Championing compassion and education
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South Australin Catholic Noel Mifsud delivered a keynote address on interfaith dialogue at the Sustainable Development Goals Roundtable 2025, held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Brighton parishioner and former Catholic school principal was invited by the International Journalists and Writers Foundation to speak at the roundtable in September.
His address called for a shift from passive awareness to active compassion.
“An interconnected world must close the gap between awareness and compassion by centering on dignity, inclusion, and shared responsibility,” he said.
Mr Mifsud also emphasised the role of education as a catalyst for multicultural engagement and social cohesion.
He advocated for deep listening grounded in self-reflection and strategic, collective action that ensures no one is overlooked.
“I remain deeply saddened by how, in an increasingly interconnected world, humanity has become disconnected from the cries of humanity and the tears of planet Earth,” he said.
Noel with Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecup.
“Together, we can and must build bridges, strengthen social cohesion, and begin to heal a planet in distress. Interfaith dialogue serves as a powerful conduit for compassionate engagement. It calls us to tear down the walls of race, religion, and nationality and honour each other’s invisible suitcase of dreams for a more inclusive, peaceful, and resilient world.”
Mr Mifsud’s visit also included tours of faith-based schools and a visit to the embassy of the Order of Malta in New York where he and his Australian and New Zealand delegation were hosted by Ambassador Paul Beresford-Hill and Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecup.
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