Archbishop’s Iftar Dinner

On Wednesday the 6^th of April Archbishop Anthony Fisher hosted his annual Iftar Dinner. This event has been a key plank in the interfaith work of the ACEIR for over a decade, and an enduring symbol of the brotherhood shared between people of faith throughout the city of Sydney.

An Iftar is the breaking of the fast observed after sundown by members off the Muslim faith during Ramadan, but more than that it is a time to express charity and connection in the shared act of breaking bread and sharing a meal. As such, it is a time when the Archbishop welcomes guests into his home to build and maintain strong friendships with brothers and sisters of faith. One consistent feature of this dinner is that it is a multicultural and multi-faith event. Representatives from a variety of Christian groups, Jewish communities within Sydney, Hindu, Buddhist, and many more are among the guests. The dinner is truly an expression of the work of the ACEIR and the enduring friendships which have been created and are a feature of the people of faith, all faiths, across Sydney.

This year in his address Archbishop Anthony spoke about the importance of faith and belief within both public and private spheres of life. He called for cooperation of people who hold fast to these things in order to ‘seek to hang the tapestry of faith, hope, and love boldly in the squares both public and private’ so that we can work together for a better and brighter world. The Archbishop’s address was, as ever, followed by a short response from a representative of the Muslim faith.