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 Charter for Compassion, Interfaith

Inter/ Intra Faith Iftar at Ahlul Bait Mosque

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The Inter/ Intra Faith Iftar was held in the recently completed Ahlul Bait Mosque complex. The fully carpeted mosque  complete with chandeliers and beautiful tiling is a sight to behold. It was a privilege to be present at this event. Over 300 people are fed here every night during Ramadan, in the dining space near the well equipped kitchen. The centre offers a library and numerous classrooms where lecturers teach free of charge on Saturdays to any pupils needing extra tuition, especially physics and maths. Doctors from the community offer free medical advice in the clinic availed to them. The centre offers ongoing activities and courses for young and old. The Charter for Compassion adorns the main  entrance also beautifully tiled. This complex is really worth a visit, and the community are so welcoming. – Mary Frost, CTII
Sarah Oliver Cape Town activities, Peace

CTII participates in Interfaith Blessing of Natural Spring Water

 

33510663_10156365063954493_2630393381167038464_nThe City of Cape Town hosted an Interfaith blessing of the Newlands Springwater at the new collection point on Tuesday the 22nd May. What a special moment! The rains were included in the ceremony, and the Water and Sanitation Department shared some interesting background to their very challenging task. This beautiful event included prayers and blessings from many traditions including Baha’i, Buddhism, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, Catholic, Unitarian, Anglican, AfricanTraditional and Quaker.

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Sarah Oliver Cape Town activities, Interfaith

Iftar with families from the Turquoise Harmony Institute

Each year the Turquoise Harmony Institute sends out an invitation during the holy month of Ramadan, inviting those of other faiths to come and enjoy an iftar meal (breaking the fast) with a family from their community. Mary and Francis from CTII enjoyed this wonderful opportunity:

It was such a privilege to be invited to an Iftar with two Turkish families this week during the sacred month of Ramadan. To  gather around the table sharing delicious food, different cultures learning from each other in a relaxed home environment. A much appreciated gift. Thank you Turquoise Harmony and our beautiful hosts. – Mary
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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!