Only 2.3 per cent of the 23.5 million people living in Australia are of Aboriginal descent, the other 97.7 per cent are migrants from many different countries. These 23.5 million people from diverse cultural, racial and religious backgrounds all live and work daily side by side, within their communities, in schools, religious gatherings, hospitals, workplaces, on trains and buses, in entertainment and sporting venues, and more.
We are all conditioned to our own personal cultures. The truth is, for many of us, our only experience and excitement over diversity is through overseas holidays, global television, movies and on. And there is a world of difference between a short-term experience of another culture and a daily life in close contact with people whose race, culture and religion are very different from our own.
The most significant and common issues, as I see it, are, first, that people of all faiths should treat others, regardless of faith, as they too would like to be treated, in their daily routines, at work, in private venues or in public places, where tensions are the most tangible.
Second, we should respect the similarities of the faiths as well as the differences in order to maintain an open and constructive dialogue, avoid politicisation of religion, and focus on true understanding of other religions in order to dispel misinformation.
Third, we should show respect and understanding which extends to sensitivities regarding places of worships, religious beliefs, books and prophets. We cannot taunt, ridicule, abuse, and show total disrespect/disregard for other people’s sensitivities by hiding behind freedom of speech and democracy if we want to live in harmony and peace with other religious faiths.
Key to this is the need for people to make a conscious effort to reach out and understand, and to break down their own prejudices over barriers, stereotypes and suspicions that are in all of us.
Only then can we move forward towards a compromise, ease tensions and begin a journey of healing.
In my opinion, it is not that we need interfaith dialogue between a handful of people of different faiths; rather the dialogue of life needs to continue beyond this to build the momentum we are seeking. This can happen where people strive to live in an open and neighbourly spirit of peace and harmony everyday, to get on with each other, and to be good neighbours, good citizens and the best nation, setting an example for the rest of the world.
Muslims understand the sensitivity of the issues concerning individual or group criminal acts that are linked to Islam. Muslims are empathetic and sincerely feel for the victims.
The whole Muslim community cannot be vilified, attacked verbally/physically, asked to apologise and be submitted to trial in the public space for the actions of a minority group and especially when the majority of Muslims do not subscribe to nor support such behaviour or actions.
Australian Muslims continue to face a constant and permanent challenge both from the media, local and global, as well as the political sector.
We need to promote religious tolerance and maintain religious harmony by focusing on peaceful cooperation and coexistence, reflecting values that are fundamental to all religions, in order to overcome these challenges together.
We should discard our differences and put ample efforts towards learning about each other, to foster national unity in Australia and take responsibility for ensuring that goodwill prevails across religious groups.
