Sarah Oliver Announcements, Statements

Letter in Support of the Tana Baru Cemetery – a sacred site

Letter to the Editor, Cape Times

11 June 2018

Respect for spiritual traditions and spiritual authority is not something our society is particularly good at, but it is never too late to change.

Cape Town Interfaith Initiative (CTII) stands firmly with Bo-Kaap residents, the Tana Baru Trust and the Jewish Board of Deputies, all of whom have in our opinion put forward morally and ethically sound cases for the preservation of the sanctity of the Tana Baru Cemetery in the Bo- Kaap.

We call on all commercial business to recognise that the moral imperative to consider the traditional, cultural and historical interests of a community goes beyond land ownership. The impact on homes and lives cannot be lightly discarded, neither can it always be measured in monetary terms.

CTII is committed to the protection and preservation of the Sacred as it is perceived and represented in any of the faith communities of our City. We consider this a human right and a social responsibility: dignity, respect and compassion are hallmarks of a healthy, truly sustainable society.

We urge that this particular burial site, given its historic status and spiritual significance, should be preserved as a national heritage site and that all future developments involving places of cultural importance should be carefully and transparently considered in a forum involving not only financial stakeholders, but also those representing the spiritual authority of the affected communities.

Berry Behr

Chairperson

Sarah Oliver Announcements, Peace, United Religions Initiative

CTII participates in the URI Regional Assembly in Malawi

James (second from left) with fellow delegates, visiting a Mosque in Blantyre, Malawi
James (second from left) with fellow delegates, visiting a Mosque in Blantyre, Malawi

James Ellman, CTII Director, recently represented the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative at the United Religions Initiative (URI) Regional Assembly in Malawi. The Regional Assembly brought together all the Cooperation Circle (CC) leaders, from South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi. The Cape Town Interfaith Initiative has been a Cooperation Circle of URI since 2014. James described the experience as follows;

“The Malawi experience with URI has brought together people from various backgrounds throughout Southern Africa. It was an opportunity to learn from the various representatives about the challenges they face and how they respond to these challenges. I was inspired by the way they deal with their challenges using non-violence as their vehicle to respond.

CTII also shared experiences and participants were encouraged by the way CTII makes interfaith interaction a reality. CTII is seen as a beacon of hope to them guiding the way of getting involved in interfaith dialogue.

The 2017 URI Regional Assembly Delegation
The 2017 URI Regional Assembly Delegation

The one challenge I found that most of the organisations present shared, was getting funding for the great work being done. People in Malawi and Mozambique live in extreme poverty but they are positive and keep moving forward making a difference one step and one person at a time. Living in South Africa, I also see poverty and I am re-inspired by these CCs to stay faithful to the vision of CTII.

One of the main outcomes of the regional assembly was that a work plan was set up for the journey forward into 2018 and beyond for URI Southern Africa.”

Thank you James for sharing the experiences of CTII and being a voice for interfaith dialogue at this important gathering!

 

Sarah Oliver Announcements, Cape Town activities

Visit from Boston College USA – Religion Justice and Reconciliation

IMG_2659CTII in partnership with The Jewish Board of Deputies hosted 15 students and their Professor from Boston College USA, on the 15th August, in the succah at the Holocaust Centre. Local Jewish and Muslim students were invited to the conversation on “Religion Justice and Reconciliation”. It was an excellent interactive dialogue, thank you to all involved!

Nic Paton Announcements, Cape Town activities

CTII shows solidarity with desecrated Mosques.

CTII visit Kalk Bay Masjid
CTII visit the Masjidul-Jamiah Kalk Bay. Imam Achmat Sity is in the middle (holding kutbah); on his left in orange is James Ellman, CTII director.

 Last week 2 mosques in the False Bay area, at Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town, were desecrated, spattered with pig’s blood and body parts as part of a presumed Islamophobic attack.

 

Members of the CTII attended the Kalk Bay Masjidul-Jamiah  mosque for Friday Prayers and spoke with Imam Ahmed Sity. In his level-headed, peace honouring Khutbah [lecture] he refused to rise to the occasion in any measure of anger, despite this being the first time in the mosque’s 116 year old history that any such animosity had been shown toward it. The Imam said:

“We in South Arica have been embracing Islam for 3 hundred years along all other faiths with peace and harmony …  we respect each and every human being with honour and dignity. Never in the history were we as a peace loving community practising our diversity of faiths in Simons town and Kalkbay been confronted with this evil act of someone that’s sick in his mind.

From myself to the Muslims of South Africa we must practise Islam the way the Nabie Muhammad S.A.W. came to demonstrate the life of a Muslim… So we as Muslims must live  the word of ISLAM that stands for PEACE,TRANQUILITY AND SERINITY. We must not let our emotions over ride our intelligence…” [end quote]

It would be appropriate for people of all faiths (and none) who share values of peace and tolerance to acknowledge the global climate and like Imam Sity, resist fear, intolerance and the scapegoating of all we deem “other”. This is the challenge of these events for all of us in Cape Town and on this planet.

A Call to a Service of Prayer and Solidarity from the religious and civic leaders of Simons Town to meet at the Simon’s Town mosque, 9 Thomas Street on Friday 20 th January at 4.00 pm to express our support for Imaam Raban and our sisters and brothers of the Muslim community of Simon Town in the wake of the attack on their place of worship and peaceful presence.

Leaders of the community are invited to bring short messages of support and encouragement.

Sarah Oliver Announcements, Interfaith

CTII Annual General Meeting

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative will be held on 6th May 2015 in the Undercroft of St.Mark’s Church, Zonnebloem at 18h00. You are warmly invited to attend.

AGENDA

  • Welcome and apologies
  • Adoption of minutes of Annual General Meeting May 2014
  • Matters arising
  • Chairman’s Report
  • Financial Report and adoption of annual financial accounts
  • Appointment of Auditors
  • Election of Council Members
  • Guest Speaker: Pastor Xola Skosana: on “Interfaith consciousness in the face of rising phobias, especially xenophobia, and the way in which society deals with ‘the other’.” Pastor Skosana is the current chairman of the Western Cape Religious Leaders’ Forum

In order for you to renew your membership of CTII, or to become a member, your annual subscription of R150 will be received immediately prior to the start of the AGM. If you’re unable to attend the AGM, we will appreciate your renewal by electronic bank transfer. Our bank account details are:

Cape Town Interfaith Initiative, Standard Bank, Kromboom Branch, Br. Code 026209. Current Account number 270321357. Beneficiary reference : Your surname and Initials.

Thank you!