Australia Showcases Multicultural, Multi-Faith Identity In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- Australia is seeking to strengthen interfaith understanding and project its modern multicultural identity through deeper cultural and religious engagement with Malaysia, Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Danielle Heinecke said.

Speaking at the launch of an architectural model of the historic Adelaide City Mosque at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia here on Wednesday, Heinecke said Australia wanted to showcase the diversity of its society, including its long-established Muslim community of about one million people.

“We really want to show who Australia is today. I think we don't want to project Australia of the past; we want to project Australia of who we are today. 

“That includes a really vibrant multicultural community, interfaith community, and around about a million Muslims that now live in Australia,” she told reporters here on Wednesday.

Heinecke said the visit by President of the Australian National Imams Council and founder of the Alliance of Australian Muslims, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, was part of efforts to promote dialogue and exchange ideas on living in multicultural and multi-faith societies.

“We wanted to bring him (Shadi) here to have a dialogue and learn from each other about what it's like to live in a multicultural and multi-faith community,” she said.

Heinecke said global conflicts were increasingly affecting harmony within communities, making interfaith leadership and engagement more important.

Meanwhile, Shadi stressed the importance of dialogue and engagement in fostering mutual respect in diverse societies.

“We live in a world which is very diverse. People have different faiths, and a lot of people these days don't even have faith.

“And that comes with dialogue, that comes with engagement, that goes with reaching out to the other,” he said.

He also highlighted cooperation between Muslim and Jewish communities in Australia following the April 14 Bondi attack, stressing that it should not be seen as a religious conflict.

“The last thing that we wanted out of that tragedy is that this is a Jewish-Muslim fight. It's not a Jewish-Muslim fight in Australia,” he said.

Earlier, the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, in collaboration with the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, launched an architectural model of the historic Adelaide City Mosque, Australia’s oldest surviving mosque established in 1888 by Afghan cameleers.

The model, produced by Malaysian designers Technibuilt following detailed surveys in Adelaide, will become part of the museum’s permanent collection as a symbol of friendship between Malaysia and Australia.

In conjunction with the launch, Shadi delivered a public lecture on his experiences as a Muslim in Australia and the role of modern mosques in building inclusive communities, while also engaging with students from the International Islamic University Malaysia and the Al-Akhlas Hope Society.

The launch follows the 70th anniversary of Australia’s diplomatic presence in Malaysia in 2025, reflecting the longstanding ties between the two countries.

-- BERNAMA