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AIFC anniversary 2026

AIFC anniversary 2026

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Our Common Future Built on Faith: Celebrating 23 Years of Inter-Faith in Auckland

In a world too often divided, true harmony requires moving beyond symbolic gestures and stepping into practical solidarity.

Join the Auckland Inter-Faith Council (AIFC) on Monday, 15 June 2026, as we celebrate our 23rd anniversary—a milestone that meaningfully aligns with the UN International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. This year’s theme, “Bridges of Shared Heritage,” invites us to recognize our diverse faiths not as sources of division, but as a vibrant, collective strength.

We are honoured to welcome Dr. Melissa Derby, Race Relations Commissioner for the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, as our keynote speaker. Dr. Derby will explore how empathy, deep listening, and mutual respect can dismantle the “clash of civilizations” myth, replacing it with a shared vision where universal human dignity forms the cornerstone of global peace.

Come discover how we can collectively shield our communities against intolerance and misinformation, turning interfaith cooperation into real-world action. Together, we aren’t just talking about a better world—we are building it.

Event Details:

  • Date: Monday, 15 June 2026

  • Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

  • Venue: Parnell Peace Embassy | 24 Saint Stephens Avenue, Parnell

  • Format: Bring & Share Vegetarian Dinner

  • RSVP: Email nzaifc@gmail.com by 10 June 2026

Relationships in a Multi-Faith World

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In August 2025, the AIFC organised another successful event in their Dialogue & Learning Series. The title of the series reflects the setting: a keynote speaker sets the scene, and then there is plenty of time for dialogue which certainly leads to learning.
The guest speaker, Elena Villafana Sylvester, grew up in Trinidad, in a family with several faiths and their specific cultural traditions. While it was enriching in some ways, it also had its challenges.

Read the full article here.

Freedom of Religion and Belief in New Zealand

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The Auckland Inter-Faith Council was represented by both Co-Presidents at the recent Conference with the topic “Freedom to Do, to Be and to Become: Enhancing Individuals’ Opportunities to Believe and Live as They Choose Within the Framework of the Law”. The Conference was sponsored by The International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU Law School (USA), The University of Waikato Te Piringa – Faculty of Law (NZ), The Religious Freedom and Human Dignity Initiative at BYU–Hawaii (USA), and The J. Reuben Clark Law Society (NZ)
Please click on the picture below to read the report by Beate Matthies:

Interfaith Creek Clean-Up

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All our Faiths share a deep concern for the environment, and particularly for clean waters. Today, we had a great turn-out at our Creek Clean-up in Whenuapai. About 70 people of different age groups and different religions came together and pulled tires, car parts and many bottles out of the creek and the surrounding bush.
See an article by Beate Matthies here.