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Launch of the Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century
I invite you to participate in the launch of the Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century project. This event will mark the beginning of a significant national consultation process.
Tom Calma, National Race Discrimination Commissioner, and Laurie Ferguson, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, will co-launch the discussion paper that will guide that national call for submissions and consultations.
On behalf of the research team, Dr Hass Dellal will outline the purpose of the project and the methodology. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions before the launch concludes with morning tea.
The details of the launch are as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Time: 9am for 9:15am start; concluding 10:45am.
Venue: Members Dining Room 1, Old Parliament House, Canberra
The project
The Australian Human Rights Commission has commissioned the Australian Multicultural Foundation, in association with Monash University and RMIT University to prepare a major report on freedom of religion and belief in Australia. This team will consult with the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations (APRO) in preparing its report.
The project builds on the Commission's earlier report Article 18: Freedom of Religion and Belief released in 1998 and the 2004 report Religion, Cultural Diversity and Safeguarding Australia, by the (then) Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs.
The Freedom of Religion and Belief project consists of the following elements:
- Consultation with Australian heads of faith
- Consultation with government and NGOs
- Consultation with the Australian public via a national call for submissions
- A series of commissioned papers related to faith and society
This project is designed to work with faith communities and other civil society organisations to record their concerns, their positive reactions and proposed solutions to build a more socially inclusive and harmonious society that protects and promotes Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and nationally, Section 116 of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act.
A major report will be produced that will inform governments, faith communities, NGOs and relevant organisations, and contribute to the ongoing debates around culture, identity and national unity.
For more information
If you wish to discuss the project in more detail, please contact:
Athalia Zwartz
Project Officer
Australian Multicultural Foundation
(03) 9347 6622
athalia.zwartz@amf.net.au
There is also more information about the project available on the Commission website
