Rev Uesifili Unasa and TeRito Peyroux-Semu represented MCNZ at the event. by RDC Supplied

The Religious Leaders Forum

Report from Religious Diversity Centre

/ Jan 16, 2024

On 5 December 2023, the Religious Leaders Forum, hosted each year by the Religious Diversity Centre, met in St John’s Theological College on its historic site in Meadowbank, Auckland. Rev Uesifili Unasa and TeRito Peyroux-Semu represented MCNZ at the event.

Rev Te Hira Paenga, Tikanga Maori dean of the College welcomed the gathering with a mihi whakatau and gave a brief outline of the history and life of the college, from its beginning in 1844. Jocelyn Armstrong, Co-chair of the Religious Diversity Centre, welcomed the Forum as a key event in the RDC calendar.

In small groups the leaders shared the critical issues they were facing. They highlighted:

concern about the government’s policies related to te Tiriti o Waitangi and te Reo Maori,
the effects of overseas conflict and tensions on the related communities in Aotearoa NZ,
the current need for providing security for places of worship,
the long-lasting impacts of the Covid pandemic,
the challenges of diversity that can lead to anxiety and a crisis of identity,
concern for young people, many agnostic, and losing trust in the world around them.

Addressing the recent Statement issued by the Human Rights Commission and the RDC ‘Roles and Responsibilities of Religious Leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand’, the leaders discussed how they might together contribute to national conversations. They agreed to explore ways in which they might, as a diverse group but with one voice, offer the spirituality and values shared by the diverse religions. This would add a point of difference to the public conversation.

Jocelyn Armstrong reported on the progress made during the past year on two of the Religious Leaders’ prime concerns:

Learning about religions in our primary and intermediate schools: Discussions with the Ministry of Education have reached the point of offering teachers’ workshops now that ‘religious diversity’ is included in the Social Studies curriculum and teaching about religions can take place in Social Studies classes.
Care of the environment and the sustainability of the planet: The RDC Climate Action Group had sought the endorsement of religious leaders and communities for the Call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty in preparation for the UNCOP 28 Climate Change conference. The RDC’s successful series of four webinars, ‘E tu te mana o Te Ao, Building a Climate of Hope’ are recorded and available on the RDC Website www.rdc.org.nz for use as discussion starters.

In the final session of the day, the ‘Religious Communities Disaster Resilience Guide’ was introduced by Rohan Jaduram of Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) and RDC Trustee, Professor Paul Morris. Produced by the AEM with the RDC, the RDC is now prepared to work with councils and religious communities to develop a Guide for other centres in the country.

The Leaders agreed to meet again early in the New Year to take this meeting’s discussions further. The day closed with prayer led by the Religious Leaders Forum secretary, the Rev Prince Devanandan.