Queuing up for the Opening Ceremony of the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre is quite an experience. The Han Chinese from Hobart's Tantrayana Academy perform their dragon dance in a swirl of yellow and red. Surrounded by saffron robes, turbans in many colours, long white robes, rich African patterns, European folkloric costumes, Pagan capes, Episcopalian purple, brightly coloured saris, skullcaps and other headdresses, it's thrilling to be immersed in this vast global interfaith gathering.

The Parliament takes places every five years - the last one was in Barcelona in 2004 - and this year, representatives from more than 80 cultures and faiths attended more than 650 events, panels, workshops and lectures delivered by over 1300 speakers and performers.

The Opening Plenary is a joyful celebration of music, blessings, chants and prayers with a highly skilled sand artist creating images to accompany each faith or indigenous group's performance. Echoing the logo and branding of the event with its desert reds and Aboriginal art, the program kicks off with an orchestral performance of The Rise of Bunjil(the wedgetail eagle and creator spirit of the Wurundjeri people). Senior Elder Professor Joy Murphy Wandin then delivers her welcome to country. This is a fitting introduction to the key themes of the Parliament: Making a World of Difference, Hearing Each Other and Healing the Earth.

The three keynote speakers have only a few minutes to communicate their message, but each does so powerfully. Rabbi David Saperstein warns of the dangers of misusing technology: in a world where we can do everything, the question is what should we do, he challenges. "We are the first generation that can educate every child, that can speed freedom across the globe. Our failure to do so is a failure of moral vision and political will."

Dr Sakena Yacoobi, founder of the Afghan Institute of Learning (an organisation that supported 80 underground schools for girls in the1990s), talks movingly of how her religion and belief in love, compassion and justice sustain her in her work to empower women and girls in a country torn apart by war, poverty, corruption and inequality.

When His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar comes up to the podium, he speaks with a lightness of spirit and gentle humour, all the while addressing some of the world's most pressing issues: "We need to attend to the human values, and how we can elevate the spirit to move out of this deep depression and anxiety, and violence."

Calling on the global family of the Parliament to act as a tool for transformation, he says, "As I listened to the symphony this evening, I looked at these beautiful singers and artists, all playing their own tune, but all looking at the conductor. All religious leaders have to take on this role. We cannot lose sight of that one Divinity, which has created this beautiful diversity. Otherwise we won't have a symphony, we will have chaos."

Spoilt for choice with so many events on offer, I gravitate towards anything that taps into the oneness of all things and a connectedness to the earth. Steering away from academic discussions and those based around socio-economic and political issues, I choose to deepen my knowledge of other faiths and traditions from a heart-based space beyond the confines of language and the thinking mind. Interestingly, I talk to a Sikh couple from Brisbane who think that the Parliament is all a bit of a circus: high on entertainment and frills, but short on nourishment for the soul. Perhaps that happens when you put spirituality on a stage, a discussion panel or behind a microphone, but there are opportunities to go deeper and explore the varying interpretations of the Divine in the daily observances and services on offer each morning.

A female Jewish student speaking on a panel of North American theological students says, "I came here to meet people who were really different from me and I found similarities." She also describes how a combination of Muslims, Catholics, Christians and a Maori woman attending Saturday morning prayers contributed to the most powerful Shabbat she had ever experienced. For me, one of the most encouraging signs of interfaith dialogue is observing a discussion between religious leaders from Iran, Israel and Palestine. Sitting on benches outside the seminar rooms, they are being filmed by an Iranian television channel.

At a session entitled, "People call us Pagan", I tap into my own cultural heritage, the European indigenous culture. The word pagan was used pejoratively by the Romans to refer to the country dwellers - the simpletons - and with the advent of Christianity, paganism became associated with ungodliness and devil worship. Today, this earth-based spirituality is undergoing a revival. The core belief of paganism is that the world itself is sacred and embodies the Divine. The Rev Angie Buchan, a Family Tradition pagan, tells us that we are all born pagan; we breathe in, we breathe out and from there we learn about the sun and the moon, the seasons and the tides.

Phyllis Curott, an attorney and Wiccan priestess, encourages us to honour the traditions of our ancestors and save them from extinction. "Paganism is the shamanism of Europe," she says outlining how she has been embraced by elders in other religions, such as the Hopi Indians, who share the same sacred circle and earth values.

Leo Killsback, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation of south-eastern Montana, talks about the importance of protecting indigenous beliefs, land, language and rituals from the threat of exploitation, development and restrictive policies. Language plays a particularly important role in the passing on of ancient traditions; the Cheyenne have many special words including one to describe the time just before sunrise and the Lakota people have 32 words for cousin alone.

Arturas Sinkevicius, a folkloric music teacher from the Romuva tradition in Lithuania, plays the flute and explains his work to keep the ancient Baltic religion alive through traditional music, dance, folksongs and by honouring the sacred sites. In common with all indigenous traditions, it's a spiritual and ecological system that encompasses every living thing.

On one of the mornings, I start the day with a meditation on the universal language of light. Combining sacred names from East and West - Aramaic, Hebrew and Sanskrit - with the geometry of the ancient mandalas, we tap into the vibrations that connect all things on earth. I'm not sure what to make of it, or the accompanying images of sacred spaces and galaxies, but it's all part of a rich day of spiritual exploration.

At a forum entitled, "The Search for Inner Peace" later in the day, I hear women from varying faiths share their approach to prayer. In just an hour and half, we journey from Rumi through the Bible and the Torah to unity in diversity and universal peace. The words that resonate most with me are those of Jessi Kaur, a Sikh. "The Sikh tradition is centered in the oneness of being, treating everyone as one. Every particle of creation is connected."

My own tolerance and inner peace are put to the test shortly afterwards when I turn up to Room 202 only to find that His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's talk took place two days previously. It turns out he had to return to India to take part in peace talks. But all is not lost.

I meet Ruth Armstrong, a volunteer and board director for His Holiness's not-for-profit Art of Living Foundation (now active in 152 countries) and see the energy of peace and love in action. Taking part in an Art of Living workshop brought spirituality alive for Ruth, a doctor at a newborn intensive care unit in Melbourne. "This is what it must have been like to be with Jesus," she says, describing her experience and how she is free to continue her Christian faith while, at the same time, embracing the Hindu religion practised by her husband. That's the beauty of the Art of Living philosophy of getting to the heart and soul of every individual, irrespective of colour or creed, to achieve societal change. It's a belief in the sacredness of everything we do.

I am lucky to secure a brief interview with His Holiness's right hand man, Swami Sadyojatha (Sadyojatha meaning born in every moment). He tells me how the work of the Art of Living Foundation includes working with young people, prisoners and those suffering emotional trauma. It's about handling emotions and calming the mind through meditation and breathing. His Holiness has coined the phrase IT.COM: Inner Transformation equals Clarity of Mind.

Sad to have missed Sunday's talk in which His Holiness led a 20 minute meditation and taught his sudarshan kriya breathing technique, I make notes on his wonderfully simple recommendations for meditation: "Think to yourself, 'I am nothing, I do nothing, I want nothing.'"

The challenge for an international convention of this size is to translate the discussions, plans and initiatives - and ultimately the spirit of cooperation and goodwill - into action. Many of us sign a 60 metre long scroll with messages of support and hope for the world leaders in Copenhagen, some of us sign author and religious authority Karen Armstrong's Charter for Compassion, while others take part in a Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony, a symbol of reconciliation among religions and peace among nations.

Coming out of the Plenary Hall after the closing ceremony, I am left in no doubt that the 2009 Parliament will serve as a powerful force for change. In a moving ceremony, Joy Wandin Murphy takes the stage with fellow indigenous leaders from around the world. A female Navajo elder summarises the concerns of indigenous peoples (to much applause) and calls for the adoption of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Nations. Adopted by the General Assembly in 2007, Australia, New Zealand and the US are among those who voted against it.

Next up is Bob Randall, Yankunytjatjara Elder and Traditional Owner of Uluru. Speaking elegantly and poetically, he refers to the Parliament as a meeting of earth families and talks of the unconditional love of all forms of life and for each other. If everything we do is for economic gain to benefit a few, he urges us to re-assess and reconsider.

Echoing this sentiment, His Holiness the Dalai Lama tells us, "You can't get peace of mind from a supermarket. It must come through our own majesty." Introduced by the deep chants of the Gyuto monks from the Tantric Monastery in Dharamasala, India, His Holiness is welcomed by Joy Wandin with a possum skin and gum leaves. With characteristic humour, he questions if the possum is still alive, much to the delight of the audience.

With a key message that greed, ignorance and short sightedness are the root causes of the world's social, economic and environmental problems, His Holiness talks of the need for a shift in human emotions, namely a return to love, compassion and forgiveness rooted in mutual respect for believers and non-believers alike. Calling on us all to, "pay more attention in implementing the ideas of the conference," and to further the legacy of the first Parliament held in Chicago in 1893, he concludes that all religions have an important role to play in dealing with today's moral crisis.

The incoming Chair of the Parliament of the World's Religions, Imam Mujahid, whips us up into an Obama Yes We Can spirit of cooperation. Pointing out that we need to make changes in our lifestyle and not just in public policy, he announces the launch of Peacenext.org, the Parliament's social networking site. Urging us to sign up, he asks, "What's next?" "Peace Next," we shout back.

As we embark on a new year, I will conclude with the words of one of the Hindu spiritual leaders. "We are children of the same Mother Earth and Father God. Worship your own, but respect all."

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org
http://www.peacenext.org

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