South West Pacific Regional Islamic Co-Operation

The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (Inc.) is pleased to announce that, in conjunction with the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) and the Fiji Muslim League (FML), it will be hosting the second "Southwest Pacific Regional Islamic Conference" in Auckland, over the weekend of 30-31st October 1999. As these Muslim communities live in the same region, we find we are facing the same issues and have called the meeting to discuss and explore a range of topics of joint interest.

Approximately 30 delegates are expected to arrive from across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. The topics discussed will include the building up of joint resources, construction of mosques and Islamic schools, the provision of Islamic counselling and marriage services, dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims, Islamic education for our youth, the provision of halal (acceptable for Muslims) food, resettlement of Muslim refugees and the general welfare of the Muslim people.

The aim of the forum is to foster greater co-operation and co- ordination of these and other activities among the Muslim people of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

The meeting will be held in the Ponsonby Mosque, New Zealand's oldest which celebrated two decades this year.

The first such meeting was held last year in Sydney and the following year will most likely be held in Suva, Fiji.

There are approximately 20-22,000 Muslims in New Zealand; 50- 55,000 Muslims in Fiji; and approximately 400-450,000 Muslims in Australia.

ENDS....

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