australia has launched its new five-year strategy.

In the first of a series, Assembly General Secretary Andrew Johnson introduces Flourishing Faith – the first Strategic Goal and foundation for how we’ll grow, serve and journey together.

Read his full story here: https://lnkd.in/giB9JC9t

Escalating national climate of hostility in Australia

First Nations Survival Day: January 2026

January 26 holds different meanings across our community. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it marks the beginning of dispossession and intergenerational trauma. For others, it’s a day of national celebration.

As we approach this date, the real question is how we move from understanding to action.

We’re hosting an ‘Australia Day Allyship’ webinar on January 22 because we believe workplaces have a role to play in this conversation. This session is about practical strategies for supporting Indigenous colleagues and communities during this time, navigating workplace conversations with respect, and showing up as an ally in meaningful ways.

Whether you’re leading a team, working in HR, or simply want to learn how to be an ally, we invite you to join us.

📅 Wednesday, January 22
⏰ 1:00 PM AEDT
⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗 Register now: https://bit.ly/3Nfkm9I