The Indian Crescent Society of Australia (ICSOA) organized an event titled “Multiculturism and Social Cohesion in Australia” at the NSW Parliament on Wednesday 12 October 2022 attended by politicians, interfaith leaders, community representatives, academics, diplomats and government officials.
ICSOA is dedicated for the betterment of Indian Muslims while promoting peace, harmony, inclusiveness, diversity, and social cohesion.
The event included more than 10 speakers from different arms of the government, both federal and state, representatives of various faiths as well as First People’s of Australia.
Susan Moylan-Coombs from the Indigenous community spoke about the importance of ‘Truth telling’, social cohesion in the current times and how the colonisers have erased the past while building a new society.
Russell Davies, a leader from the Christian faith spoke extensively about his learnings from the Buddhists in Marrickville, where he resides.
Jeremy Jones from the Jewish community spoke about the importance of interfaith dialogue and social cohesion with a brief example from his own interpretation of the Jewish symbols.
Pandit Jatin Kumar Bhatt, a priest at the first Hindu temple in Australia and New Zealand gave personal experiences of spiritually.
Maulana Nazeerul Hasan Thanvi from the Muslim faith started with reciting the 49th chapter of Quran and spoke how important it is to see everyone equally, as brothers and sisters
Green’s Senator David Shoebridge simply asked for commitment at political, religious and community level for any kind of intolerance to be called out.
Jodi Mckay mentioned the visit of Dr S Jaishankar (Indian Minister for external affairs) and the upcoming visit of Nitin Gadkari to Australia.
The current NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Hon Mark Coure spoke as a representative of the NSW government in curbing intolerance against people of all faiths in the State.
He also went on to say that the NSW government will never tolerate Islamophobia in any way.
The other speakers Violet Roumeliotis (CEO – SSI), Peter Doukas (Chair – ECC – NSW), Dr Jan Fizzell (Senior Medical Advisor for NSW) and Lorraine Finlay (Human Rights Commissioner) paraphrased social cohesion, integrity, and unity in various words with different examples from their own fields.
The Keynote address was delivered by Craig Foster, Australian Soccer Player and a human rights activist spoke about how social cohesion should be in the bones of every Australian.
“Australia is a secular democracy and it accepts every human belief. But in return expects your acceptance of the same in every other human being,” Craig Foster said.
This event was held on the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings that killed around 200 people, including close to 90 Australians.
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