Youth PoWR (Parliament of the World’s Religions) is the largest interreligious youth event in Australia. Its annual gathering of hundreds of young adults (18-35) from different faiths—Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jew, Muslim, Sikh, and more, including secular beliefs—strengthens intercultural and interfaith relations among Sydney youth for a more cohesive society.
Youth PoWR has been an annual, one-off event, but this year it is travelling to the four compass points of Sydney – north (Pennant Hills), south (Lakemba), east (Bondi), and west (Parramatta) – to meet youth in their own neighbourhoods.
Casting this Sydney-wide net is for a special reason – Youth PoWR is calling on young adults throughout the harbor city to generate The Sydney Statement, a list of interfaith actions that will help build bridges between believers from different religions.
Chair of Youth PoWR’s Coordinating Committee, Ryan Epondulan, says, “Inspired by similar statements throughout the world, such as The Vienna Declaration 2014 and The Washington Declaration 2018, this project will be tailored to Sydney’s multicultural, multi-religious society and is the first in the world to be driven by youth. Youth PoWR’s four events this year are an opportunity for young adults of every faith and belief who call Sydney home to help shape our multicultural and multi-religious city to be an inspiring example of respect for difference and social cohesion.”
Each event will feature a youth speaker, youth entertainment, food and, significantly, professionally facilitated group discussions in which attendees will voice their ideas for The Sydney Statement.
Registration for each event is online through Humanitix. Come to one or come to all!
- West – Sunday, 25 August @ Western Sydney University, Parramatta: https://events.humanitix.com.au/youth-powr-2019-west
- North – Sunday, 8 September @ Pennant Hills Community Centre: humanitix.com.au/youth-powr-2019-north
- South – Sunday, 13 October @ LMA Function Centre Lakemba: humanitix.com.au/youth-powr-2019-south
- East – Sunday, 3 November @ Bondi Pavilion: humanitix.com.au/youth-powr-2019-east
The more people we get contributing ideas for The Sydney Statement, and the greater the synergy among them, the better the product!
Looking forward to seeing you at Youth PoWR!!
For more information, please visit the Youth PoWR Facebook event.
Youth PoWR is a multi-religious initiative of the Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations. The Sydney Statement is an initiative of Youth PoWR and The Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations. The project’s research partner is Western Sydney University. It is funded by the NSW Government through Multicultural NSW and the St Columban’s Mission Society.
With thanks to the Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations.