8-10 September 2023
“Thus the Lord said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion, to each other;'"
(cf Zechariah 7:9)
As Australians prepare to vote on Saturday 14 October 2023, Christian and other faith communities across Australia will participate in a weekend of prayer, reflection and meditation for unity, hope and respect in the lead-up to the Voice Referendum.
Sign up via Eventbrite here to be a part of this historic national moment in support of justice, reconciliation, and empowerment of Indigenous voices.
What else can my community do to participate?
There are three simple actions that you can be part of:
- Include a prayer in your worship on the weekend of 8-10 September, to pray and reflect on the referendum
- Share your photos of the prayer event on social media platforms
- Tell others why you or your community are praying about the Voice Referendum.
Background
On 27 May 2022, the fifth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, nine leaders from key religious peak bodies came together to sign a Joint Resolution that called on a bipartisan action to hold a Referendum on a First Nations Voice. The peak bodies were the Anglican Church of Australia, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Australian National Imams Council, the Australian Sangha Association, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Hindu Council of Australia, the National Council of Churches in Australia, the National Sikh Council of Australia and the Uniting Church in Australia.
National Multi-faith Coalition
As the national referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament now approaches, representatives from Australia’s major religions have formed a powerful multi-faith alliance to celebrate the wonderful opportunity for recognition and reconciliation offered by the impending landmark vote.
56 years on from the momentous 1967 referendum, the weekend’s reflections will commence at 11am on Friday September 8 as representatives from Australia’s Buddhist community embark on a 56-hour meditation, concluding on Sunday at 7pm. Across the weekend, services across faiths and the nation will reflect on the Referendum, focussing on themes of unity and reconciliation, hope and healing.
Congregations from across Australia are invited to register their interest in participating in this historic collaboration.
Media events featuring multi-faith representatives will be held at major religious institutions in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth on Friday 8 September and Adelaide and Brisbane on Sunday 10 September 2023.
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