“A happy and engaging event of people of faith” – a comment made by one of the attendees summing up a celebration organised by the AIFC (Auckland Inter-Faith Council) on 15 June 2026.
In 2023, when the AIFC celebrated its 20th anniversary of its first inaugural meeting of the Council which was held on 11 June 2003, the celebration was so well received that it was decided to have an annual celebration around this date.
This year, the keynote speaker was Dr Melissa Derby, the country’s Race Relations Commissioner. It was not just an enormous honour and a privilege to have her at the event, but it was also a great joy. She was approachable and seemed to be genuinely interested in interfaith work.
The theme of the evening was ‘Our Common Future Built on Faith’. Allan White, who introduced Melissa Derby, recalled the 30‑year celebration of the Christian–Muslim Council a few days earlier where it was said that interfaith work was not simply working on being tolerant or developing understanding and brotherhood, but also about rediscovering who we truly are as human beings, members of one human family calling for the reimagining, reconceptualising human relationships for a future that honours the dignity of all.
The participants were people from all continents, many different countries, ethnicities and, of course, religions and faiths. During a shared meal with a variety of ethnic dishes prepared by the participants, people connected with each other, made new friends and built bridges.
Food and faith are closely linked in many – maybe even in all faith traditions.
Harpreet Singh Kohli pointed out the importance of food for the Sikh community. Guru Nanak told his people that nobody should go hungry, and hence Sikh temples also have communal kitchens. The members of the faith community all eat the same meal and use the same utensils. It has become a tradition that the volunteers are serving the food to those sitting in line (Pangat) for Langar (meal in a Sikh temple). Sitting on the ground in a line next to each other was meant to dissolve any discriminations of social standing between the people (Sangat). Hence the saying “Pangat before Sangat”.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly lays out that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Addressing the audience of diverse backgrounds, Melissa Derby clarified that the equality in dignity and rights doesn’t signify that everyone is the same. Social Cohesion is about being respectful, caring and compassionate with one another – especially in the face of disagreements. No country is immune against discrimination and hatred, but in Aotearoa New Zealand, everybody needs to be able to practice their faith without fear.
The revised Religious Diversity Statement that is about to be launched by the Race Relations Commissioner is aiming at providing the ground work for all people in the country to practice their religion or faith in harmony and with shared values in the community.
This has been a true concern for Derby, and so she held 35 consultations within three weeks, in which she talked to a wide range of grass-root groups, including the co-presidents of the AIFC, and asked them for feedback on the document.
The concept of Social Cohesion is to include everyone across the party lines, and especially people in their daily lives: a friendly smile, a helping hand and a listening ear.
In the following Q&A session, questions were raised regarding free speech and programmes to create awareness of the diversity of people and traditions in the country.
Applying the Golden Rule and treating one another with respect outweighs any punitive condemnations. However, this requires good will and the appropriate education.
A new Race Relations Day could provide the opportunity for everybody to support everybody.
We are all ambassadors for our country and our religion or faith.
When Rev Prince Devandanan asked Derby for advice on what she would like to ask of the Auckland Inter-Faith Council, she didn’t hesitate and reiterated: “Keep doing what you do!”
The two co-presidents of the AIFC, Ram Lingam and Beate Matthies, who led through the evening, thanked Derby for her commitment and her engagement in matters of faith and invited her to stay for a very interactive part of the evening: the ‘faith speeding’. The participants were given questions that they had to answer to their neighbours at the tables in a very short time.
The room was quickly buzzing, and nobody was tired at the end of a long day.
When the event was closed with a prayer, everybody left energised and inspired.
Article written by Beate Matthies (republished from www.studyjoy.nz with permission)
Photos by Barry Noel
