JourneyOnline
LOCAL UNITING Church members provided key support for the first National Interfaith Festival held at Maleny in March.
Billed the most comprehensive interfaith event to be held in Australia an impressive display of religious life, arts and culture were showcased at the showgrounds of one of Queensland’s most beautiful hinterland villages.
Musicians artist, priests and imams shared rituals, explained customs and led workshops while dozens of stalls gave people the chance to explore faith, sample international foods and be entertained.
Among the various religious communities participating were 25 Uniting Church people who, with the support of Lutheran, Baptist, and Anglican churches, hosted a “Local Christians” tent and assisted in the general running of the festival.
Organisers claim that most Australians belong to one of the major world religions or their off-shoots but given recent events and issues on the world and national stage, “we think it’s the right time to have an annual National level public event dedicated to building religious harmony.”
“We see value in strengthening connections by exploring both commonality and the unique distinctions between religious faiths,” organisers said.
Woodford Folk Festival CEO Bill Hauritz who is on the Interfaith Festival’s Board described the response to the first ever event as “unprecedented”.
Photo : Uniting Church members Moyra Jones, and Karl and Dorothy Tietze with Gwen Cosgrove at the Local Christians’ tent.
