womendinner

Melbourne women got everyone talking again with their second annual Women’s Interfaith Dinner.

The Australian Intercultural Society Ladies’ Network spearheaded the project just over a year ago and received great interest from organisations throughout Melbourne to also get involved.

Held on Wednesday 23 January in Brunswick, close to 400 women congregated to show unity and accord and express the fact that the aims that they have are also shared by others, irrespective of cultural or religious background.

Women from diverse faith and cultural backgrounds, as well as professions, from Melbourne and regional Victoria sat around the same table, sharing a meal and illustrating the importance of bringing people, especially women, together.

Also present were interstate guests, from sister organisations of the AIS – Intercultural Harmony Society in Perth and Affinity Intercultural Foundation in Sydney, who came to Melbourne just for the event.

The lengthy list of co-sponsors is testament to the actual diversity of the women present: The Moonee Valley Peace Network, Melbourne Sakya Centre, Catholic Interfaith Committee, Australian Catholic University, Uniting Church Australia, National Council of Jewish Women, Anti Defamation Commission, Trinity College, Victoria Police Multicultural Advisory Unit and Temple Beth Israel were all involved in the organisation and running of the dinner, making it a great success.

The opening address was made by Leonie Christopherson, President of the National Council of Women of Australia, followed by a prayer by Indigenous representative Betty Pike.

Interwoven around the theme of ‘Cultural Diversity: the Challenges Facing Us as Women’, three speakers – Reverend Jean Penman, Melanie Landau, from Monash University’s Australian Centre for the Study of Jewish Civilisation and Fulya Celik, from the Australian Intercultural Society – as representatives of major faith communities, shared their ideas on how they envisaged the various challenges women face would be overcome and gave the audience an insight into their own life experience.

Also on the program were cultural and musical performances from diverse communities. Christian Solo Artist Teresa Brown sang with the accompaniment of guitarist Sharon Templeton and moved the audience with her charming voice.

The ZOOZ Israeli Dance group filled the dance floor, getting women up on their feet to learn Israeli dancing after their own performance, and the Turkish dance group brought a traditional Hen’s Night (Kina Gecesi) to the stage, allowing members from diverse cultural and faith communities to experience a key cultural event.

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