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The Together for Humanity Foundation Limited is a genuine interfaith partnership and a non-profit organisation set up to enable people - particularly children - of all faiths to work together to reduce prejudice and cultivate a more harmonious society. (charter). The Foundation is an independent grass roots initiative which had its origins in 2002. In that year, a Jewish Rabbi, a Muslim film maker and a Christian theology student started the Goodness and Kindness campaign in schools under the auspices of Chabad House of the North Shore, initially in co-operation with the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. The Foundation has worked closely with individuals and organisations, most recently the Affinity Intercultural Foundation and the Jewish Muslim Christian Association. The Foundation is overseen by an independent board of directors consisting of equal representation of members of the participating faiths. The Foundation is strongly supported by, and consults widely with, the participating communities and departments of education. Our projects are funded by the Australian, Queensland and New South Wales governments and private donations: donations to the Foundation’s activities in Government schools are tax deductible. Rabbi Zalman Kastel - National Director & Coordinator NSW Activities. Ms. Fairlie Nasau - Victoria Committee Liason with - JCMA, Managing Goodness and Kindness Presentations in Victoria. Janette Windt - Victoria Coordinator- Booking Officer for Goodness and Kindness Victoria Steering Committee Sister Dr Giovanni Farquar Board of Directors Mr Peter Stephinson- Businessman founder of Glass Security,Chairman;
Who is behind this?The Goodness and Kindness Action and Acceptance for a better world Workshops in schools is authorised by the NSW Department of Education and Training and endorsed by the Victorian Department of Education. The Australians Together in Values project is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's, Living in Harmony Community Partnerships Programme and by the NSW Community Relations Commission. The programme has the support of Affinity Intercultural Foundation; Anti-Defamation Commission of the B’nai B’rith Australia and New Zealand; Australian Council for Islamic Education in Schools (ACIES); Australian Multicultural Foundation; Bishop Kevin Manning of the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta; The Centre for Dialogue, La Trobe University; The Centre for Research on Social Inclusion, Macquarie University; the Executive Council of Australian Jewry; the Islamic Council of Victoria; Islamic clergy in NSW including Sheik Kalil Chami, Imam Amin Hady of the Prime Minister’s reference group; The National Council of Churches; The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies; the Uniting Church Synod- mission to youth (VIC/TAS); the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, and many others. Our programmeOur main focus is the Together for Humanity workshops and sister schools programmes. Schools are visited by a team consisting of three or four role models from different faith backgrounds, typically a Christian, a Jew and a Muslim, and sometimes an Indigenous person. The members of the team work as a unit as they interact with students. In a very real sense the medium is the message, “We are of these faiths but still work together, and so can you”.
The programme provides learning experiences that promote careful thinking about people of different backgrounds and challenge students to reassess the simplistic and divisive assumptions sometimes made about people of different faiths and backgrounds, in the light of the common values that all people share. Students are given insights relating to the role of the media in shaping perceptions and opinions: they are taught to consider the facts that the media does not present, and to respect the narratives of people with differing views. The experiential nature of the programme enables students to develop empathy with people of other faiths and backgrounds while they are having fun. The programme’s presenters are available to address adult groups in the community, the education sector, the media and conferences. This programme is the primary focus of our Australians Together in Values project, funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's, Living in Harmony Community Partnerships Programme. Background The Goodness and Kindness programme was launched in NSW in 2002 to address division in our society and in response to a perceived need for increased action and co-operation on the common values of all Australians. To date, over 35 000 Australian children have participated in this inspiring programme, testimony to the enthusiastic response of students, teachers and school principals. Its goals and impact have also been commended by governments, many private organisations and the media. It has featured on the ABC’s Compass programme, Channel 7’s Sunrise and on Channel 10 on Cheez TV, as well as on radio and in the print media. The value that is placed on the programme was evident when a giant patchwork quilt, spelling the words Goodness and Kindness consisting of 5000 children’s kindness messages, was displayed on NSW Parliament House. The programme’s Goodness and Kindness workshops are managed in Victoria by the JCMA, The Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia Inc. During 2007 and continuing into 2008, the programme will run in many NSW and Victorian schools, with some work in the Northern Territory and Queensland. |
