Students share their faith

The Herald Sun, Greg Thom, 11 September 2007

 

The Herald Sun believes that today’s school-aged youth are more concerned with human rights issues rather than
with homework, exams and playground bullies.

The recent APEC conference saw secondary-school students react to world issues such as terrorism, discrimination
and global warming in two very different ways.

Approximately 300 Melbourne students, many of them dressed in their school uniforms joined the Walk out Against
Bush rally to promote their opposition to President George W. Bush’s ‘war on terror’.

Yet other students from Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious backgrounds came together and chose to meet rather
than march in a more peaceful approach to tackling terrorism.

To stem potential conflict, the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia (JCMA) strives to create a better understanding between students of different faiths by running programmes for primary and secondary school students designed to promote an understanding of different cultures.

Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, a member of JCMA, says that it’s all about the ‘idea of people understanding each other better. We are trying to develop a respect for difference and diversity.’ Rabbi Keren-Black also said that students from religious schools rarely had the opportunity to meet with people of other faiths and that students have a keen interest
to do so.

Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School also runs an interfaith day, which is now in its fourth year, and includes Christian, Jewish and Muslim students from Mt Scopus Memorial College, Minaret College, Caulfield Grammar School
and Aquinas College. Organiser Tim Kitchen says that it offers students a balanced perspective.

The promotion of inter-religion friendships and bonds is echoed in the 2007 Human Rights Youth Forum report, released
by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

For further information, visit:

The Human Rights Commission

The Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia

Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School

 

 

Back to September News Archives   •   Back to News Page