Circle 3: Abraham's Peace
- 1000 Abrahamic Circles
- Oct 20, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 16
20/11/2019 - 08/12/2019
Members
Rabbi Avraham (Avi) Bart
Rabbi at Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, Melbourne, Australia
Priest Michael Rajendram
Parish Priest at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Sri Lanka
Ustadz Muhammad Nur Hayid
Vice Chief of Lembaga Dakwah PBNU
(Pengurus Besar Nahdlatul Ulama), Indonesia
Project Report
Conclusion of the Journey
The 1000 Abrahamic Circles’ third circle in bringing three religious leaders of the Abrahamic faiths on a three-weeks journey has gone successful. This circle was particularly interesting because it was conducted in the Asian-Pacific region, inviting a Priest from Sri Lanka, an Imam from Indonesia and a Rabbi from Australia. Even with the presence of generational gaps, different religious world views and socio-economic background, circle members were able to build a strong friendship and mutual understanding at the end of the program. It is shown from the sustained contacts that occur between the circle members and also the secretariat even after the conclusion of the program. Circle members are still eager to share some information and knowledge regarding their reflections of the program and religious traditions.
The program has also successfully managed to provide a safe space for public discussions inviting people from outside the circle members. Visits that took place in one of the campuses in Yogyakarta and Indian Tamil School in Deniyaya, were one of the examples on how circle members were able to not only share ideas, thoughts and perspective within the circle but also with the Deniyaya local community which was very small but very active in peace building activity. The time that the circle members spent in Deniyaya and Yogyakarta was very especially enlightening as they were exposed to other religious diversity outside the Abrahamic religion such as Hinduism and Buddhism which were very much notable as one of the uniqueness of South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. In Australia, internal discussion was done in rather a smaller group, inviting religious leaders of Abrahamic religion in the country. This allowed circle members to have a deeper and more intense dialogue. Overall, each country that was visited has been providing a unique experience for the circle members.
During the program circle members did face several problems in intercultural communication and clashes in religious values, at the end of the day, circle members were able to establish a close friendship and build understanding with each other, which is exactly what the 1000 Abrahamic circles aim to achieve. It is shown from their public discourse that the circle members have gained deep appreciation of each other’s cultural and religious understanding and the importance of interreligious dialogue post circle.
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