#ows23

Our Whole Society 2023

The Canadian Interfaith Conversation's Our Whole Society conference was a great success.

I thank and commend my organising committee colleagues for their tireless work.

A capacity crowd of people from across Canada deliberated on our shared responsibility to strengthen pluralism and push back polarisation.

The very differences and historical divisions between faith communities make them powerful forces for social cohesion, when they are willing to stand  together in defence of our common humanity.

Launching Our Whole Society 2023

Is polarisation growing worse in Canada, or are we becoming more aware of longstanding social divisions in our country?  How can we strengthen solidarity in a pluralistic society?

The Canadian Interfaith Conversation's Our Whole Society begins this evening.

🗓 07-09 May 2023

📍 Martin Luther University College, Waterloo ON

🔗 https://via.maharaj.org/ows23

Standing Together in Defence of our Shared Humanity

I am very grateful to Special Representatives Irwin Cotler and Amira Elghawaby, for coming together for the Canadian Interfaith Conversation’s Twitter Space.

In this clip, they both made impassioned cases for our country’s higher traditions of Jews, Muslims, and all Canadians standing together in defence of our shared humanity.

Freedom for One by Freedom for All

All successful societies hold to the ideal that none of us can be free unless all of us are free.  Can Canadians preserve that social consensus, in an era of polarisation?

🗓 Thursday, 20 April 2023 ⏰ 13h00 EDT / 17h00 UTC 🔗 https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1vAxRAVvjbrJl

Standing Together

How can Canadians of different faiths and none join hands to create a more inclusive and cohesive society?

🗓 Thursday, 20 April 2023 ⏰ 13h00 EDT / 17h00 UTC 🔗 https://maharaj.org/twitter

Special Conversation with Irwin Cotler and Amira Elghawaby

Statistics Canada reports that since the current federal government took office, police-reported hate crimes have increased by 138%, and that “Jewish and Muslim Canadians are ‘the most frequent targets’ of crimes against religious communities”.

As part of its response, the government named Irwin Cotler and Amira Elghawaby as Canada’s national leaders against antisemitism and islamophobia.

I am delighted that they will join us together, in a live-audio Twitter Spaces conversation, to discuss their work.

🗓 Thursday, 20 April 2023 ⏰ 13h00 EDT 🔗 https://maharaj.org/twitter

Canada’s Special Envoy and Special Representative on Combatting Antisemitism and Islamophobia

The Canadian Interfaith Conversation will host a discussion next week, with Irwin Cotler and Amira Elghawaby, Canada՚s national leaders on combatting antisemitism and islamophobia.

🗓 Thursday, 20 April 2023 ⏰ 13h00 EDT 🔗 https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1vAxRAVvjbrJl

Our Whole Society 2023

How can we build flourishing pluralistic societies, where people can disagree with one another without despising one another?

Our Whole Society will bring together leaders from different political traditions, different faiths, and different academic disciplines, to discuss finding common ground in a time of polarisation.

🗓 07-09 May 2023 📍 Wilfrid Laurier University 🔗 https://via.maharaj.org/ows23