Buddhist Council of Wales working for Buddhists in Wales

The following events were attended by a Buddhist Council of Wales representative:

8th March – ‘Inspirational Women’ an interfaith event for International Women’s Day, organised by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Nor’dzin Pamo (BCW Chair) was one of the speakers.
15th March – Interfaith Council for Wales event at the Cardiff Reform Synagogue
16th March – Interfaith Council for Wales meeting. Lin Ashby spoke about the Charities Commission (see below for more details of this meeting).
28th March – ‘Has Wales Become a Godless Society?’ – Gorwel Debate (please see Nor’dzin’s personal blog for more details of this event) 
30th March – BCW bi-annual meeting (see separate post for details) 
3rd April – Faith Communities Forum meeting, with the First Minister and other AMs (see below for more details of this meeting).

Events to which a representative of the Buddhist Council of Wales were invited, but no representative was available to attend:

7th March – The Muslim Council of Wales conference with partners in Wales exploring a community based response to violent extremism.
Race Equality First – Youth Against Violent Extremism Project  – 4 visits to churches and mosques

Forthcoming events for which the Buddhist Council of Wales does not have an available representative:
July 20th 2017 – Peace Mala Inter-faith Liturgy for World Peace at Llandaf Cathedral, Cardiff.
July 31st 2017 – The Welsh National Service of Remembrance to mark the Centenary of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) in Langemark, Belgium at 16:00 (local time)
Could someone from one of our Member Organisations attend this? Please contact the Buddhist Council of Wales at buddhistcouncilwales(at)gmail.com if you can help.

Interfaith Council for Wales meeting 16th March
Lin Ashby is the lead on faith-based charities for the Charities Commission. Many of Lin Ashby’s comments may be relevant to Buddhist groups and organisations:

• if you have a constitution you are probably acting like a charity
• even if you are not a charity, but work in that way, you need to observe the principles laid down by the Charities Commission
• Trustees should reflect the organisation’s remit and be diverse (gender, age, able/disabled, etcetera)
• buck stops with the Trustees – they are in charge
• the Governing Document of an organisation should include how to deal with a conflict of interest, and with disagreement, and include length of time in post for officers
• a Code of Conduct is good to have

She will be offering free workshops for organisations. The BCW will let you know when these are arranged.

The TSPC (Third Sector Partnership Council) has proved its value and been successful in a couple of its faith-based campaigns:

• Local Government wished to end Communities First. The TSPC succeeded in convincing government of the importance of Communities First and the problems that would arise if it was ceased to exist for those benefiting from its work. The government has changed its policy with regard to Communities First.
• Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities have religious requirements with regard to burial arrangements. Health and Social Care are now addressing these issues.

Faith Commuities Forum meeting 3rd April

• Syrian refugees
• Community Cohesion
• Valleys Task Force
• Budget Engagement

Interfaith Council for Wales event, Cardiff United Synagogue, Tues Nov 15 2016, 6 - 8

Interfaith Council for Wales meeting July 30, 2015

Nor’dzin Pamo, Chair of the Buddhist Council of Wales, attended the Interfaith Council of Wales meeting on July 30, 2015, representing Buddhists in Wales.

Agenda

1.    Croeso & Myfyrdod Tawel – Welcome & Silent Reflection             
   
2.    Ymddiheuriadau – Apologies                            
   
3.    Cofnodion y CCE – Minutes of the last EGM                   
   
4.    Meri Huws Comisiynydd yr Iaith Gymraeg – Welsh Language Commissioner

5.    Cliff Cohen: Cymorth Mudol – Migrant  Help   
      
6.    Cyfansoddiad Ddiwygiedig – Revised Constitution                

7.    Addysg Grefyddol – Religious Education                   

8.    Cadw De Cymru'n Diogel – Keep Safe Cymru                     

9.    Er cof – In remembrance: Kathryn Delpak                   

10.  Adroddiadau o’r Rhanbarthau – Regional Reports     

11.  Cyngor Partneriaeth Y Trydydd – Sector Third Sector Partnership Council    
                           
12.  Troseddau Casineb – Hate Crime                       

13.  Wythnos Rhyng-ffydd – Inter-faith Week                   

14.  Myfyrdodau Terfynnol – Final Reflections    

Notes to the agenda:

4: The Welsh Language Commissioner informed the ICW that Welsh had received official status as a UK language in 2011. She observed that the children and grandchildren of non-Welsh speaking Welsh families were now learning the language.  A representative said that Welsh had been assisted in its survival through the Christian bible having been translated into Welsh.

 5: Cliff Cohen, a retired rabbi, is establishing a group of chaplains to attend migrants in initial accommodation centres. The chaplains will be called upon on a rotational basis to give generic pastoral care. Please contact the Buddhist Council of Wales if you would like to know more about this scheme or apply to be a chaplain.

7: A number of representatives expressed concern over a comment by Huw Lewis with regard to religious education in schools. Huw Lewis, Minister for Education and Skills, announced in the Welsh Assembly on July 15th 2015, that Religious Education in schools in Wales was to be replaced by Religion, Philosophy and Ethics as part of the new Humanities area of study in the National Curriculum proposed by the Donaldson Report. 

8: South Wales Police, Learning Disability Services and Mencap Cymru, have jointly developed a Keep Safe Card Scheme for anyone in the South Wales force area with a Learning Disability, or Mental Health and communication need. This is intended to help individuals feel safer, and to assist police when help is needed. For more information: Keep Safe Cymru Card.

9: Kathryn Delpak was a highly respected representative of the Baha’i faith, who died recently.

10: The Gate arts centre in Roath, Cardiff hosts a spirituality meeting on the second Tuesday of the month. The peace mala organisation has a scheme of symbolic peace doves to travel the world.

Interfaith Council for Wales Meeting 24/10/2012

The meetings of the Interfaith Council for Wales discuss the activities of numerous interfaith groups throughout Wales and those based in universities and chaplaincies. The meetings are usually well attended by representatives of all the major faiths in Wales. It is a useful forum to hear of the many valuable interfaith initiatives occurring throughout Wales such as:

• Tŷ Cwrdd at Glamorgan University Chaplaincy
• Ysbyty Gwynedd Multi-faith Chaplaincy Centre in Bangor
• Community House, Newport, Gwent ‘One World Week’
• The ‘Religion Café’ at Cardiff University Chaplaincy.

Buddhist are already involved in many interfaith activities and others may wish to become involved. If you, your Buddhist group, Buddhist tradition or lineage are involved in interfaith activities anywhere in Wales, please do let us know at the Buddhist Council of Wales. We can act as a focus of information and thereby inform the whole Buddhist community throughout Wales of interfaith activities and interfaith opportunities in Wales.

Please contact the Buddhist Council of Wales using the contact form on the website.