No one is an island: How faith communities are responding to social isolation in Brisbane 

For many years, the local governing body of the Baha’is of Brisbane, the Local Spiritual Assembly, has been learning about how to bring together faith and community leaders to explore and respond to common social issues.

In February, the Local Assembly hosted its annual World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration, an event that is part of an ongoing local effort by the Queensland Faith Communities Council (QFCC) to promote interfaith understanding and social cohesion across the region.

The World Interfaith Harmony Week celebration welcomed 88 faith representatives, public servants and civil society leaders at the Brisbane Baha’i Centre of Learning in exploration of the theme ‘Building community: No one is an island – responding to social isolation’. 

Nine presenters from different faith traditions including Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Christianity shared reflections on questions related to the role of religion in addressing social isolation and how faith communities could offer a response. 

According to the World Health Organisation, social isolation and loneliness have a serious impact on physical and mental health, quality of life and longevity. Participants were uplifted and inspired to hear how various faith communities were tackling these challenges through service, love, connection and the building of strong and supportive communities.

The Hindu presenter reminded the audience that ‘true fulfilment comes not from isolation but from service and connection to others’ while the Buddhist presenter shared examples of how simple acts of loving compassion, such as listening without judgment to an isolated elder’s stories, can restore a sense of connection. 

The Vedanta presenter shared how one’s connection with the divine can help one find true joy and overcome fear and loneliness while the Jewish presenter explored the importance of building community. 

The Baha’i presenter told a story of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u’llah, who said ‘If actions took the place of words, the world’s misery would very soon be changed into comfort‘. She explained that the Baha’i community was engaged in a systematic process of learning how to put spiritual principles into action to build consciousness and concern about one’s community, and to work together to create solutions.

The spirit of hope, unity and joy was enhanced by Baha’i prayers put to music. The final song including the following words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha:

The Local Assembly, one of the founding members of the QFCC, has contributed actively to building interfaith harmony by hosting events such as World Interfaith Harmony Week and World Religion Day celebrations since 2010. 

World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed from February 1 to 7 every year. It was unanimously adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 October 2010 and was launched globally in February 2011 with the aim of promoting harmony among people of different faiths.