About 70 people (a perfect number!) attended a very successful One Spirit event at the Hindu Temple on Sunday, 27 September. The presentations were varied, heartfelt, moving, fascinating…. from singalongs, singing bowls, chanting and exotic instruments, to Hindu and Sufi dance.

Enormous thanks to the Hindu Temple, especially the volunteers and our presenters this year: Patrick Leon (opening and blessing), Janhavi Barve, Nicole Bentham, Maggie Calder, Vinod Bhardwaj, Roya Bennett, Carol Sokoloff, Taranjeet & Gurkeerat Makker, Lesia Kohut, Rahim Shayan… All drew our hearts together through their songs, instruments and dances.

The program ended with Hindu devotions and socializing, especially during the delicious and plentiful meal served at 6PM in the adjoining room. A selection of photos is here.

2027 Multifaith Calendars

A special surprise at the One Spirit event was the arrival of beautiful 2027 Multifaith Calendars from Vancouver ($15 or 2/$25). These will also be brought to our upcoming events: the Gathering of Nations on Oct. 15 in Sidney and our VMS AGM on Oct 25 at Christ Church Cathedral.

Time & venue: 4 to 7 pm, Sunday, 27 September, 2026, at 1934 Cultra Avenue, Saanichton. Street parking is available. Please register soon at this link! We’re now using Zeffy to handle registrations. One Spirit is completely organized and carried out by volunteers, with the meal covered by donations of any amount. You’ll see that an online donation is appreciated but not mandatory, and there’s no need to bring a copy of the ticket. We look forward to seeing you there!

The 4th session of the 2026 Listening Circles was held on 13 August with a wonderful presentation by Imam Ebrahim Ali and participants from the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Baha’i and Unitarian communities. Thanks to all for this great demonstration of interfaith unity! Special thanks to the Imam, to Gita Badiyan for facilitating, to Christ Church Cathedral for hosting us in this perfect space, to Fig Deli for the fabulous lasagna that we all enjoyed, and to Henri Lock, Frank Hitchmough, Jennie Keeran and Trish Sanders for their much appreciated hands-on support during the evening.

On this 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima-Nagasaki, nearly 200 people gathered at the Japanese-style pavilion to share a heartfelt commitment to peace.

MC Dr. Dillon Takata spoke of his family, who had once owned a tea garden on the site before being taken to Japanese internment camps and eventually resettled elsewhere. Their returned family piano now stands in the lobby of the Pavilion just outside the large light-filled room where lanterns were decorated and assembled on the night of the annual 6 August commemoration Honouring Peace.

At sunset the lit lanterns floated in the reflective ponds of the Pavilion. The program preceding the lantern ceremony alternated spoken presentations with Taiko drumming, singing and dance, reflecting Japanese culture and also emphasizing the need for peace and disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament.

The event was organized by the Greater Victoria Peace School with VMS among its co-sponsors. We would like to thanks all of the presenters and volunteers, including those from the Mormon and Baha’i communities pictured above. Well done, all!

Photos of the event are here.

The Victoria Multifaith Society is again a proud sponsor of Honouring Peace, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Day event held annually at the Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion on the anniversary of the atomic bombing, dedicated to a celebration of culture and peace. To track numbers for this free event, please register here with Eventbrite, which will also provide you with additional information and important reminders.

All materials for the lantern-making workshop (indoors 6pm), presentations (outdoors 7:30pm), parking and indoor information displays are provided free of charge. In order for this event to be sustainable, we also ask that participants bring whatever cash donations you’d like to contribute. Participants are welcome to bring blankets and food/drinks to the site. The event ends with a ceremonial launching of the decorated lanterns at sunset (9:15pm). We hope to see you there!

The Victoria Multifaith Society strongly condemns the recent horrific, racially motivated attack on Imam Ebrahim Ali of the Masjid Al-Iman in Victoria. While we are profoundly relieved that Imam Ali did not sustain serious injuries and that the suspect is currently in police custody, we are deeply disturbed by this senseless act of violence and bigotry.

We stand in absolute solidarity with Imam Ebrahim Ali, his family, and the entire Muslim community. An assault on any faith leader or house of worship is a direct assault on the core values of diversity, safety, and mutual respect that define our community. Racism, Islamophobia, and violence have absolutely no place in Greater Victoria.

Unfortunately, this incident is not isolated. Mosques, synagogues, churches, temples, gurdwaras, religious schools, community organizations, faith leaders, and families have faced threats, vandalism, harassment, and violence. Such acts strike at the heart of the values of dignity, freedom of religion, and mutual respect that define Canada.

As people of faith, we recognize that behind every statistic is a human story—a family seeking safety, a child seeking belonging, a congregation gathering in prayer, and neighbours wishing to live free from fear. Our diverse religious traditions teach the sacred worth and dignity of every human being. We affirm that when one faith community is targeted, all communities are diminished.

The Victoria Multifaith Society unequivocally condemns Islamophobia, antisemitism, and all forms of religious hatred. Every faith tradition represented within VMS calls us to uphold human dignity, reject prejudice, and stand alongside those who experience hatred because of their faith. Love unites; hate divides. Religious hatred in any form is a profound moral wrong, incompatible with both our faith traditions and the values of the great majority of Canadians.

We urge community members of all faiths and backgrounds to stand together, reject divisiveness, and continue building a community rooted in peace, empathy, and security for everyone.

A free screening and discussion of the documentary Who Do You Think You Are? on Sunday 24 May at 6:30 at UVic Multifaith Centre. Filmmakers Alan Baiss and Joseh Garcia will be present.

Alan and Joseh are two Canadian documentary filmmakers offering a series of screenings across Western Canada, with a stop in Victoria on Sunday, May 24th. Their 60-minute film, Who Do You Think You Are? explores today’s global crises and our disconnection from our deepest level of self. Through the wisdom of psychologists, spiritual leaders, and people who have undergone deep personal transformation — Neale Donald Walsch (author of “Conversations with God”), Patch Adams, MD (physician, clown, activist), and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati (spiritual leader, Parmarth Niketan) — the documentary invites reflection on what the current global crises are asking of us.

Victoria Multifaith Society and UVic Multifaith are teaming up to offer this screening (see trailer below), which will be followed by a Q&A with the visiting filmmakers and discussion of the theme.

The documentary’s running time is 60 minutes. More than a screening, it is an experiential offering — one that opens space for inner inquiry and shared reflection. Offered free of charge. 

Please see the trailer and website:
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oVozRJmpwM
Website: http://www.integralinspirations.com

On Sunday, April 19, 47 people attended a conference in honour of Earth Day hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in collaboration with the Victoria Multifaith Society and the Multifaith Summit Council of BC.

The program featured panelists Dr. Rick Kool (Jewish), Dr Kala Singh (Sikh), Dr Anneli Driessen (Metaphysical), Jim Flood (Baha’í), Rukhsan Butt (Muslim, photo), Priyanka Singh (Sanatan), Kelly Urarii (Christian) and Onkar Hans (Hindu). It was followed by refreshments in the Cultural Hall.

The wide diversity of the 7-minute presentations reflected the colour and individuality of the faiths and the speakers. But several common threads in spiritual teachings were apparent in the remarks: the obligation of human beings to be kind; that turning away from spirituality and allowing greed causes us to pollute the Earth, the sacred creation of God; that the nature of our thoughts causes material outcomes; that reverence, gratitude, balance, moderation and care should guide us; that waste, corruption, excess and war harm us both morally and physically. Since all creation is pervaded by the divine, our actions should reflect reverence and respect; children are taught to take in a principled way, always giving back.

On March 9, 2026, an announcement was made at the BC Legislature by Premier Eby, Attorney-General Niki Sharma and Minister of Education Lisa Beare, with faith leaders in attendance. Students, educators and people attending faith services will soon see stronger protections that help ensure public spaces remain safe and respectful, with proposed laws extending safe‑access zones at schools and establishing new ones at places of worship. Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/33444

People of many faiths and backgrounds gathered at the Legislature on Monday 9 March to celebrate Iftar, the breaking of the Fast at the end of the day during Ramadan. Premier David Eby and a selection of MLAs and community leaders offered comments and expressed gratitude for the joyful gathering and wonderful meal provided by the Sunni Muslim Community and the Olive Branch Revival Foundation. The photo above represents just a portion of the total number present. Kudos to the organizers of the event!