About Us

Interfaith Sydney website is a fine outcome that arises from the ongoing discussion and collaborative efforts Muslims involved in the Affinity Intercultural Foundation and representatives from the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting Churches.

In 2004 these organisations were involved in an innovative initiative, funded by a grant from the Department of Immigration, Multiculturalism and Indigenous Affairs - DIMIA (now renamed to Department of Immigration and Citizenship - DIAC) under the Department's Harmony program, which aims to bring together Muslims and Christians in a home setting so that they can get to know each other by sharing their beliefs. A study guide, Sustained Dialogue: Close encounters of the Muslim Christian kind, was used by groups meeting in each others homes over a period of 6 months. The program continues to be used by groups of Christians and Muslims all over Sydney.

Out of a desire to foster these inter-faith relationships a planning group has continued to meet, setting up a Home Encounters Network (http://www.homeencounters.org.au) for those who have been involved in the groups and organising social and informational sharing events. The network has been growing in strength and has recently been awarded another grant from DIAC to foster wider inter-faith relationships within Sydney and beyond by setting up the Inter-Faith Sydney web portal.

The aim of the new web portal is to provide a meeting place for organisations involved in inter-faith activities to share and publicise information about their organisation and inter-faith events that they are organising. People who are interested in such events and activities will be able to use the new portal as a single point of entry to a broad community operating across Sydney.

It is hoped that this will encourage wider networking and sharing of ideas and information as we grow in greater understanding and appreciation of each other's religious, spiritual and cultural backgrounds.

First of its kind, Interfaith Sydney hopes to become the leading medium for interfaith activities from all traditions in seeking to enhance dialogue and understanding.