The consultation process will involve three elements:

1. a small working group to develop a draft for public consultation. This will comprise people directly involved in workplace issues
2. a reference group to provide input to the working group on terms of reference, feedback on the first draft and feedback on the final draft. This group will be open to representatives of religious and belief groups
3. a public consultation through the Religious Diversity Network and employment networks.

The Human Rights Commission receives a steady flow of enquiries and complaints regarding accommodating religious practices in the workplace. The enquiries and complaints cover a range of issues such as clothing, prayer times and spaces, recognition of sacred days, issues of health and safety, inclusion and tolerance. The intention is to develop the guidelines for religious diversity in the workplace to assist employers and employees to better deal with some of the workplace issues that might arise. The Guidelines for Religious Diversity in the Workplace continues the focus of different aspects of the Statement on Religious Diversity.

The survey asks two questions:

• What is the most pressing human rights issue for you?
• What would make the biggest difference to you?

The survey can be filled out online.

an updated New Zealand Action Plan for Human Rights also includes updating the 2004 status report Human rights in New Zealand Today, including the section on the right to freedom of religion and belief. An initial draft of this section is now available for comment. We welcome feedback particularly on things that you consider are the priorities for action in the next five years. Please e-mail us with any suggestions.

The New Zealand delegation included Dr Manuka Henare, Reverend Fei Taule'ale'ausumai, Professor Paul Morris, Rehanna Ali, Richard Tankersley, Dr Anwar Ghani, Verpal Singh, See Shen Lee, Pritika Sharma and Tayyaba Khan. The delegation was supported by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Office of Ethnic Affairs.

The theme for the Dialogue was Future Faith Leaders: Regional Challenges and Responses. New Zealand led a plenary session on the topic of Faith and the Media/internet. Hon Pansy Wong delivered a keynote address on the topic which was followed by presentations from Dr Anwar Ghani and Verpal Singh. All the New Zealand delegates had active roles in the Dialogue including through chairing working groups and leading intra-faith sessions. The other three main topics for the event were Building Relationships among Future Faith Leaders, Faith and Education, and Conflict Resolution and Peace-building. The event concluded with agreement on the Perth Declaration setting out recommendations for follow up action by faith communities and governments.

New Zealand is a co-sponsor of the Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue together with Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The objective of the Dialogue process is to bring together faith leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss and address tensions between communities. The Dialogue helps break down barriers between faith communities and provides support for religious moderates to speak out against extremism.

Key practical follow-up actions for New Zealand are identified as:

• the development of an interfaith environmental project - to be recommended to the national interfaith forum in February 2010
• a leadership development project for future interfaith faith leaders, to be discussed with the national youth interfaith forum in February 2010
• teachers' workshops to promote and develop curriculum resources on religious diversity
• a workshop for faith leaders and media on religious diversity and the media in conjunction with the 2010 New Zealand Diversity Forum.

New Zealand will report back on the implementation of these recommendations at the Sixth Regional Interfaith Dialogue.

The Charter for Compassion is a short document reinforcing the importance of the golden rule: treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. The Charter calls upon all men and women to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion; to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate; to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures; to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity; and to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings - even those regarded as enemies.

The Charter is the brainchild of Dr Karen Armstrong, a former British nun who won the $100,000 TED Prize in 2008 to grant "one wish to change the world" with her wish to bring together a group of leading inspirational thinkers from Judaism, Christianity and Islam to craft a Charter for Compassion based on the principles of universal justice and respect. Over 1,000 people collaborated online to write the Charter, which is now being launched worldwide through a series of events and religious services.

The Auckland meeting generated a number of potential projects, including creating friendships between people and religious communities through meetings in homes, bringing our religious youth groups together to work on civic projects, promoting compassion in our own families, educating ourselves to dispel our historical ignorance of others, and using electronic media such as Facebook and web sites to promote our message.

Dave Moskovitz said that he'd never seen such energetic positive interaction in an interfaith event in New Zealand before. "In our own lives, our religions are a power of good, and our basic religious teachings tell us to be compassionate, love our neighbours, be kind to others, and be good citizens. This is common to all our religions, and provides a wonderful shared kaupapa or basis from which we can work together to make the world a better place. And there was plenty of energy and resolve at this meeting to do just that."

The Rasheed Memorial Trust was established in the memory of Auckland lawyer and pioneering interfaith worker Abdul Rahim Rasheed, and aims to engage peoples of all faith through collaborative action.

"The Trust is a partner to the Charter, which is appropriate given Abdul's history of compassion and tolerance to all peoples throughout his life," says Aarif Rasheed. "I still hear new stories of compassion rendered by my late father more than three years after his death which inspires the work the Trust now does. And by connecting good acts to the Charter, we hope this growing movement of compassionate action will inspire changes in our world. The Rasheed Trust is honoured to be joined by organisations such as the NZ Jewish Council and we invite other faith groups to join a growing coalition of groups promoting the Charter in NZ. Abrahamic faiths in particular attract criticism for not doing enough for peace, and we have a corresponding responsibility to act and inspire good."

The seats kept filling, until the hall was a vibrant garden of humanity. The range of cultures and religions represented on the programme was a delightful mix. With several religious groups participating on the programme, there was something for everyone: a father and daughter singing traditional Jewish spiritual songs, a mother-son duo from the Muslim community, attractive classical Hindu dancing, Sikh spiritual music, a dynamic Bahá'í choir, meditative chanting by Buddhist monks, Unification, Latter Day Saints and Catholic singing families, who also shared their spiritual journeys.

The Auckland Inter-Faith Council, who organised the event, thank all those who gave their time to share something from their spiritual tradition, and hopes the afternoon was an uplifting experience for everyone there.

Daily readings and affirmations drawn from Zoroastrian, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Jain, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Baha'i Holy Writings were used in personal reflection, group worship and interfaith gatherings. More than 3000 leaflets were distributed, with the largest order of 300 leaflets coming from St Mary's parish in Nelson.

Themes this year included Caring for Each Other, Taking Action and Understanding & Forgiveness.

Compassion is the principled determination to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, and lies at the heart of all religious and ethical systems. One of the most urgent tasks of our generation is to build a global community where men and women of all races, nations and ideologies can live together in peace. In our globalized world, everybody has become our neighbor, and the Golden Rule has become an urgent necessity.

The Charter, crafted by people all over the world and drafted by a multi-faith, multi-national council of thinkers and leaders, seeks to change the conversation so that compassion becomes a key word in public and private discourse, making it clear that any ideology that breeds hatred or contempt ~ be it religious or secular ~ has failed the test of our time. It is not simply a statement of principle; it is above all a summons to creative, practical and sustained action to meet the political, moral, religious, social and cultural problems of our time.

The Charter of Compassion is a global initiative that individuals and groups can participate in and promote amongst their communities locally.

This resulted from the TED wish of Karen Armstrong which was:

"I wish that you would help with the creation, launch and propagation of a charter for compassion, crafted by a group of inspirational thinkers from the three Ambrahanic traditions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam based on the fundamental principle of the Golden Rule."

To find out more,support and to share, visit: http://charterforcompassion.org/

The theme is Keeping Faith in the Modern World and will feature speakers from Australia and New Zealand. A special women's forum precedes it following this theme, and a special youth forum follows it with the theme: Faith and Sustainability for the next generation. It is the largest interfaith event in New Zealand.

"We are expecting representatives of over 15 faith groups to attend," said Dr. Ron McIntyre, President of the Christchurch Interfaith Council which is hosting the event. Workshops will include how faith communities can contribute to safer cities, religious education in New Zealand and how various faith communities approach ecological issues. "Faith communities have a role to play in seeking solutions to the problems of the modern world. It starts with talking to each other," said Dr McIntrye.

For full information about the forum, visit:

http://christchurchinterfaith.org.nz/2010-national-interfaith-forum

You can help us out by publicising the event with a poster by downloading and printing it off:

http://www.nawawicenter.org/images/posters/nmf01.jpg

Register online at:

http://christchurchinterfaith.org.nz/registration-2010-national-interfaith-forum

The Conference features invited international speakers Dr Jonathan Inkpin and Imam Afroz Ali, both from Australia.