Waikato Interfaith Council (WIFCO)

The Waikato Interfaith Council (WIFCO) is a voluntary non-profit association of persons who collectively represent the diversity of religious and faith communities that exist within our wider society. The Council shall exist to foster mutual appreciation and good relations between these traditions and communities; to coordinate action, and/or to act, on behalf of any or all of these communities in respect of religious issues and relationships to society at large; to act in an advisory and consultative capacity to the community at large.

The Waikato Interfaith Council is made up of representatives from several Waikato religious groups including Anglicans, Bahá’í, Catholics, Mormons, Hindus, Jews, Methodists, Muslims, Presbyterians, Quakers, Sikhs and Buddhists.

Visit the Waikato Interfaith Council’s website.

Projects 2012
Annual National Interfaith Forum

The 9th Annual National Interfaith Forum, with the theme “Spiritual Identity in a Secular Society”, will be hosted by the Waikato Interfaith Council in Hamilton from Friday 17th through Sunday 19 February 2012.  This year’s keynote speakers will be Dr Anna Halafoff, a United Nations Alliance of Civilisation Global Expert in the fields of multifaith relations, religion and peacebuilding. from Monash University, and Chris Nichol, a director of Mixed Media, a small communications consultancy which is committed to facilitating clear expression, accurate hearing and constructive engagement.  In addition to the normal conference presentations in concurrent sessions on Saturday, The Forum will also host the Annual Youth Interfaith Forum and the Annual Women’s Interfaith Forum, along with the first National Men’s Interfaith Forum.  Additional highlights of this year’s Forum include on-site accommodation, a conference dinner with music and cultural performances, an optional 3-hour bus tour of local religious centres, and New Zealand’s 1st Interfaith Film Festival.  The National Interfaith Forum this year also includes a multi-faith service on Sunday, 19 February from 9-10am, which will be led by local and regional faith leaders. The service is open to the public and will be held in the LDS Auditorium. 

Registration for the Forum is now open and can be completed by visiting the Waikato Interfaith Council website.

For more information contact the WIFCO Secretary.

“Raising Awareness of Religious Diversity”, 19 August, Auckland

The Waikato Interfaith Council and the Auckland Inter-Faith Council invite you to attend a session on “Raising Awareness of Religious Diversity” at the Annual New Zealand Diversity Forum to be held this year at the Aotea Centre, Auckland 19-20 August 2012. This session, jointly organised by the Waikato and Auckland Interfaith Councils includes the following talks:

• “Religious Extremism as an Interfaith Issue”, Professor Douglas Pratt, Religious Studies Programme, University of Waikato

• “Engaging the non-engaged: raising awareness of religious diversity in a secular society”, Todd Nachowitz, PhD Candidate, Dept. of Political Science & Public Policy, Univ. of Waikato
• “Raising the public profile of religious diversity: The Auckland Inter-Faith Council”, a slide show by Ruth Cleaver, President, Auckland Inter-Faith Council
This session will by chaired by Ruth Cleaver. There will be ample time for discussion during the session, which will be facilitated by Jocelyn Armstrong (Secretary, Auckland Inter-Faith Council). Date and time of the session will be Sunday 19 August, 1:30-3:00pm.

Support for Islam Awareness Week 2012

This year, the Waikato Interfaith Council will support the Waikato Muslim Association by helping to promote its efforts during Islam Awareness Week, 27 August to 1 September 2012. The theme for this year is: Islam and the environment: our rights and responsibilities.” The Waikato Interfaith Council and the Waikato Muslim Association will jointly host an evening celebrating the various religious perspectives on the environment.  There will be speakers and presentations from a variety of diverse faith communities, including Muslim, Catholic, Bahai, Hindu, Jewish, Quaker and other perspectives on the theme of religion and the environment.  

Date & Time: Tuesday 28 August 2012, 7:00pm

Venue:Hamilton City Council Reception Lounge.

For more information visit the Waikato Interfaith Council’s web site.

Interfaith planting for the environment

Come join the Waikato Interfaith Council and it’s member organisations and do your bit for the environment! Get your own faith community involved and come and support interfaith activities and the Hamilton City Council on the first day of Spring. We’ll be doing a wetland planting this day (due to the time of year), at the Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park, New Zealand’s largest inland restoration project, so bring your gumboots, a planting spade, a sun hat, and a smile!  This event supports the Waikato Muslim Association in their celebration of Islam Awareness Week, with their theme this year “the environment: our rights and responsibilities”. We’ll be announcing supporting faith communities soon, So get your community on board and contact us if you’d like to contribute. Visit the Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park website for an overview of the project.  For more information on this event, and a map of the site, visit Waikato Interfaith Council’s web site.

Date and Time: Saturday 1 September 2012, at 2:00-4:00pm.

Location: Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park (across from the Hamilton Zoo).

WIFCO’S 2nd Multifaith Service

Coming on the heels of the successful multifaith service held as a part of the National Interfaith Forum, in Hamilton in February 2012, the Waikato Interfaith Council has decided to make the Multifaith Service an annual event. We’ll begin at the Te Parapara Māori Gardens (a recent addition to the famous Hamilton Gardens) at 4pm, followed by a multifaith service in the Chartwell Room at Hamilton Gardens at 5pm. Come and join us! Stay tuned for more information. If you wish to help out or contribute, please contact us. For more information on this event visit the Waikato Interfaith Council’s web site.

Date and Time: Sunday 28 October 2012, 4pm
Venue: Te Parapara Māori Gardens and Chartwell Room, Hamilton Gardens.

 

Contact: Todd Nachowitz tn37@waikato.ac.nz

 

 

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