Opening program notes - Sunday evening

The opening ceremony is conducted by the Aboriginal dancers on whose land we find ourselves since they were the original inhabitants of this territory. They are dressed in traditional outfits, which means they are not wearing very much. Their presentation is very deliberate and rhythmic using sticks to create a slow beat. It is backed by a gutteral pipe sound that is created by one of the dancer - musicians.

The international president, Fr. John Pawlikowski is welcomed and he makes his opening remarks. He calls Australia a land of dreams and to gather here is the fulfillment of a dream. The Australian Council of Christians and Jews has a strong reputation of working together and setting a high standard for what we need to do as an international interfaith gathering. The ICCJ - Australia and New Zealand have a long history of working closely on relationships and program development.

Professor Bashir is the first woman Governor of NSWs. She is native Lebanese and a medical doctor, a specialist in psychiatry. She deals with problems facing society such as youth depression and adolescent health. She is also a violinist and is married to a former Rugby player. (More notes about Rugby elsewhere.) She is a very distinguished person who feels the importance of healing the earth through the collaboration of the interfaith community. She notes the work of religious groups on human rights. Christian and Jewish people have been committed to work for the betterment of life in Australia. But, colonialization has been very damaging to the indigenous people, the Aboriginals who have suffered especially because of the European pathogens that were brought as part of the colonization process.

Spirituality has been very important for looking at and addressing the lives of people who have suffered trauma such as the Holocaust, for example. In high school Prof. Bashir was in the company of many Holocaust survivors, an experience which impacted her and her outlook significantly. From that experience she recognized the need for the exercise of compassion being of critical importance for people who have suffered so. Her core message for the people gathered is the importance of compassion as a natural outcome of spirituality. That is a particular gift that the faith community can bring to the world today.

Dialogue and healing is a critical piece of what needs to be done, and this conference must carry on this tradition, as children of Abraham, we are charged with this task. With that, she declares that this 2007 conference of Christians and Jews is now open.


The head of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews notes, and welcomes the number of Muslims who are also here to participate and observe. They are welcomed enthusiastically.

There are delegates here from all around the world, 165 total, but that includes 40 youth - college age delegates from Aus and NZ who received scholarships. They are Jewish, Muslim and Christian, a very lively group. More about them later.