It has been a busy and fulfilling start to my new role. The Executive Team, staff, and I recently attended the Mayor Election Night at the City of Greater Dandenong.
Each year at the Annual Gathering, all Faith Leaders of the Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong sign the Common Statement. This reaffirms their commitment to working together for peace, harmony, and understanding in the community. The signed Common Statement is then formally presented to the elected Mayor of the City of Greater Dandenong. Additionally, during the induction of the new Mayor each year, the Faith Leaders of the Interfaith Network are present to read out the Common Statement and present it to the incoming Mayor.
I had the privilege of reading out the Common Statement this year, and our new Mayor, Jim Memeti, affirmed his commitment to abiding by its principles. We also presented framed copies of the Common Statement to the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor on the night.
Hosted by the Australian Catholic University (ACU), and invited by Jillian Hill, who now serves as the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs. our Executive Officer and I were honoured to attend the ACU National Interfaith Breakfast event at Parliament House.
This marked the first time IFN was represented at this prestigious event, which has been organized by Australian Catholic University for the past 10 years. The breakfast brought together over a250 attendees, faith leaders from 90 different places of worship, as well as Members of Parliament.
It was an excellent opportunity for networking and for sharing insights with other interfaith leaders and networks.
We were proud to be recognized as the oldest running interfaith network in the community, a recognition we received from many of the attendees we engaged with.
Following the breakfast, we had the privilege of meeting with MP Julian Hill to thank him for his invitation and to offer our support in organizing another Interfaith Forum like the one held earlier this year. He enthusiastically welcomed our collaboration, and we look forward to working with him on this initiative.
We also recently held our bimonthly Executive Meeting, which was filled with fresh ideas to help our network grow and flourish. Watch this space for updates!
Finally, I’d like to remind you that our next Members’ Meeting is scheduled for 4th December, from 12:00 PM to 3.00 PM. Further detail can be found on our website, events section.
We look forward to seeing you all there.
Please also take a moment to visit our website, where our wonderful staff are consistently updating it with the latest news, events, and information. Over the past 6 months, ‘foot traffic’ on our website has increased significantly and don’t forget to engage with our social media platform.
Thank you once again for your unwavering support and commitment. I would like to conclude with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.:
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
This quote emphasizes that true peace is holistic, encompassing fairness, community connection, and mutual support—key elements of wellbeing.
Stay well and be in peace.
Warm regards,
Mehtap Williams
President, Interfaith Network
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