5th Regional Interfaith Dialogue Perth 2009
The event was hosted by the Australian government; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. During the Closing Reception held on 30 Oct 2009, BCWA President Dr Jake Mitra spoke with Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Stephen Smith MP about representation of the Buddhist community.
Participants from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam are gathered in Perth for the 2009 Regional Interfaith Dialogue on ‘Future Faith Leaders: Regional Challenges and Cooperation’.
The Perth Declaration
Participants from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam are gathered in Perth for the
2009 Regional Interfaith Dialogue on ‘Future Faith Leaders: Regional
Challenges and Cooperation’.
Considerable progress has been made in the economic and political integration
of our region. Religious diversity is a national asset that creates and enhances
multilateral relations between our nations. This Dialogue has focused on the next
generation of faith leaders who will develop a network linking communities
around the region for ongoing interfaith activities.
We thank the Government of Australia for hosting the Fifth Regional Interfaith
Dialogue. We also express our appreciation to the Co-sponsors – Indonesia, New
Zealand and the Philippines – for their continuing commitment and contribution
to the Dialogue process.
While the Interfaith Dialogues are important for the opportunity they provide to
establish contacts and engage in discussions, we recognise that their true value is
measured by the success with which our words are translated into action. As
delegates of this Dialogue, we undertake to take messages of peace and
understanding to our respective communities and to work together with those
from our own faiths and with others to implement these proposals.
No declaration can capture the range of partnerships and relationships between
faiths and across the region that have been created at this event. The full value of
the Dialogue will be realised by the implementation of the following
recommendations.
We unanimously make the following recommendations for action:
1. We call upon our respective governments to continue their support for
this Regional Interfaith Dialogue.
2. We commit to the establishment of an interfaith social network facility
with an online forum, which integrates existing networks.
3. We commit to fostering regional project-driven activities across faith
communities that focus on community service and development?
environmental challenges and social justice.
4. We call upon governments and faith communities to invest in the
development of future interfaith leaders.
5. We commit to supporting the development of resources for teaching
youth about other faiths that are acceptable to the relevant religious
communities and to educators.
6. We note the importance of, and commit to, the collection and
dissemination of best practice educational interfaith resources and
activities in the region.
7. We encourage faith communities to meet the needs of marginalised youth
as a response to the dangers of radicalisation.
8. We call for government and community support for faith leaders to be
trained in mediation for peace building and conflict resolution.
9. We call upon governments and faith communities to promote the
traditions of peace making and conflict resolution found within the
different faith and indigenous traditions.
10. We call upon government and civil society, including faith based groups,
to strengthen collaboration in peace building and conflict prevention.
11. We acknowledge the value of the freedom of the media in the promotion
of communal and regional harmony, and we call on religious leaders and
national and international media to recognise that this right entails the
responsibility for accurate and balanced reporting.
12. We call on faith communities to seek media training and for media outlets
to train reporters in religious issues.
13. We call on media and religious leaders to take responsibility for the
resolution of disputes over misrepresentations and other conflicts.
14. We encourage delegations at future Dialogues to reflect gender and other
diversity.
Participating countries will report back on the implementation of these
recommendations at the Sixth Regional Interfaith Dialogue.
30 October 2009
