multiculturalvictoria21 - Victorian Multicultural Commission

Transcription

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Chairperson's Report
CELEBRATE OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY WEEK
BLACK HARMONY gathering
THE GALA DINNER
QUEST AWARDS
ALL OF US PHOTO EXHIBITIon
A PUBLICATION OF THE VICTORIAN MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION
21
multiculturalvictoria
visit us at
www.multicultural.vic.gov.au
Volume
21
no.16 special edition 2007 ISSN 13219340
Contact us:
Victorian Multicultural Commission
Level 15
1 Spring Street
Melbourne 3000
Phone 9208 3184
Fax 9208 3179
Email [email protected]
or visit our website
INSERT SECTION HERE
contents
Multicultural Victoria, Special Edition 2007
03
Chairperson’s report
32
Victoria University signs Community Accord
33
Memories of Bonegilla
34
Pysanka - Ukrainian Easter egg painting
04
Victorians celebrate diversity
35
Fast-tracking a home away from home
05
In stitches from IL DAGO
35
NAATI Interpreter Program
06
Black Harmony Gathering
36
Refugee youth leadership development camp
08 The Gala Dinner
37
Women's Kebaya Weave New Threads
10 Quest Awards
38
Ethiopian Soccer Tournament
12 La Faya Festival
39
Gippsland Wall of Recognition
13
W11 Tram: an art of journeys
40
Congratulations graduates
14
Fitzroy Town Hall reopening
16
Women creating harmony
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
17
Harmony & Diversity
41
Education and Training Program for Outworkers
18
Gnatannwarr Multicultural Festival
42
Sheriff's Office goes multicultural
19
Bendigo celebrates
42
Keeping children safe
20
City of Wodonga Todos Arte Project
43 Discrimination in employment
21
Cultural Diversity Week in Mildura
43
Lucky Miles - Film
21
Busy in the bush
44
A.R.A.B. - Healthy Communities
22
ECCV signs Community Accord
45
Jumping a cultural hurdle to land a dream job
23
Department of Infrastructure
46
Thank you to our sponsors
23
Education staff embrace diversity
24
Information Session - Refugee Brokerage Program
24
Wantirna Primary School
25
All of Us photo exhibition
Published by
The Victorian Multicultural Commission
1 Spring St, Melbourne 3000. July 2007
For all editorial enquiries - ph 9208 3185 or
email - [email protected]
VMC UPDATE
26 Grants Update
Graphic Design: BJM Design - (03) 9467 9003, [email protected]
27
A special welcome
28
Introducing Mr Telmo Languiller MP
Cover Photos: Michel Lawrence
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week photos:
Georgia Metaxas Photography
29
VMC Advisory Council
COMMUNITY NEWS
30
Thai Culture and Food Festival
31
Monkey King Concerto
31
Women's Friendship Group
Copyright © This publication is copyright. No part may be
reproduced in any process except in accordance with the provisions of
the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Victorian Government,
1 Spring Street Melbourne. For permission to reproduce this document
please write to the Victorian Multicultural Commission
Printed by Metro Printing, 203-205 Roberts Rd, Airport West 3042
Copies of this publication are available free of charge from
CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT
Chairperson’s Report
Special Edition
2007
Welcome to the Special Celebrate our Cultural
Diversity Week Edition of Multicultural Victoria.
E
ach year Celebrate
our Cultural Diversity
Week seems to get
bigger, better and
increasingly popular. It was a
huge success with community
involvement in a wide variety
of activities across the State
celebrating our cultural,
linguistic and religious
diversity and acknowledging
the substantial contribution
that people from all over
the world have made to the
social, cultural and economic
development of Victoria. Once
again, I was greatly impressed
at the number of schools and
students participating in the
annual Cultural Diversity Week
Quest which received a record
number of entries.
The Week culminated
in the annual Gala Dinner
hosted by the Premier, and I
was pleased to see so many
leaders and representatives
from Victoria’s ethnic and
religious communities at the
Palladium at Crown where
more than 1400 people packed
out the glamorous venue
which, despite its size, made
for a crowded but nonetheless
enthusiastic dance floor.
Entertainment throughout
the evening consisted of an
array of dazzling cultural
performances – including
Japanese drummers, and
artists from Bosnian, Spanish,
Ethiopian, Congolese, Maori
and Indigenous Australian
backgrounds - as well as
an intriguing fusion of West
African, Arabic and Indian,
performing both traditional as
well as contemporary works.
Some energetic dancing by
dinner guests concluded
the night’s entertainment
and established the Gala
Dinner as a great success.
However, none of this would
have been possible without
the participation of our many
generous sponsors and
supporters. Stay tuned for
VMC notices regarding
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity
Week in 2008.
As announced by the
Victorian Government as a preelection pledge, the Victorian
Office of Multicultural Affairs
has merged into the Victorian
Multicultural Commission to
create a single entity devoted
to Multicultural Affairs. This
will allow us to continue
to work for and with our
culturally, linguistically diverse
communities and enable us
to be even more responsive
to community needs across
a range of CALD community
issues. More importantly
the savings generated by
the merger have created an
additional $1million which
will be directed to boost the
Community Grants Program.
More details regarding this
important merger can be found
on the Commission’s website
at www.multicultural.vic.gov.au
In this issue of Multicultural
Victoria, I am pleased to
report that the Community
Accord continues to attract
considerable interest, with the
Ethnic Communities’ Council
of Victoria (ECCV) joining
a long and distinguished
list of signatories to those
very important principles by
which Victoria’s benchmark
multicultural momentum
is maintained. At a packed
ceremony with more than
100 members of the ECCV including five previous Chairs
of the Council – gathered to
commit to the principles of
the Accord. I encourage other
organisations to contact the
Commission to make their
support for multiculturalism
clear and unequivocal by
signing the Community Accord.
I was delighted to see the
positive results of our Annual
Survey Feedback and I thank
everyone who took the time to
participate. Nobody but you is
better placed to judge whether
or not the Commission is
meeting your needs. Once
again, the thoughtful feedback
that you have provided will help
us evaluate past performance
and plan for the future. But
regardless of the time of year,
do not hesitate to let myself or
my staff know of any way that
we can improve on the ways
and means that we respond to
the needs of Victoria’s cultural,
linguistic and religious
diversity. Your input is the
cornerstone of our decisionmaking processes.
Enjoy the magazine!
George Lekakis
1
2
3
Victorians celebrate diversity
Tens of thousands of
Victorians came together
during March to take part
in this year’s Celebrate
Week activities.
5
6
1 Botue 2 Volunteers handed out ribbons
& balloons at the Festival 3,5&6 People proudly
wore ribbons to show their support for
cultural diversity 4 Neda Rahmani
T
he Week was once again a huge
success with more Victorians
than ever before joining in the
celebrations. Over 200 schools,
community organisations and local
councils hosted events to celebrate the
cultural diversity found in their areas.
The Week’s activities began in
spectacular fashion with the annual
Black Harmony Gathering at the
Fairfield Amphitheatre on Saturday 17
March. Thousands of people enjoyed
performances from some of Australia’s
best Indigenous, African, Polynesian and
culturally diverse musicians. On Sunday
18 March the Immigration Museum came
alive with the Mauritian and Rodriguan
Festival. A week of events and launches
culminated with the highly anticipated
Premier’s Gala Dinner which was
attended by over 1400 community leaders
at Crown Palladium.
For the first time the VMC worked
closely with the Melbourne Food and
Wine Festival to incorporate range of
cultural performances to complement the
international chefs on show at Fed Square.
Groups such as Asiko, Sendero and
Warako Musica dazzled crowds with their
vibrant performances on the main stage
and the Riverwalk Terrace.
Across the weekend Celebrate our
Cultural Diversity Week volunteers handed
out ribbons and balloons to crowds that
passed through Fed Square. People
of all ages proudly wore ribbons and
waved balloons to show their support
for Victoria’s cultural diversity. The
balloons were particularly popular with
the younger members of the crowd who
had the opportunity to sample foods from
international cuisine while dancing to
music from around world.
The Week would not have been
possible without the invaluable support
of our sponsors, supporters and media
partners or the dedication of teachers and
community leaders who made the events
such a success.
4
In stitches from IL DAGO
1
5
The Northcote Town Hall was abuzz on Tuesday 20
March for the opening night of IL DAGO as part of
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week.
C
omedians and stars of the show
Joe Avati, Simon Palomares,
George Kapiniaris, and Sri
Lankan/Australian comedian
Nish had everyone in their seats crying
from laughter at their hilarious stories
about growing up in their respective
cultures in Australia.
Some of the highlights included Nish
appealing to the audience that even
though he was Sri-Lankan, he wasn’t a
telemarketer or cab driver. Joe had the
audience in stitches recalling stories about
Italian weddings and being punished in
an Italian household. Simon had everyone
believing Spanish was the language of love
by proving that even ordering a Big Mac in
his mother-tongue sounded amorous,
and George was unstoppable with his
musical parodies and anecdotes about the
Greek family life.
Chairperson of the Victorian
Multicultural Commission, George Lekakis,
who attended the opening night said the
cultural mix of IL DAGO personifies
2
the message of Celebrate our Cultural
Diversity Week.
“Since the early days of Wogs out of Work,
ethnic comedy has made an incredible and
long-lasting impact to Australia’s cultural
landscape. Now, with IL DAGO, we are
thrilled to play host to such legendary and
well-loved names, who will join us during
this significant time of the year to celebrate
Victoria’s cultural diversity. Comedies like
IL DAGO provide an opportunity to reflect on
the quirky side of the cultures and traditions
that make Victoria such a rich state while,
at the same time, highlighting the similar
qualities that can be found in every family of
any cultural background”.
3
Following sell-out performances in
Melbourne, IL DAGO will be performing at
venues across Australia. Ticket purchase
details for all other states can be found at
www.myspace.com/ildagocomedy.
1 Special guests on opening night
2 Stars of the show Joe Avati and
Simon Palomares 3 George Kapinaris
4 Building up to the final act 5 Nish
4
Black Harmony
Gathering
In its fourth year the
Black Harmony Gathering
offered a unique artistic
and cultural sharing
between emerging
refugee cultures and
Indigenous Australia.
1
T
he Black Harmony Gathering
reflects the essence of the message
“Say No to Racism”. Hosted by
the Indigenous community through
the Warrior Spirit Collective and proudly
produced by Multicultural Arts Victoria,
the Black Harmony Gathering showcased
Melbourne’s best Indigenous, African and
culturally diverse musicians at the Fairfield
Amphitheatre. The banks of the Yarra
River created a spectacular backdrop to
the entertainment. Artists included Koori
Youth Will Shake Spears, Kutcha Edwards,
Narasirato Pan Pipers, Fusion, Kobya, Liz
Cavanagh, Eva Jo Edwards, Peter Rotumah,
Monica Weightman and King Bell, with MC’s
Kylie Belling and Gabby Fakhri. Special
guests included Uncle Herb Patten on gum
leaf and David Drysdale on didgeridoo.
There was a tremendous community
spirit with people wanting to be part of the
Black Harmony Gathering. Many of the
refugee and African communities had not
met or experienced Aboriginal Culture and
felt honoured and privileged that they were
able to do this at the event. The Warrior
Sprit Collective was inundated with phone
calls commenting that this year’s Black
Harmony Gathering was the best they had
ever attended.
2
3
4
5
6
The Black Harmony Gathering was
initially developed through consultation
with indigenous and newly emerging
cultural groups as a vehicle to bring young
and old together in harmony through
the sharing of the cultures of music and
dance. This consultation continues and
the group not only decides on the music
and dance but now includes crafts and
food. The Halal delights and Senagalese
food were well received but the highlight
especially for emerging communities is the
Kangaroo and Emu sausage BBQ.
This year the Koori Youth Will Shake
Spears dance group had the young sons
performing with their fathers and uncles
who started the dance group. The highlight
of the gathering had to be the Narasirato
Pan Pipers from the Solomon Islands
who mesmerized the audience with their
extraordinary music and dance. fuSAIN
was a forty plus Polynesian youth Hip Hop
Group that blew the crowd away with their
popping, locking, breaking and cRumping.
The Black Harmony Gathering not
only breaks down cultural barriers but
7
8
also gives all people a chance to meet,
share dance and enjoy. From its original
instigation to the present day we have
seen a growth in the attendance of the
diverse communities involved. This is seen
particularly amongst the youth
who are attending in greater numbers
from all of the communities and bringing
their families.
Black Harmony 2007 was produced
by the Warrior Spirit Collective and
Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) and
sponsored by VicHealth, the Victorian
Multicultural Commission, City of Yarra,
Bakers Delight and PNJ partners
Real Estate.
Sally Campbell
Coordinator
1 James Henry 2 Uncle Herb Patten 3 & 7
Enjoying the performance 4 Soukous Ba
Congo 5 Kynan Brown from Koori Youth
Will Shake Spears 6 Narasirato Pan Pipers
8 fuSIAN 9 Marlu Brown from Koori Youth
Will Shake Spears
9
1
2
3
The Gala Dinner
Over 1400 community, government and business leaders enjoyed a spectacular
display of Victoria’s cultural diversity at the Premier’s Gala Dinner held at the
Palladium at Crown on Saturday 24th March.
T
he evening was hosted by the
Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks
with VMC Chairperson, George
Lekakis acting as MC for the
evening. Mr Lekakis welcomed all guests in
attendance and acknowledged the presence
of special guests including the Leader of
the Victorian Opposition, Mr Ted Baillieu and
Robin Baillieu; The Lord Mayor of Melbourne
John So and Lady Mayoress Wendy Cheng;
The Honourable Daniel Andrews, Minister
Assisting the Premier on Multicultural
Affairs; and Mr Telmo Languiller,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier on
Multicultural Affairs.
haka by the Nga Hoe Waka Cultural Group
and a fiery performance by gypsy bellydancers Underbelly.
Japanese drumming sensation Wadaiko
Rindo was the first of many cultural groups
to take to the stage throughout the evening.
The powerful drumming performance was
followed by the National Anthem of Australia
sung beautifully by the Bosnian Sevdalinka
Choir and two songs by Indigenous singer
Kutcha Edwards. The crowd was also
treated to a commanding rendition of the
Ethiopian masenko player Dereb
Deselegn and stunning flamenco group
Arte Kanela performed after speeches by
the Premier, the Leader of the Victorian
Opposition and the Lord Mayor.
In his speech, Mr Bracks said “Victoria’s
multicultural heritage is something we
should all be proud of – and foster. Diversity
4
5
7
6
8
9
1 Soukous Ba Congo 2 Underbelly 3 Nga Hoe
Waka Cultural Group 4 Dereb Deselegn
5 Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks
6 Manolo Jaen (Arte Kanela) 7 lord Mayor
John So 8 Sevdalinka Choir 9 President of
the Maltese Community Council of Victoria,
Victor Borg, VMC Chairperson, George
Lekakis and Premier of Victoria, Steve
bracks 10 Bomba 11 Soukous Ba Congo
12 Guests enjoying the night
is one of our abiding strengths. A strength
that has enabled people of different
backgrounds and beliefs to create a new
community based on the principles of
tolerance, justice and democracy. That is
why we should protect and celebrate our
multicultural heritage.”
11
The flamboyant sounds of Soukous
Ba Congo and upbeat Funk Reggae band
Bomba inspired everyone to take to the
dance floor for the remainder of the evening.
A special one-hour program showing
highlights of the evening was aired on
Channel 31 on Sunday 3 June at 7.30pm.
10
12
10
1
2
3
4
Quest Awards
Over 120 excited students
attended the annual
Cultural Diversity
Quest Awards at the
Immigration Museum on
Friday 23 March.
T
his year’s Quest attracted a record
number of entries with the judges
evaluating over 500 entries from
schools across Victoria.
The theme for the Quest reflected
the key theme of Celebrate our Cultural
Diversity Week - Different but the Same.
All Victorian. This is the topic students
were encouraged to address in their
entries in order to communicate some of
the following concepts.
Their ideas about:
• Promoting mutual respect and
understanding, and eliminating racism;
• Their knowledge of, and respect for, role
models in their lives; and
• Their values, personal beliefs and
understandings of their cultural heritage.
5
The categories were:
• Years P-4: A3 Book or Wall Story
• Years 5-9: Screensaver
• Years 5-9: Poster
• Years 10-12: 300 word piece of writing
The Department of Education provided
book vouchers as prizes with groups who
receive a special mention awarded a $50
book voucher, 3rd place winners awarded
a $100 book voucher, 2nd place winners
awarded a $150 book voucher, and 1st
place winners receiving a $250 book
voucher and a 6 mega-pixel digital camera.
The awards were hosted by George
Lekakis, Chairperson VMC. The Minister
Assisting the Premier on Multicultural
Affairs, Daniel Andrews, and the Chairman
of Quest Apartments – official sponsors of
the Quest - Paul Constantinou, presented
prizes and certificates to the winners.
11
6
1 Award recipients 2 A winning entry from
Malvern Primary 3 Carlton Primary School
4 Teacher Luise Mock 5 Students look
through the other winning entries
6 Paul Constantinou, the Hon. Daniel
Andrews and Bell Park North Primary
School 7 Lynbrook Primary School
Four schools, that generated the most
interest in the Quest, were also selected to
receive a $500 book voucher and a digital
camera in the highly sought after ‘School
Awards’ category. The four winning schools
were: Lynbrook Primary School, Coomoora
Secondary College, Tempy Primary School
and Walpeup Primary School.
In his speech Minister Andrews
congratulated everyone who entered
the Quest for their inventive entries and
commended the teachers and parents for
their encouragement and support.
“The annual Quest Awards are a
wonderful way for young people to share
their own understandings and experiences of
our cultural diversity through activity-based
projects”, said Mr Andrews.
The Multicultural Programs Unit of
the Department of Education, along with
the team at LMERC, who had the very
difficult task of assessing the entries, were
acknowledged for their central role in
organising the Awards.
7
12
2
1
3
4
La Faya Festival
The Immigration Museum
was a blaze of colour on
Sunday 18 March for La
Faya, the Mauritian and
Rodriguan Festival.
6
A
lmost 2000 visitors were
treated to a day of music, sega
dancing, traditional games and
festive food, in a packed-out
museum and courtyard.
Visitors enjoyed playing petanque,
watched a diverse range of music and
dance, met community members and
learnt about Mauritian and Rodriguan
heritage through a display of photographs.
The courtyard saw many old friends
becoming reacquainted, as well as new
friendships being made.
Children who attended listened to
stories and made pictures of the dodo,
which lived on the islands of Mauritius
before becoming extinct.
Community caterers offered the chance
to sample authentic Mauritian food, such
as gateaux piment (chilli cakes) and gato
banana (banana tart).
The festival was also a last opportunity
for visitors to see Beyond the Postcard
Image: Mauritians and Rodriguans in
Victoria in the Community Gallery.
1 Rodney from Kulture Klash 2 Frédérique
Lebrasse 3,4&5 Young people enjoying the
music and activities at the Immigration
Museum 6 Suzanne from Kulture Klash
5
W11 TRAM:
an art of journeys
Can a tram scream a celebration of life, love and fun? Yes, according to passenger
Aliyah Mohyeddin, who enthuses that the W-11 TRAM is “an affirmation of the
beauty of inclusion and multiculturalism that is Melbourne today”.
T
he W11 TRAM collaborative art
project returned for a second season
over summer 2006-07 in Melbourne,
following much success during the
cultural festival of the recent Commonwealth
Games. The tram, elaborately transformed
by Pakistani vehicle decorators, operated
a free service for twenty Friday evenings
undertaking six 50-minute laps on the
City Circle tram route exploring an art of
journeys through different events aboard.
‘Tram Overheard’ had pairs of high profile
strangers invited to undertake an amplified
conversational journey of dialogue discussing
personal journeys and issues of migration
and mobility, transportation and cultural
change, hospitality and the public realm
whilst travelling a lap of the city. ‘Tram
Overboard’ had different groups of artists
lead an improvised performance journey
for a lap of the city, including musicians,
dancers and performers. ‘Tram Otherwise’
had onboard hosting artists from Melbourne
& Karachi leading a journey of cultural
collisions, interacting with passengers,
breaking the ice of public inhibitions, cajoled
strangers to share a bit of themselves and
discover a new experience across cultural
and generational differences whilst being
gifted free artwork ‘tickets’ and hearing
music that transports.
The W-11 TRAM is an idiosyncratically
‘Melbourne’ project hosted by artist Mick
Douglas of Tramtactic. Manzoor Ahmad
comments on the project’s website that this
tram should have had an official role in the
Australia Day Parade. For Deborah Kelly it’s
an “exquisite project, so beautiful, generous,
funny and hospitable”. She continues: “
And while it seems to me that it’s partly an
observation of cosmopolitanism, I’d also
suggest that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy: it
actually creates the sense of a city with its
heart wide open.” For Justin Mansfield, riding
the W11 TRAM “breaks down the barriers
which exist between us and encourages
us to engage with our neighbours without
worrying about our silly inhibitions. The Tram
builds community, it fosters friendship, and it
nurtures joy & laughter.”
This tram has established itself as a
unique multicultural vehicle of lively social
encounters fostering a spirit of trust. “What
a delight to look up from a Melbourne
footpath and see the bright lights and colour
of the Karachi tram. Where are you? Please
come back to cheer us up” says Chris
Goodman. Discussions are underway for
the tram to set out on a further summer
season. Keep posted at www.tramtactic.net
W-11 TRAM is a collaborative art project
conducted by Mick Douglas and produced
by TRAMTACTIC.
Photos: Mick Douglas, Tramatic
13
14
Fitzroy Town Hall
reopening
The City of Yarra was in
celebratory mode with
the Fitzroy Town Hall
Reopening Celebrations
from 18 to 23 March.
T
he week-long celebrations to
relaunch the refurbished historic
1873 building coincided with
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity
Week and showcased both the Town Hall,
and the diverse communities that make up
the City of Yarra.
There were over fifty events
programmed for the reopening
celebrations with many events having a
strong focus on the local community.
The Fitzroy Harmony Lunch was a
special event organised by the local
community, for the local community. Held
on the International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination (21 March), this
event brought together a range of different
ethnic communities to organise and
celebrate in harmony.
This lunch event was developed over
several months and was planned by local
public housing residents. The community
organised the whole lunch in the way they
wanted to celebrate this special occasion.
A working group was established and,
with the help of interpreters, a fantastic
event was organised.
The community lunch was open to
all residents from the Atherton Gardens
Public Housing estate (Fitzroy) and
1
15
2
3
rooming houses in Fitzroy, where 80%
of residents are born overseas. Over 330
people attended the lunch and shared an
array of tasty, diverse and plentiful food in
the beautiful ambience of the Town Hall.
Shake It Up saw many young people
take over the main hall space in an
energetic dance-off that featured local
youth performances such as Fusion and
a 50-member group of young Polynesian
performers - who certainly made the
space come alive.
Also performing were Fitzroy locals the
Nubian Knights and young people from
the local area were encouraged to join in
the dance off competition, which offered
recording studio time and dance lessons
as prizes.
Lunchtime Lectures
One of the features of the Fitzroy Town
Hall Reopening was a series of lunchtime
4
lectures that were held in the beautifully
restored Reading Room. The lectures
focused on a range of topics, from a
debate around intergenerational issues, to
the power of ethnic broadcasting, to the
1967 referendum, to climate change.
The ethnic broadcasting lecture
coincided with the International Day for the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination
on 21 March. The lecture panel was
chaired by George Lekakis, Chairperson
of the Victorian Multicultural Commission
and the panellists included Libby
Jamieson (3CR), Greg Dee (Channel 31),
Martin Wright (3ZZZ) and Anouska
Teunen (NEMBC).
Over 100 people from diverse
backgrounds attended the panel
discussion and asked many questions
of the panellists. With such a panel of
knowledgeable speakers it ensured a very
informative and enriching occasion for all
who attended.
From the number of people in the
audience, and their level of enthusiasm,
it was clear that the importance of ethnic
broadcasting cannot be understated. The
speakers demonstrated how radio is a
key medium for all language groups and
highlighted its power to connect, inform
and empower listeners – of all languages.
Many audience members spoke about
their experiences with ethnic broadcasting
and how it helped to combat isolation
and loneliness.
1&3 Hip Hop on the street
2 The Three Belles by Strange Fruit
4 Community Lunch 5 Lunchtime lecture
on ethnic broadcasting
5
16
1
2
3
4
Women creating
harmony
Over 30 women’s groups
were presented with
grants on Tuesday 20
March to support the
crucial role they play in
promoting community
harmony and respect for
diversity.
1 Brunswick Women’s Choir
2 Amy Duncan and Molly Hadfield OAM
3 Grant recipients 4 Minister for Women’s
Affairs, Jacinta Allan
O
ver $250,000 in grants were
awarded at a small gathering
held at the Northern Migrant
Resource Centre, Preston, hosted
by the Minister Assisting the Premier on
Multicultural Affairs, Daniel Andrews,
and the Minister for Women’s Affairs,
Jacinta Allan.
Minister Andrews said “The grants are
an important part of the Government’s
efforts to promote and encourage women
to lead community activities that build
cross-cultural understanding and promote
racial and religious harmony.”
Ms Allan said women were already
leading the way promoting respect and
understanding and the Women Creating
Harmony Grants will help them do more of
this valuable work.
“The grants provide practical support
to link recently arrived communities with
those that have been here for generations,”
Ms Allan said.
One of the grant recipients, the
Northern Migrant Resource Centre,
received funding to bring women from
post-war migrant communities and newly
arrived migrant and refugee communities
together to enjoy each others’ culture and
cuisine while listening to women talk of
their settlement experiences.
Another program assists women
undertaking formal training for Written and
Spoken English, and in General Education
for Adults, to organise cross-cultural
celebrations in Meadow Heights, Roxburgh
Park, Tullamarine and Sunbury.
17
1
2
3
Harmony & Diversity
The opening ceremony of Harmony & Diversity - Melbourne’s Chinese-Australian
Young Artists’ Exhibition was held on the evening of Thursday 22 March at
Manningham Gallery in Doncaster.
T
he Exhibition was jointly organised
by Multicultural Arts Victoria and
New Star Art School to celebrate
national Harmony day and
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week. The
art exhibition had an unusual significance
because it was an occasion for young
Chinese-Australians aged between 4 and
18 to collectively display their creativeness
to mainstream society.
1 Opening night 2 Artist Ron Reynolds
and the Director of New Star Art School
Yaping Jiang award a young artist 3 A free
Chinese painting workshop 4 Essendon
Bombers fly up! by Allen Xiao 6yrs
Through visual images, these young
talents express their feelings and
experiences of living in our multicultural
society. The exhibition demonstrates a
collective creativity inspired by diverse
cultural background and a blending of
Eastern and Western aesthetic awareness.
Along with all the children and their
families, guests included Mr Stanley
Chiang, Commissioner of the Victorian
Multicultural Commission, Ms Yueming
Yang Deputy Consul-General of the
Peoples Republic of China and Australian
artist Mr Ron Reynolds who co-judged the
exhibition and presented awards. It was
wonderful to see such a sense of pride
in the young artists who took part in this
unique event.
The exhibition was supported by
Manningham City Council’s Community
Development Grant program and the
Victorian Multicultural Commission and
sponsored by the Chinese Culture School.
4
18
1
Gnatannwarr
Multicultural Festival
2
Gnattanwarr Multicultural Festival 2007 provided the people of Warrnambool
with a feast of multicultural food, dance and music during Celebrate our
Cultural Diversity Week.
T
he Festival name, ‘Gnatannwarr’
is taken from a welcoming word
from the Gunditj Mara Language.
The Festival was held on the 17th
March and attracted approximately 4,000
people to the Civic Green.
3
4
A wide array of cultural foods
and performances were provided by
participating groups. Representatives of
the Sudanese, Indian, Dutch, Arabic, Koori
and Haba Haba Feast prepared traditional
foods and performed throughout the day.
In addition to the performances by local
community groups, a visiting West Papuan
Dance Group gave an entertaining display.
Event partners accompanying
Warrnambool City Council were Vic Health,
Victorian Multicultural Commission, The
Standard Newspaper, Department of
Sustainability and Environment, Rural
Access Program, St. George Bank, Glenelg
Hopkins and Wannon Water.
One of the busiest displays was the
Children’s Activity tent, manned by
students from South West TAFE and
members from Tooram Scout Group.
Warrnambool Art Gallery provided the
venue for the Photographic Competition,
the theme being the Depiction of Images of
Cultural Diversity from the Warrnambool
District. Warrnambool Entertainment
Centre and The Regal Warrnambool
provided performers preparation areas
and the Archie Graham Community Centre
provided space for food preparation.
This festival gives the people of
Warrnambool and surrounds a glimpse into
the sights and sounds of different cultures.
1 Maunga Hawera Kapa Haka
2 Filipino dance group 3 Dutch Food Stall
4 Sudanese Choir
19
1
2
3
Bendigo celebrates
The City of Greater Bendigo launched Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week in
style by decorating two of the city’s heritage trams with banners and posters
designed by students of all ages.
P
rimary, secondary and TAFE
students put a lot of work into the
decorations and the result was a
colourful and thoughtful display
reflecting Bendigo’s diversity. Students
from Flora Hill Secondary College and
BRIT, as well as members of the broader
community had a great time decorating the
trams and admiring the variety of designs.
City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Julie
Rivendell launched the festivities, with a
welcome to country by Aunty Lyn Warren.
“It’s great that so many students have
thought about cultural diversity in Bendigo
and what it means to them as individuals
and to the community,” Cr Rivendell said.
Flora Hill Secondary College Year 8
student, Shelby Rosedale said she made
a poster for the tram because she enjoys
cultures a lot, especially Chinese culture.
“I think that all cultures and beliefs
should be respected,” said Shelby.
The trams brightened the streets of
Bendigo for the duration of Celebrate our
Cultural Diversity Week, reminding locals
and visitors of the value of diversity and
signifying the City of Greater Bendigo’s
appreciation of the colour and excitement
that such diversity brings to the community.
Bendigo’s Hargreaves Street Mall also
played host to a variety of dynamic lunchtime performances during Celebrate our
Cultural Diversity Week.
The week started with a lively show
from Robinvale Secondary College band
and dancers, who returned to Bendigo
by popular demand to showcase their
Tongan cultural dances. On Tuesday the
lion and dragon teams from Bendigo
Chinese Association (Flora Hill Secondary
College students) took a break from their
busy schedule entertaining schools to
perform in the mall. The following day
KITA Performing Arts Company presented
dances from Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea and
China. Their beautiful choreography and
costumes delighted the crowds, including
local photographers. Thursday’s act,
Bohemian Nights (Ernie Gruner and Phil
Carroll) engaged the crowd with a range of
French, Italian, Hungarian, Gypsy Swing,
Jewish, Arabic and Russian music. Local
recording artist Anne Conway closed the
week’s festivities on Friday. “Like nearly all
Australians I have a mixed racial heritage
and I am proud to celebrate that mix and be
proudly Australian”, said Anne.
The performances not only entertained
the people of Bendigo but gave them the
opportunity to think about diversity and the
colour it brings to the community.
1 Colourful displays were wrapped
around the tram 2 Bohemian Nights
3 Dancers performed in the Hargreaves
Street Mall 4 Decorating the tram
4
20
2
1
City of Wodonga
Todos Arte Project
3
Wodonga has shown the depth of its artistic talent
with a ground-breaking community arts project.
T
odos Arte – Spanish for total arts
- brought the Wodonga community
together over four weeks, allowing
participants to make new friends,
share stories and learn skills through arts
production workshops and activities.
A dynamic 7m-tall ephemeral sculpture
installation, Connections, was created in
Wodonga’s central park, Woodland Grove, by
diverse community groups buddied together
in workshops.
Part of the Todos Arte project involved
making costume pieces and site decorations,
which were then used for Carnivale Wodonga
HOT, a festival held on March 9 which
attracted more than 15,000 people.
The city’s celebrations continued during
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week
with an evening picnic feast in Woodland
Grove among the Todos Arte sculptures on
Harmony Day.
The site was redecorated with Carnivale
art works, and a jam-packed program
of diverse, indigenous and Australian
performances entertained a vibrant crowd.
A special focus for this year’s Harmony
Day activities were the performances from
the Wild on the Border music program
for people with a disability, as well as
highlighting Wodonga’s commitment to
embrace diversity and say no to
all discrimination.
4
The full Harmony Day program included
contemporary folk percussion with Cloud
9, Frayne College Trio, Pilipino Mabuhay
dance group, traditional Australian Celtic
and Nariel folk music by Ian and Di Simpson,
Bollywood Dance Group, Nemeda bellydancing and Coro Delle Montagne Acapella
Choir, along with storytelling and henna art.
Market stalls and food vendors.
5
The city’s Continuing Education Centre
also launched its Living in Harmony Artwork.
– Celebrating Wodonga’s Diversity, designed
to ensure community harmony continues.
The event created the opportunity to
raise awareness about Wodonga’s skilled
migration program, the new settlement
assistance officer employed by the council
and the thriving diverse community networks
based from the Felltimber Neighbourhood
Centre, which celebrated funding to
implement a new project The Harmony Quilt
The project received support from the
Victorian Multicultural Commission and the
Skilled Migration Program.
1 Filipino dancers 2 Ian Simpson
3 Carnivale 4 Kev Ebsworth
5 Balinder and Gupreet
Cultural Diversity Week in Mildura 2007
Encapsulated by the
theme ‘from tolerance
to respect’ Celebrate
Week celebrations in
Mildura this year was a
colourful, enticing and
stimulating experience
for all.
A
n abundance of exciting activities
were on offer throughout the
week, including Afghani, Tongan
and Spanish cooking classes, a
cultural photographic exhibition, a
dinner with Derek Kickett, festivities in
the mall during Celebrate our Cultural
Diversity Week, a screening of The White
Masai, and daily newspaper stories
and radio interviews with local cultural
community members.
The week’s activities provided a vibrant
environment for the Mildura community
to share their stories, connect with one
another, offer a new perspective on life,
and learn about a country and culture
foreign to their own. Each and every
sense was satisfied and many thoughts
and beliefs were explored.
With regular comments such as
“why can’t this continue all year round”
and “this has been such a fabulous
experience”, organisers Donna Gardner
and Anita Dyer were overwhelmed by
community support and have already
Busy in the bush
The North East Multicultural Association in Wangaratta
worked hard to take the messages of Celebrate our
Cultural Diversity Week to as many people as possible.
T
he week kicked off with the
opening on Monday 19 March of
The Spice of Life, a week-long
exhibition of photographs depicting
the vibrant multicultural flavour of the
North East region. This was the inaugural
exhibition at the newly opened Wangaratta
Library gallery and consisted mainly of
photographs taken by NEMA member,
Dezi Freeman. NEMA hopes to take the
exhibition on the road to the other libraries
in the region over the next four weeks.
NEMA President Rozi Parisotto also used
the opening as the perfect opportunity to
present a donation to the library for the
purchase of multicultural books which
will be available to residents at library
branches across the region.
Tuesday 20 March saw the opening
of Common Threads, a joint Rural City
of Wangaratta / Pangerang Community
House / RMIF project which brought to
the public the stories of five local migrant
women. The stories were presented in
photographs, in print and with culturally
significant personal artefacts. Although
NEMA was not directly involved in the
staging of this event, support was
provided by introducing NEMA
members as potential subjects to the
project coordinators.
began planning a succession of activities.
The Mildura community came
together, challenged and provoked
discussion on issues of inequality and
isolation, shared experiences, fostered
relationships and created and increased
awareness, understanding and respect
towards cross cultural participation.
Through engaging a broad range of
community members, Celebrate our
Cultural Diversity Week assisted in
addressing barriers to participation,
confidence and cooperation, helped to
create networks of lasting benefit to the
community and fundamentally
celebrated and embraced our
communities cultural diversity. The
smiles, connectedness and affection
showed by a diverse range of cultural
groups gave credit to what we all value
and share in common as human beings.
1 Photographer Dezi Freeman at the
opening with his wife, Mali and son, Koah
2 NEMA members Lahakpa Sherpa, left,
and Yen Ng, right, congratulate fellow
member Kaomi Sunderland 3 Bangerang
man Colin Tass opens the concert by
performing the Welcome to Country
On Friday 23 March, NEMA staged a
spectacular outdoor concert - Diversity
in the Park in Wangaratta and combined
local multicultural entertainment with the
rich, professional sound of Inka Marka and
their special brand of Andean rhythms.
The concert commenced with a Welcometo-country, performed by a representative
of the traditional custodians of the area,
Bangerang man, Colin Tass.
The concert attracted over 300 people
who enjoyed fabulous entertainment from
the Beechworth Irish Dancers, Inka Marka,
the Dildaar Toli Indian Dance Troupe and
the Trentini Italian Folk Performers. To
complement the performers there was a
variety of international food available from
the onsite catering and along with the
delicious Italian crostoli and fritole made
by the Vicentini members.
21
22
1
2
3
ECCV signs
Community Accord
Over 150 members of
the Ethnic Communities’
Council of Victoria
came together at
Queens Hall during
Celebrate our Cultural
Diversity Week to sign the
Community Accord.
M
inister Assisting the Premier
on Multicultural Affairs, Daniel
Andrews, welcomed the ECCV
and its members to the event
by acknowledging the ECCV as one of
the hardest working, longest serving
organisations in the multicultural sector.
“The Community Accord is a powerful
symbol of unity. It is a symbol that has now
been embraced, not just by our diverse
cultural and faith communities, but also
by the broader Victorian community. By
signing the Accord, the ECCV serves
as an inspiration for others to follow”,
said Mr Andrews.
The Minister invited Phong Nguyen,
Chairperson of the Ethnic Communities'
Council of Victoria to be the first to sign
the Accord along with George Lekakis,
Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural
Commission and Parliamentary Secretary
to the Premier on Multicultural Affairs,
Telmo Languiller. Following the formalities
all other members of the ECCV added their
signatures to the Accord to individually
commit to respecting diversity and
eliminating racial and religious intolerance.
The event was also was acknowledged
as a particularly special occasion because,
for the first time in many years,
five of the previous Chairpersons of the
ECCV were present.
1 Minister Andrews and Parliamentary
Secretary Telmo Languiller with five previous chairs of the ECCV and the current CEO,
Peter van Vliet (far left) 2&3 Members of the
ECCV line up to sign the accord. 4 Minister
Andrews at the Parliament House event.
4
1
Department of Infrastructure
DOI celebrated Cultural Diversity Week in a number of ways, from wearing
orange ribbons or hearing about Islam, to dancing with West African drummers.
K
ing Marong and Safara, a group of
West African Drummers, provided
entertainment in the forecourt
at 80 Collins Street and had
everybody on their feet dancing.
1 King Marong and Safara
Waleed Aly from the Islamic Council
of Victoria, addressed the department at
a lunchtime seminar. Waleed covered a
wide range of issues and topics relating
to Islamic communities in Australia, in a
straight forward, conversational manner.
The celebration was considered a great
success receiving positive feedback
from all involved.
Education staff embrace diversity
A wide range of activities, including an invigorating session of Chinese Tai Chi in
Treasury Gardens, and a drumming performance by government school students,
marked Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week this year, between March 17 and 23.
T
he week culminated with a March
21 afternoon tea celebration for
staff, which included an Indigenous
welcome to country speech by
Wurundjeri Elder Joy Murphy, African
drumming by Bentleigh Secondary College
Students and multicultural food.
Melissa Pavelsin, a project officer
with the Koorie Education Strategy Unit,
was touched
to witness the
many different
cultures and
nationalities
from across the
Department
coming together
to celebrate.
1
“It really demonstrated the respect and
mutual understanding we have for each
other and for all cultures and religions,”
said Melissa.
A highlight for project officer Mary
Oztasci, from the Learning Programs
Branch, was a talk by Tasneem Chopra
from the Fitzroy-based Islamic Women’s
Welfare Council on cultural harmony and
how she overcame struggles as a young
Muslim woman in Australian society.
2
“Tasneem is a true inspiration,” said Mary.
“Thank you to the organisers who
did a fabulous job with Cultural Diversity
week this year.”
1 Tasneem Chopra 2 Drumming students
3 DoE staff get involved
23
3
24
Information session – Refugee Brokerage Program
A
s part of Celebrate
Week, Department for
Victorian Communities’
(DVC) staff were invited to
attend a lunchtime seminar to
hear about the experiences of
new and emerging communities
from Africa in Victoria and the
work that is being done to assist
these communities under DVC’s
Refugee Brokerage Program.
The seminar Settlement
Experiences of African
Communities featured three
guest speakers. Haileluel
Gebre-Selassie from the
Victorian Office of Multicultural
Affairs opened the seminar
with background information
on the refugee population in
Victoria, including some of the
settlement challenges they face,
as well as an overview of the
Government’s Refugee Support
Package, in particular DVC’s
Refugee Brokerage Program.
Otha Akoch, Migrant
Strategy Project Officer with
Warrnambool City Council and a
Sudanese Community Leader in
Warrnambool spoke about his
community, as well as his own
personal experiences of being
a community leader and of
settling in Warrnambool.
Finally, Nick Hayne, a
Warrnambool Refugee Broker
with Warrnambool City Council
provided insight into how the
Refugee Brokerage Program is
working at the local level and
identified future challenges
for assisting refugees and
humanitarian entrants.
Staff were encouraged
to wear an orange ribbon in
commemoration of Celebrate
our Cultural Diversity Week
following the seminar.
1
1 Otha Akoch
1
2
Wantirna Primary School
At Wantirna Primary School we celebrated our cultural diversity on Friday 23 March.
P
reliminary activities were done
in art classes with all students
contributing to a mural which
was displayed at the entrance
to the school. This included quotes from
inspirational people from history and key
words such as diversity, peace and love, as
well as images of people. Orange was the
main colour theme, of course.
The school community was treated to
an exceptional performance by Bernard
Mangakahia’s one man show called Mana.
The production combined dance and song
from Polynesia and Native America, from
the haka to the hula with lots of audience
participation. Everyone left the performance
with a great understanding of the importance
of cultural identity and its preservation.
All students were asked to dress in
orange on the 23 March and they all received
an orange ribbon, sticker and bookmark.
The Junior School spent the afternoon
preparing food from many different countries
including Japan, China, Italy and Australia.
Everyone agreed that it was delicious!
Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week was
a great success at Wantirna Primary School,
we can’t wait until next year!
Olga Megele
Visual Arts Coordinator, Wantirna Primary School
1 Creative display
2 Cooking international cuisine
25
1
2
3
All of Us photo exhibition
In a celebration of our
cultural diversity Michel
Lawrence is endeavouring
to photograph at least
one person from every
nationality who now calls
Australia home.
1 Vincenzo Mammone (Italy) 2 Elva Zhang
(China) 3 Ivan Laughlin (Guatemala)
4 Maria del Pilar Cossio Alvarado (Peru)
A
ll of Us will feature over 200 life
size photos of Australians from
every national and/or ethnic origin
and will be launched as a major
outdoor exhibition being in place for eight
weeks from Australia Day 2008.
People featured must have been born
overseas and almost all of them have
chosen to become Australian Citizens,
making Australia their home.
“All of Us is the title for the project,
as it represents the core idea - that this
multicultural melting pot has thrown us
all in together.”
Mr Lawrence said that most people have
no idea how many different nationalities
are currently living in Australia and the
idea is to show them as ordinary people
living ordinary lives - but with some
extraordinary backgrounds.
There are still nationalities that have
not yet been photographed. If you would
like to be involved with the project simply
visit www.allofus.com.au to see if your
nationality is required.
Special thanks to Michel Lawrence for
allowing his photographs to feature on
many of the 2007 Celebrate our Cultural
Diversity Week materials. The photographs
attracted a fantastic response and the VMC
is pleased to be involved with the major
exhibition of All of Us in 2008.
4
26
VMC UPDATE
1
Grants Update
T
he recent Victorian State
Budget saw an increase in the
Commission’s grants to $4
million dollars per year. The
Commission greatly appreciates this
increase as the demands on our program
are greater than ever before. In the past six
months the Commission has received and
processed more than 2,500 applications.
We have provided funding to around
1,000 festivals and events this year and
more than 700 multicultural senior citizens
groups have received their grants.
The results of the 2007 major round
will be announced in early July, for the
following grant categories; Organisational
Support, Strengthening Multicultural
Communities, Buildings and Facilities
Improvements and Educational Programs.
L to R The Hon. Richard Wynne, Barbara
Kündig (SCV Committee), The Hon. Daniel
Andrews, The Hon. Bronwyn Pike, Rita
Schwärzler (SCV Committee), Rolf Huber
(SCV Vice-President), Roland Isler (SCV
President), Michael van Vliet (VMC), Erika
Kimpton (Hon. Consul of Switzerland),
Derrick Wildi (SCV Committee)
It was great to be able to attend
several Celebrate our Cultural Diversity
Week events and I would like to thank
the Department of Education for their
contribution in supporting schools to
hold events during the week. The Week is
growing in strength from year to year.
The Women Creating Harmony grants
have also been warmly received by the
community. I would like to thank the Office
of Women’s Policy for their guidance and
administrative support for these grants.
The packed calendar of multicultural
events continued with Refugee Week
in June this year (June 17-23). The
Commission was proud to be one of the
principal sponsors of the Week through the
Refugee Council of Australia.
The VMC News Update, an emailed
fortnightly newsletter, has been highly
successful, making hundreds of
community members aware of upcoming
events and funding opportunities. If
you would like to receive this regular
email, please send your details to the
Commission’s email address:
[email protected]
Michael van Vliet
Community Strengthening Manager
VMC UPDATE
27
1
2
3
A special welcome
Students arriving in Victoria as migrants and refugees are now given a
special kit to welcome them to their new community.
T
he Victorian Multicultural
Commission (VMC) has developed
a Welcome to Victoria kit to
personally acknowledge the 4,500
migrant and refugee children who will enter
the Victorian education system in 2007 via
English language schools.
Each kit contains information that will help
newly arrived students connect with their
community, understand the public transport
system, encourage involvement in sports and
provide the opportunity for families to visit
some of Victoria’s tourist attractions
Minister Assisting the Premier on
Multicultural Affairs, Daniel Andrews
launched Welcome to Victoria kits at the
Western English Language School in
Braybrook on Thursday 8 March.
Mr Andrews said the kits were important
in both welcoming newly arrived students
and encouraging them to participate fully in
their new community.
“Some new migrant and refugee
students to the Victorian education system
may have had their schooling severely
disrupted due to their previous living
circumstances. Over the past three years,
the Western English Language School has
witnessed an increase in refugee students
whose schooling has been incomplete due
to war or poverty,” Mr Andrews said.
“These students deserve the chance
to learn in a safe environment and these
kits are a just one step in welcoming these
students into the community.”
Chairperson of the VMC, George Lekakis,
said the kits which contain information
translated into 31 languages, will be
presented to all newly arriving students as
they enter the English language schools
across Victoria.
“This is a valuable way for helping build a
genuine sense of acceptance and belonging,
and is just one way we can improve the
settlement experience of each child and
their family,” Mr Lekakis said.
Over 32 organisations supported the
development of the kit by contributing
information, free passes and information
about services.
Mr Andrews gave his thanks to
organisations including, the Australian
Football League, Melbourne Observation
Deck, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Zoos
Victoria, Metlink, Department for Human
Services and a range of sporting
organisations for their contribution
and support.
1 Minister Andrews and Sabina Schaare,
who proposed the idea for the kit, with
students 2 Sabina Schaare, Yolette
De Zilwa, Principal, Western English
Language School and George Lekakis
3 Minister Andrews presents a kit to one
of the students 4 Materials from the kit
4
28
VMC UPDATE
1
Introducing
Mr Telmo Languiller MP
1. What do you think you will enjoy most
about your new role as Parliamentary
Secretary to the Premier on Multicultural
Affairs?
members of the pro-democracy movement
to fight for human rights which I was
devoted to for many years.
For many years I have been actively
involved with Melbourne’s diverse
communities. For me, this role is a great
opportunity to reconnect with people and
meet new people who are contributing
to the economic, social and cultural
aspects of the State.
3. In your opinion, what do you believe
are the most important aspects for
people settling in a new country?
It is also an honour to work in a State that
is so advanced in relation to multicultural
affairs and be Parliamentary Secretary
to a Premier that is so committed
and passionate about creating a truly
harmonious diverse society.
2. When you moved from Uruguay to
Australia, what were the main challenges
faced by you and your family?
I first arrived in Melbourne at the age of
17. Speaking only two words of English,
‘yes’ and ‘no’ I would say that learning to
speak the language was one of the major
challenges that I faced. Also learning
the ropes of a democratic society was
difficult to adjust to as well. Arriving from
a developing nation in political turmoil
(Uruguay) after escaping persecution and
family instability, it was a very different way
of life. It was also necessary to balance
two worlds in our new life – settling into
new neighbourhoods and finding jobs while
at the same time regrouping with other
Where possible, acquiring the language is
fundamental. Language has a multitude
of benefits to both the individual and
the family. It’s also essential to gain an
understanding of how the new country
works, for example, the laws, how people
do business, customs, relationships and
value structures. I also believe it ‘takes
two to tango’ because to settle successfully
there needs to be a commitment from the
individual and commitment from the state
to provide support and welcome.
4. Why do you think cultural diversity
makes Victoria a better place to live and
raise a family?
Victoria was a multicultural society
before European settlement as can
be seen in the diversity within the
Indigenous population; and after at the
Eureka Stockade with miners of diverse
backgrounds. I believe cultural diversity
places Victoria in a better position to
deal with the challenges of globalization.
Cultural diversity facilitates forming
partnerships with other countries,
resulting in economic benefits for the
State, not to mention developing and
strengthening our arts, science and
business – there is no area that
hasn’t been touched by the contribution
of migrants and refugees.
5. What challenges do you think we face
in Victoria and Australia over the next few
years?
Victoria leads the way nationally and
internationally through legislation like the
Multicultural Victoria Act that protects and
enhances our multicultural community.
This legislation is fundamental to a
harmonious society and making people
appreciate and see the benefits of diversity.
But we mustn’t take diversity for granted
or become complacent. As a State we
need to keep the pressure on any hint
of racism and continue to develop good
legislation. In my view, multiculturalism
goes hand in hand with democracy and
social justice. If we continue to promote
the benefits of diversity we will be able to
face any future challenge. As a community
we need to lead the way. At a national level
some people seem to have abandoned or
have become timid about standing up for
multiculturalism. Individuals like Pauline
Hanson assume that there is support for a
racist/redneck element in Australia. I reject
that notion – Australians are not racist. It
takes good, responsible leadership to show
the benefits of multiculturalism and win
the debate by highlighting the successful
Victorian model.
VMC UPDATE
29
1
VMC Advisory Council T
An Advisory Council has been established to provide
advice to the Victorian Multicultural Commission on
issues affecting Victoria’s culturally and linguistically
diverse communities.
Members of the VMC Advisory Council
Mr George Lekakis - Chairperson,Victorian Multicultural Commission
Mr Hakan Akyol - Deputy Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission
Mr Phong Nguyen - Chairperson, Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria
Ms Carmel Guerra - Director, Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (CMYI)
Ms Jill Morgan - Executive Officer Multicultural Arts Victoria
Ms Michal Morris - Executive Manager, Centre for Culture, Ethnicity & Health (CEH)
Ms Licia Kokocinski - Executive Officer, Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities
Mr John Zika - Executive Officer, Victorian Cooperative on Children Services for Ethnic Groups
Ms Sue Herbst - Convenor,Migrant Resource Centre’s Directors Network
Mr Hass Dellal - Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Foundation
Cr Dick Gross -President, Municipal Association of Victoria
Mr Anton Block - President, Jewish Community Council of Victoria
Mr Malcolm Thomas - President, Islamic Council of Victoria
Mr P Thanikasalam - President, Hindu Society of Victoria
Mr Gurdarshan Singh Gill - President,Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria
Ms Laura Chan - President,Buddhist Council of Victoria
Ms Yollette De Zilwa - Principal, Western English Language School
Mr George Fong - Chairperson, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council
Ms Lisa Sinha - Director, Gippsland Multicultural Services
Ms Brigette Tornattro - Chairperson, Ethnic Communities Council of Sunraysia
Mr JohnPacher - President,Bendigo ECC
Rev Dcn Alex Abramoff - Programs Manager,Russian Ethnic Representative Council
Ms Jacquelynne Dianne Suzette Harris - Sri Lankan community
Mr Brian Paterson - Chief Executive Officer,AMES
Ms Cuc Lam - Centrelink
Mr Wicki Ramalingam - Tamil Association of Victoria
Ms Negiat Taher - Eritrean Women’s Association of Victoria
he Advisory Council comprises
of representatives from a wide
cross section of service providers
and peak cultural and faith-based
representative organisations.
The Advisory Council will:
• provide an excellent opportunity to
exchange ideas and develop strategies
that will facilitate greater responsiveness
to the needs of Victoria’s diverse
communities;
• be a constructive way of harnessing the
talents and expertise of those in the
sector; and
• accommodate a broad range of
individuals and organisations, including
representation from newly emerging
communities, regional and youth
representatives as well as faith-based
and issue-specific peak organisational
representatives.
Multicultural Commission, George Lekakis
said “The Advisory Council will enhance
the Commission’s capacity to fulfil its
objectives and functions as legislated in
the Multicultural Victoria Act.”
Meeting quarterly the Advisory Council will:
• provide advice on the Commission’s
future priorities;
• review and provide advice on the
multicultural affairs whole-ofGovernment report; and
• deliberate and provide advice on pertinent
issues, for example, addressing the
needs of smaller and newly emerging
communities, aged care, community
relations or the needs of regional
CALD communities.
1 Members of the VMC Advisory Council
30
COMMUNITY NEWS
1
Thai Culture and
2
Food Festival
In its first year in 2004 some 20,000 visitors
attended the one day festival – each year since,
the attendees grow and this year was no exception.
W
ith a reported 50,000 visitors on
Sunday 18 March flowing into
Melbourne’s Federation Square
and filling the Riverbank
Terrace the 4th annual Thai Culture and
Food Festival was an outstanding success.
In many respects this year the Festival
became of age. In addition to grants from
Victoria’s Multicultural Commission and
the Australia Thailand Institute, it attracted
major corporate sponsorship from Thai
Singha Beer, Jetstar, Central Queensland
University, City of Melbourne, Federation
Square and some Thai government
agencies. It is now the largest food event
and one of the largest annual multicultural
festivals at the Square – not bad for a
small community of 10,000 Thais.
The Festival was able to recreate a
typical Thai beer garden complete with
Singha umbrellas, signage. Thai delicacies
being served up, a second sound stage
with continuous live music and of course
Singha Beer.
At 10am on the Sunday, on a glorious
sunny day in Melbourne, the Festival got
underway with Buddhist blessing from
local Thai monks and a special talk in
English; after the opening ceremony
attended by numerous dignitaries, the
Festival was declared open by John So,
The Lord Mayor of Melbourne., HE Bandhit
Sotipalalit. The Ambassador of Thailand to
Australia and Dr Simon Wallace Honorary
Thai Consul General of Thailand in Victoria.
Melbourne’s Federation Square was
transformed into a haven of Thai culture
– with numerous Thai product stalls and
continuous live performances on the main
stage of Thai dance, music, stick fighting,
muay thai kick boxing, thai fashion shows and
the ever popular annual Thai beauty contest
– with this year’s winners and runners up
receiving their prizes from Miss Universe.
3
The Festival brings together over 250
Thai and Australian volunteers all
working together with the participating
Thai Restaurants and the numerous
performers to celebrate the diverse
Thailand’s diverse culture, products,
tourism and food. It also helps promote
the business links with Thailand.
With both the World’s most popular
mayor (John So) and Miss Universe 2005
Ms Natalie Glebova in attendance at this
year’s event it’s difficult to see how the
Festival will cap that next year!! The 2008
festival has been set for Sunday 2 March
– put it in your diary now. For more details
see www.thaifestvic.com
1 Miss Universe 2005 with the Miss Thailand
beauty contest finalists 2 Thai Consul;
Thai Ambassador and Lord Mayor declare
the festival open 3 Thai Stick fighting
COMMUNITY NEWS
1
M
The world premiere of the
was presented at the
Iwaki Auditorium, ABC
Southbank Centre on
Saturday 31st March.
1 Wang Zheng-Ting (centre) with Orchestra X
onkey King Concerto is a new
orchestral work by composer
Mark Elliott in collaboration
with founder and director of the
Australian Chinese Music Ensemble,
Wang Zheng-Ting. The concert was
conducted by Benjamin Northey, one
of Australia’s leading conductors and
performed by Orchestra X with sheng
soloist Wang Zheng-Ting.
The theme of the piece comes from
the classic Chinese novel Journey to the
West popularised by the cult television
series Monkey Magic. The result of this
wonderful collaboration was an inspiring
performance with colourful and evocative
melodies from the Chinese mouth
organ (the sheng) harmonised with a
rich and complex large-scale orchestral
accompaniment following the riotous and
magical kung fu adventures of the Monkey
King and his fellow disciples.
The concerto was recorded by ABC’s
Radio National Music Deli radio presenter
and MC Paul Petran to be broadcast at
a later date. The project was presented
by Multicultural Arts Victoria and
supported by VMC, Arts Victoria and City of
Melbourne.
Women’s Friendship Group
The Women’s Friendship Group Inc. was formed within the Manningham
Community to bring women together from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds to build friendships and so enhance their well being and build a
better community.
T
he WFG had 120 women attend
their Inaugural Meeting.
The meetings are in the form of
either a Morning Tea or a Luncheon
generally with a guest speaker or a form
of entertainment. The membership has
grown to 282 and the ladies meet on the
fourth Thursday of the month at a hall in
Doncaster. The WFG celebrated Cultural
Diversity Week with an International
Luncheon held on Thursday, 22nd March,
2007 whereby 140 women enjoyed foods
from the following cultures, Greece, China,
Malta, Malaysia, Italy, Sri Lanka and
Australia. The entertainment was provided
by the Jasmine Dance Group, a group of
senior Chinese ladies from the Louise
Multicultural Centre in Box Hill, whose
dance told stories of their provinces being
Han and Miao in the South East of China.
For further details regarding the WFG
please contact Ms. Helen Jurcevic on 0409
035 045 or email: [email protected]
31
1
32
COMMUNITY NEWS
1
2
VU signs
Community Accord
Victoria University became the first university in Victoria to sign the Victorian
Multicultural Commission’s Community Accord on 15 December 2006.
B
A dedicated Community Engagement
Coordinator, Mrs Elleni Bereded-Samuel
has been appointed. Elleni is also
one a Commissioner of the Victorian
Multicultural Commission (VMC).
The Accord will further strengthen
Victoria University’s commitment to
community engagement. VU has recently
established an Office for Industry and
Community Engagement and has
made considerable efforts to develop
strong collaborations and networks,
as well as formal partnerships with
many of the culturally and linguistically
diverse communities within its region.
Elleni Bereded-Samuel said, “Signing
this document will be a statement about
how the University and its staff will interact
with our culturally and linguistically diverse
community. It will promote the University’s
reputation for respecting and recognising
the beliefs of others, fostering harmony
and respect within the University and the
wider community, and demonstrate our
commitment to a Victoria that not only
understands, but also respects diversity.”
y signing the Accord the
University publicly commits to
the principles of promotion and
tolerance of the rights of persons
belonging to different ethnic, cultural,
religious and linguistic communities.
“St Vincent’s Hospital was the first
hospital to sign the Accord and we
will be the first university,” said
Ms Bereded-Samuel.
Jon Hickman, the new Deputy ViceChancellor, Capital and Management
Services will officially signed the Accord
on behalf of the University alongside the
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier on
Multicultural Affairs, Telmo Languiller and
Chairperson of the VMC, George Lekakis.
1 Professor Maureen Ryan, George
Lekakis, Jon Hickman, Telmo Languiller
anD Elleni Bereded-Samuel
2 Cam Nguyen signs the Accord
COMMUNITY NEWS
33
1
Memories of Bonegilla
A new book highlighting Victoria’s rich multicultural
heritage was launched by the Minister Assisting the
Premier on Multicultural Affairs, Daniel Andrews on
Tuesday 3 April.
M
emories of Bonegilla:
Recollections of an Insider
was written by Zacharias
Vogiazopoulos in collaboration
with the Victorian Multicultural
Commission and the RMIT Australian
Greek Resource and Learning Centre.
2
3
The book is a unique collation of oral
histories documenting the history of Greek
migration and contributions made by the
Greek community to Victoria. This book
provides both a historical and insightful
look into the heritage of Greek migrants
who passed through Bonegilla.
“As the first stop for a huge number of
post-war migrants, the Bonegilla Migrant
Reception Centre was the launching pad
for many a migrant dream. The Centre
offered migrants a start in a country they
would soon become an integral part of,”
Mr Andrews said at the launch.
Mr Andrews said “The past plays an
important role in establishing who we are
as a community and in the creation of the
Australia we know and embrace today.
The passing down of stories, culture and
traditions from generation to generation
is an important way of strengthening our
cultural diversity.
Chairperson of the VMC, George
Lekakis, said the book will be a testament
for future generations and thanked Zac for
his dedicated work and inspiration.
Following the official proceedings
guests were invited to enjoy Greek delights
and were given an opportunity to have the
book personally signed by the author.
1 The launch at Treasury Theatrette
2 Author Zacharias Vogiazopoulos signing
copies of his book. 3 Zac was joined on the
day by Minister Andrews, George Lekakis,
friends and family
34
COMMUNITY NEWS
1
2
3
4
Pysanka –
Ukrainian Easter egg painting
The Ukrainian Catholic
Cathedral, in North
Melbourne, was a hub
of activity on Sunday 1
April with the opening of
‘Pysanka’, an exhibition of
Ukrainian Easter eggs.
1 At Artplay 2 Ukrainian Museum
3 Workshops 4 A work in progress
T
he Pysanka project presented by
the Associations of Ukrainians
in Victoria with support of
Multicultural Arts Victoria, City
of Melbourne, Victorian Multicultural
Commission and the Ukrainian Arts
and Crafts Museum commenced on
3rd/4th March with two highly successful
workshops held at ArtPlay, Birrarung
Marr attracting over 80 participants. The
third workshop, at the Ukrainian Arts and
Crafts Museum on 23rd March attracted 90
participants. Young Australian born artists,
Hanya Kornitschuk, Tamara Moravski
and Julia Mazur guided participants in
the craft of Pysanka making, an age old
Ukrainian tradition involving batik and wax
resistant methods of painting on eggs,
with symbolisms dating back to before
Christianity in Ukraine.
The Pysanka exhibition displayed the
work of these artists, as well as works
from participants of the workshops and
collections from the Ukrainian Arts and
Crafts museum. The Exhibition was
opened by Brian Shanahan, himself a
neighbour of the Cathedral, with addresses
by Natalia Moravski, curator of the
project, Jill Morgan, EO of Multicultural
Arts Victoria, Stefan Romaniw, Chair,
Multicultural Arts Victoria and Michael
Moravski, Chair of the Association of
Ukrainians in Victoria. Father Zenon
Chorkawyj, curator of the Ukrainian Arts
and Crafts Museum reported that many
visitors to the exhibition were keen to learn
the technique sparking interest for another
similar project next year.
COMMUNITY NEWS
NAATI Interpreter
Program
With the increasing
demand for interpreter
services in new and
emerging languages in
both rural/regional and
metropolitan areas, the
National Accreditation
Authority for Translators
and Interpreters Ltd
(NAATI) has developed an
intensive workshop.
1
Fast-tracking a home
away from home
Monash University accepts thousands of the
world’s leading students to study each year, but it
is sometimes a great challenge for international
students to come to grips with Australian culture.
I
n order to ease the transition for
international students, the University
has introduced an innovative program
that links everyday Australians with
international students – and has been
swamped with demand.
The coordinator of the program, Renee
de Simone, said that there had been strong
demand from international students and
the program would be keen to hear from
more Melbournians willing to participate.
“This program offers students a look
at the real Australia – and already we are
seeing great results, with many students
gaining understanding and great new
social links with Melbourne people,” Ms de
Simone said.
Just months into the International
Friendship program, the matching of Mr Ed
Neff and his family with Indian Mechanical
Engineering PhD student Mr Dinakar
Palaparti is just one of the program’s many
success stories.
When local resident Mr Neff
responded to a Monash University
advertisement calling for volunteers for
their International Friendship Program, he
wasn’t sure what to expect.
“I understood what the International
Student Friendship Program was trying
to achieve. I saw it as a chance to help
someone settle in to Melbourne life, but
also saw it as an opportunity to expand my
international experiences and a wonderful
exchange of cultures,” Mr Neff said.
”Meeting Dinakar has been a great
experience for us and our family, and we
really enjoy the exchange of information,”
Mr Neff’s said.
For more information on how you can
participate in the International Student
Friendship Program, visit the website
www.monash.edu.au/friendship
T
he workshop aims to increase
the supply of interpreters
and translators, increasing
community awareness of the
need and benefits of using professional
interpreters and to encourage
community interpreters to seek formal
accreditation and/or Recognition of
their skills.
The course covers topics on the
Australian Society, Culture and
System of Government, Community
Interpreting, Ethics of Interpreting,
users and employers of interpreters
and the qualities, skills and attributes of
professional interpreters.
At the end of the program,
participants are encouraged to apply
for Paraprofessional Interpreter
accreditation testing or NAATI
Recognition, depending on the
language/s spoken. All associated
fees for successful candidates are fully
subsidised by NAATI.
NAATI is also actively recruiting
suitably qualified examiners with a view
to implementing accreditation tests
in the following languages in the near
future, Dinka, Oromo, Nuer and Swahili.
In addition, NAATI is offering
training on ‘Working Effectively with
Interpreters’. These workshops aim
to assist businesses or organisations
which depend upon interpreters to
work better with them and maximise
the benefits of the interpreting
process. The sessions are of varying
duration from 2 hours, half day or full
day and can be tailored to meet any
organisation’s particular needs and are
delivered at your premises.
For more information on these
initiatives please visit www.naati.com.au
35
36
COMMUNITY NEWS
Refugee youth leadership
development camp
On the 8th of December,
2006, 20 Refugee Youth
from South Sudan and the
Burmese Tribes of Chin
and Karen attended a
Refugee Youth Leadership
Development Camp in
Kangaroobie, Port Campbell.
1
O
ver the three days, activities
included spotting kangaroos
on the farm, canoeing, cave
exploring and visiting Port
Campbell beach. The aim of the camp
was to identify youth refugees from their
respective communities to partake in a
camp and assist them develop skills for
employment and settlement. An additional
aim of the camp was to provide role
models for other youth to follow within
their communities.
The development of the Youth
Leadership Program for refugees was
a joint project between Victoria Police,
the Metropolitan Ambulance Service,
Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Hobsons
Bay Youth Services and the Hobson
Bay Council and with input from local
community leaders.
Following the camp it was evident
that everybody had formed close bonds
and friendships. No doubt, the camp
was a triumph when the participants
1 At the beach
2 the whole group
3 New friends
declared their gratitude, appreciation
and thankfulness for the efforts put in
to organising the camp. One member of
the Karen community said, “The feeling I
have inside me now I cannot explain.” A
young Sudanese gentleman aged 17 years
old said, “Thank you for giving us this
opportunity and for bringing us to a place
of peace and happiness. We are hopeful
for our future.”
Senior Constable Richard Dove,
Multicultural Liaison Officer, who was
instrumental in organising the camp to
Kangaroobie, described the camp as one
of the most outstanding and rewarding
experiences in his 16 years as a member
of the Victoria Police Force.
Senior Constable Dove said “Many of
the youth talked of extreme hardship and
terrible experiences. This made me proud
to be part of a program and camp that
had created an environment where young
people, who had experienced and observed
some of the worst atrocities, felt safe to
talk about such things. It also provided
me with a feeling of thankfulness and a
realization of how lucky we all are to live
here in Australia.”
2
3
COMMUNITY NEWS
37
1
2
Women’s kebaya
weave new threads
3
N
yonya Kebaya tells the story
of how the women’s kebaya
has evolved from its earliest
days, to become a modern-day
Malaysian fashion icon,” explains Padmini
Sebastian, Immigration Museum Manager.
Previously shown at the Asian
Civilisations Museum in Singapore and
the National Art Gallery of Malaysia,
Nyonya Kebaya is drawn from a unique
collection gathered by Datin Paduka Seri
Endon Mahmood, the late wife of the
Malaysian Prime Minister. Mahmood’s
foundation, known as ‘Penyayang’, aims to
promote the heavily embroidered kebaya
as a cultural and historical link from the
present to Malaysia’s past.
An exhibition revealing the beauty and enduring
fascination of the distinctive Malaysian women’s
embroidered kebaya will be shown for the first and
only time in Australia at the Immigration Museum.
‘The tradition of Nyonya kebaya began
with the early Peranakan Straits Chinese
community, in which women are known
as nyonya and the men as baba,’ explains
Imelda Dover, Immigration Museum
Exhibitions Manager. ‘After settling
in Malacca, Penang and Singapore,
the community’s culture and lifestyle
developed as a fusion of predominantly
Chinese and Malay influences.’
“The exhibition provides an insight into
the kebaya’s cultural context – its role in
times of celebration and mourning, as
well as in the day-to-day life of Peranakan
society. We also present background
on how kebayas are made and how this
traditional design has changed over the
past two centuries”, said Ms Dover.
The exhibition Nyonya Kebaya: Women’s
Costume from Malaysia will be on
show at the Immigration Museum until
9 September 2007. The Immigration
Museum is located at 400 Flinders St in
Melbourne, and is open
daily from 10am to 5pm.
38
COMMUNITY NEWS
Ethiopian Soccer Tournament
Over 4000 people turned out to enjoy a series of thrilling soccer matches during
the 10th annual Ethiopian soccer tournament.
T
he 5-day tournament, that was held
in Yarraville at McIvor Reserve,
attracted people from all over
Victoria along with many interstate
guests who were treated to exceptional
soccer matches and festivities presented
by the Melbourne Ethiopian Community.
Highlights of the week included the
battle for 3rd place between Tewedros
(Young Melbourne Team) and Sydney and
the grand final match for the Tournament
Cup between Perth and Brisbane. Perth
were the stronger team on the day and were
the overall victors for the tournament.
The Ethiopian soccer tournament has
been an ongoing success for the last
decade and has been a valuable experience
for the children and the families as it gives
the whole community a chance together
and unite to watch and enjoy one of the
most nourished sports along side athletics
back home in Ethiopia. The community
has been hosting and organising the
tournament in partnership with other
Ethiopian Communities all around
Australia and have also involved other
African teams such as Liberia, Sudan
and Ghana.
The event provided traditional music,
food and photo shots of historical Ethiopian
events and people. The tournament was
also attended by many Australian families
who had adopted young Ethiopian children
providing an important opportunity for
the children to meet other kids from the
same country as themselves. Children also
enjoyed playing on the jumping castle that
had been set up for them for five days.
The President of the Ethiopian
tournament Mr. Adamu Tefera also
expressed his happiness of how the
tournament turned out and said it
was an overall success and that their will
be no doubt that it will keep on growing
in the future.
The Ethiopian Community Association
of Victoria (ECAV) was established in 1985
and has more than 600 current members
and has provided holistic support to its
members. It has introduced Ethiopian
culture to the mainstream community. Its
main programs and activities consist of
Soccer, Annual Ethiopian Tournament and
Amharic Language School, elders program
and annual cultural celebrations.
The tournament was proudly supported
by the Victorian Multicultural Commission
and New Hope Foundation.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Gippsland Wall of Recognition
Close to five thousand people packed the Kernot Hall
Gardens in Morwell to witness the opening of the
eagerly awaited, Gippsland Wall of Immigration.
A
fter three years of hard work by
the Italian Australian Coordinating
Committee of Gippsland, the
“Wall” was officially opened on
Sunday 18 of March. The Committee wished
to recognise the significant and enduring
contribution made by migrants to the
development of the Gippsland region.
Support for the monument was provided
by Local, State and Federal Governments
and approaches were made to local
businesses, both large corporations and
smaller businesses, in the Gippsland
community. The local community was given
the opportunity to contribute funds to the
project and have their name inscribed on the
granite walls. The Wall proudly displays
over 1000 names, representative of over
thirty communities.
The centrepiece of the monument is a
statue of a man, with limited resources,
holding a suitcase and bag. His hand is
shading his eyes from the harsh
Australian sun as he looks forward to a new
life in Australia.
At the base of the statue, the following
verse, depicting the aspiration and
realisation of migration, has been inscribed:
A suitcase filled with courage,
Wonder, hope and dreams
In search of far horizons
For what fate and fortune brings
I have found you land of freedom
No longer will I roam
My tomorrows are your destiny
Australia My home
A series of seven walls set in a semicircle form a background for the statue.
Bronze plaques on four of the walls illustrate
the immigrant experience in Gippsland.
These plaques are based on images held in
various photographic collections in Gippsland
and beyond. One plaque tells the story of
migration to Gippsland in words. The north
face of three walls and the rear of all the
walls are available for the inscription of the
names of those that immigrated to Australia
and worked and lived in Gippsland.
A spokesperson from the Italian
Australian Coordinating Committee of
Gippsland expressed his delight in the
success of the project and the festivities on
the opening day.
Minister for Victorian Communities, Peter Batchelor, Federal Minister for
Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews and President of the Italian
Australian Coordinating Committee of Gippsland, Giovanni Di Fabrizio.
“It all began as an innocent idea and
now, almost three years later, that idea
has culminated into a project, which will
honour the principles of all migrants to the
region. Our vision was to provide a concept,
which may be appreciated by all, aimed to
inspire pride to all Australians, old and new,
especially the young, who through
the project, will be made more aware of
their history”.
39
40
COMMUNITY NEWS
2
1
Congratulations
3
graduates!
The Australian Somali Youth Association (ASYA)
recently held their annual VCE Graduation ceremony
for students who graduated high school in 2006.
T
he event, which was held at
Brunswick town Hall, was a great
success with plenty of Somali
food, folklore storytelling, poems
and traditional sayings showcased by
guest speakers and the Himilo team.
The highlight of the evening was an
entertaining play which focused on how
young people adjust to life in Australia and
the challenges they face and drew much
laughter from the audience. Up to fifty
students celebrated their graduation and
received presents and awards from ASYA
on the night.
Guest speakers from the community,
academic and government and non
governmental agencies were also invited
to join in celebrating the achievements of
these young students. Former graduates
Muna Noor, Awil Hussein and Sulekha
Bulhan shared their higher education
experiences and some of the challenges
they faced. They encouraged the new
graduates to follow their dreams and use
all the support they can get whether from
ASYA, their families, their community or
the support available through the colleges
and universities.
“Always stay focused and who says you
can’t have fun while you are studying, as long
as you prioritise you can reach your goals”
said Sulekha Bulhan one of the former
graduates who spoke about her experiences.
Prof Sandy Gifford, who is the Director
of The Refugee Health Research Centre
and a lecturer at the La Trobe University,
also spoke to the new graduates about the
challenges of transiting from high school
to university study requirements. Other
4
speakers include Dr. Abdulkadir Salad, who
gave a motivational speech, and Yusuf Omar
a PhD candidate at La Trobe University.
Abdifatah Mohamed, The President of
ASYA, said: ‘The Event celebrates
the achievements of young Australians
of Somali origin and encourages them
to continue their higher education. It is a
platform where these young graduates
can meet previous graduates and
share experiences.’
He continued, ‘It really was a great
night. We’ll be holding a similar ceremony
in 2008 for students graduating this year,
so keep an eye out!’
1 Sheikh Issa Abdo 2 Prof Sandy Gifford
with ASYA graduates 3 Poetry recited by
the Himilo Team 4 Hosts Kowthar & Abdy
Mohamed
Education and Training
program for outworkers
Industrial Relations Victoria (IRV) has developed programs and laws to protect
outworkers from exploitation and provide solutions to the shortage of skilled labour.
T
hrough the Ethical Clothing
Trades Council of Victoria, IRV has
formed a plan to help outworkers
in their current employment and
to facilitate their move into the broader
workforce by upgrading their skills.
In many cases, outworkers have
difficulties with English, they lack
tertiary qualifications, have big family
responsibilities and of course experience
the impact that prolonged social isolation
has on confidence.
In partnership with a range of Victorian
government agencies, employers, unions,
community organisations and training
providers, such as William Angliss, IRV
developed the Vocational Education
and Training (VET) program to provide
reskilling, upskilling and increased
employment opportunities for outworkers.
The result was a series of education
and training courses with a focus on areas
of skill shortage inside and outside the
clothing industry in vocations of interest
to outworkers.
Sixteen Vietnamese clothing
outworkers, who participated in IRV
VET program, recently graduated with
Certificate I in Hospitality Operations. They
were presented with their certificates from
the Hon Rob Hulls, Minister for Industrial
Relations, at an awards presentation
ceremony held at Parliament House on
22 May 2007.
The Job Ready program, conducted
by William Angliss Institute’s compliance
training department, with the support
of IRV, consisted of general hospitality
units and an introduction to baking and
commercial cookery units. Students
completed training in Responsible Service
of Alcohol (RSA), Food Hygiene, Coffee
Making, Safety and Security, conducted
over a six-week period.
Students also had access to English
language support during training to assist
their understanding of course modules
and to prepare them for job interviews.
The VET program was designed to expose
participants to a variety of skills and
services to assist them in selecting the
career path that is right for them.
For further information about the
Outworkers VET program, please contact
Ms My-Linh Pham on (03) 9651 9712 or Ms
Danielle Le on (03) 9651 9713.
The Hon. Rob Hulls MP with graduates of
the Certificate I in Hospitality Operations
41
42
Sheriff's Office goes multicultural
The Sheriff’s Office has developed a Multicultural framework and Action Plan
which aims to deliver fair and equitable services to cultural and linguistically
diverse Victorians.
W
ithin the Sheriff’s Office there
is now a Cultural Diversity
Unit that consists of two
Sheriff’s Officers and a Koori
projects Manager. The members of the
Unit have met with justice agencies,
identified key community contacts, met
with associations and cultural groups and
delivered Islamic Awareness session to
prisons across Victoria.
The Unit will manage the ongoing
delivery of Information/Awareness sessions
to community organisations and will
regularly consult with community leaders
will build partnerships and strengthen
relationships within the community.
Recently the Multicultural team
promoted Celebrate our Cultural Diversity
Week to Sheriff’s Offices right across
Victoria and participated in a number of
events celebrating the cultural, linguistic
and religious diversity of Victoria.
One of the events held at the
Tullamarine Sheriff’s Office was a
multicultural lunch which was an ideal
opportunity for staff to come together and
sample dishes from around the world and
celebrate the diversity found within their
own organisation.
1
1 Ilker Secgin - Multicultural Liaison
Officer/Senior Sheriff’s Officer, Vicky
Minas - Manager, Cultural Diversity Unit,
Charles Defina - Multicultural Liaison
Officer/District Supervisor
Keeping
children safe
The State government is working together
with the Victorian community in a new
scheme to help keep children safe from harm.
T
he scheme applies to all Victorians
who work or volunteer with
children, including members of
Victoria’s many culturally and
linguistically diverse communities.
Community members who regularly
work or volunteer with children in
these areas:
• Overnight camps for children
• Foster care
• Family day care
• Juvenile Justice
• Out of school hours care
• Child Protection
• School crossings
need to find out if they have to apply
for a Working with Children Check by
30 June 2007.
This is new legislation. From 1 July
2007, it will be against the law if a person
who should have applied for a Working
with Children Check didn’t and continues
to work or volunteer in these areas.
Penalties apply to both the individual and
their organisation.
The Working with Children Check Unit
can help your community work out who
needs to apply. As a person who works
with your community or as a community
leader, you have an important role to play
in helping the unit identify who might need
a Working with Children Check and
how we can provide information to your
community members.
This presents an opportunity to
work together to make sure that all
communities are provided with this
important information.
Over the next few years, people who
work or volunteer with children in other
areas (for example, schools, kindergartens
and clubs for children) will need to apply
for a Working with Children Check.
For more information about the Working
with Children Check, please contact:
• Elisa Brear on (03) 8684 1204 or David
Simmons on (03) 8684 1202
• Information Line (Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm)
– 1300 652 879
• Website at www.justice.vic.gov.au/
workingwithchildren
Discrimination in
employment
Racist attitudes are still a problem in the Victorian workplace, migrants have told
the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in a series of
community discussions.
O
ver 200 people from diverse
cultural backgrounds attended
sessions in Shepparton,
Dandenong, Footscray and
Broadmeadows as part of a project
researching discrimination in employment.
The feedback received by the
Commission highlights many areas
of concern. Reports of anti-Muslim
discrimination in the workplace were
particularly prevalent as were various
other general discriminatory practices
of employers.
One woman told the Commission:
“I was asked by my co-ordinator why
the Lebanese had ruined Coburg. I was
later told I was not the best fit for the
casual position I had been employed in
for two years.”
An Indian Sikh with a masters degree
applied for a graduate program with a
multinational company and was one of
seven applicants selected among 4000
applicants. After many interviews, the HR
manager asked him to stop applying for
jobs because he was “not a good cultural
mix for the organisation”. One manager
refused to interview him, stating “I want
Australians working here.”
Commission Chief Executive, Dr Helen
Szoke, said she was very concerned about
the reports.
“These recent reports of discrimination
and harassment are particularly distressing
in their nature,” she said. “Despite more
than 30 years of legislation, training and
education, this type of behavior continues
in the Victorian workforce. It’s against the
law and completely unacceptable.”
“There is a need to further educate
employers about equal opportunity
rights and responsibilities as well as the
benefits of employing people with diverse
Lucky Miles
Directed by Michael James Rowland, Lucky Miles is
a bittersweet comedy about distance, difference and
dud maps. Based on a collection of true stories.
I
t’s 1990 and an Indonesian fishing
boat abandons Iraqi and Cambodian
refugees in a remote part of the
Western Australia. Whilst most are
quickly caught by officials, three men with
nothing in common but their misfortune
and determination escape arrest and
begin an epic journey into the heart of
Australia. Pursued by an army reservist
unit, our three heroes wander deeper
into the desert, desperately searching
for civilisation amongst the stones of the
Pilbara. Inspired by stories of extreme
survival and high farce about refugees
roaming through the Pilbara region in the
late eighties, Lucky Miles is foremost a
buddy movie in the proud tradition of the
three-guys-stuck-out-on-a-limb genre.
Lucky miles was released in cinemas on
19 July.
Photos: Images from the film Lucky Miles.
experiences from overseas.”
Multicultural Commission, George
Lekakis was also greatly concerned by the
reports of discrimination raised during
the discussions.
“Racial discrimination makes it
difficult for many newly arrived migrants
to find work, which seriously impacts
their settlement process and can result
in a range of long term problems such
as unemployment and homelessness,”
Mr. Lekakis said. “When discrimination
continues in the workplace, it negatively
affects people’s quality of life and ability to
participate fully in society.”
In Victoria it is against the law to
discriminate against someone because of
their race or religion.
For more information visit
www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au
43
44
A.R.A.B - Healthy Communities
A Melbourne performance group has found a dynamic way to deal with cultural
prejudice and improve the mental health and wellbeing of literally thousands of people.
G
et 100 young people together
from over 30 different cultural
backgrounds – the result, if the
audience reaction is anything
to go by, is one of the most dynamic and
entertaining youth acts Australia has
ever produced.
Since the Anti Racism Action Band
- A.R.A.B – was formed in 2004, it has
performed around Australia and overseas.
The group was set up as an initiative of the
Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS).
Set up in part to deal with rising racism in
the ‘climate of fear’ surrounding the post
2001 World Trade Centre bombings and the
subsequent Bali bombings, A.R.A.B has
delighted more than 26,000 people at its
shows, globally.
The group is an exciting mix of
contemporary and traditional, A.R.A.B
Artistic Co-Director Kate Gillick says.
Small groups from a solo act to a crew
of 30 young people, perform dance, from
belly-dancing to Hip Hop.
A young Samoan-Australian woman
may perform a traditional song from
the Pacific or a duo representing seven
cultural backgrounds between them may
blast some cultural-barrier-breaking rap.
challenge the causes of their anger
and isolation.
Beat box is always a crowd-favourite
as some of Australia’s best young beat
boxers make rhythmic beat-driven musical
medleys, including drum sounds and just
about every musical instrument, all from
their mouth. The crowd goes wild when
the beat boxer does eight sounds at once!
Oh and there is Arabic drumming, video
performance and even comedy.
VicHealth, one of the key organisations
who fund A.R.A.B believes funding arts
projects have a well-recognised potential
to promote health and wellbeing.
A self-described blind ItalianEgyptian comedian, Maysa Abouzeid
says sometimes she gets depressed but
performing has made a big difference
in her life.
“There is now considerable evidence
that the stronger people feel a sense of
belonging the healthier they are. A.R.A.B
assists young people deal with issues they
face growing up and just as importantly
the group has a positive impact on the
thousands of people in the community,
who get to see them.”
“I tried piano and it didn’t work. I tried
swimming; it didn’t work. I tried running
around the back-yard . . . I tried cooking.
It didn’t work. I tried comedy with the
A.R.A.B project. It worked. The joy of
writing and performing my own comedy
gives me the spirit to be myself,” Ms
Abouzeid confides.
Susan Ball, Senior Project Officer at
VicHealth, says one of the arts’ most
powerful contributions to health is that
they reflect and create an inclusive sense
of community.
For more information, go to Victorian
Arab Social Services (VASS): www.vass.org.au
or email: [email protected]
A.R.A.B has given culturally diverse
young people a creative opportunity to
1
2
1 Ria 2 Smooth moves 3 Hip hop at Hume City
4 Maysa Abouzeidt
3
4
45
1
Jumping a cultural hurdle
to land a dream job
Karthik and his wife left India in March 2006, excited by
the prospect of their new life in Victoria.
W
ith a Master of Computer
Applications and 11 years
experience in software design
and development, Karthik
Krishnaraj has skills and experience that
are in high demand in Victoria.
The State Government’s Skilled
Migration Strategy attracts skilled and
business migrants, like Karthik, from
a range of countries. Skilled migrants
help Victorian employers address skill
shortages that cannot be filled locally
and contribute to the cultural diversity
and economic development of our
communities.
When he arrived in Victoria, Karthik
initially found it hard to get a job. While
his CV was working for him and he was
getting interviews, he could not get past
the interview stage.
“It was so frustrating,” Karthik said. “I
left a good lifestyle and job in India, and did
not expect to struggle to find work here.”
Karthik was already involved with
the Northern Migrant Resource Centre
(NMRC), which provides settlement
services to newly arrived migrants in
Melbourne’s north.
He was referred to NMRC’s SkillFill
program, a Workforce Participation
Partnerships (WPP) project which works
with skilled migrants, asylum seekers
and Temporary Visa Protection holders
to develop their skills, networks and
confidence and help them get a job.
The program changed Karthik’s
situation dramatically.
SkillFill case worker, Natasha Siryj, said
Karthik’s biggest challenges were to do
with cultural differences.
“He found it hard to sell himself at
interviews, as this was seen as bragging
and was inappropriate in his own culture,”
Natasha explained.
“I gave him intensive interview coaching
and emphasised that in Australia he needed
to sell himself, which helped him a lot.”
Thanks to WPP’s advice, support and
encouragement, Karthik soon got a job in
as senior system analyst with Accenture
– and his career progress hasn’t stopped
there. The skills and networks he gained
through SkillFill helped Karthik land his
dream job at IBM Australia, where he’s
been working since October last year.
There are currently around 100 WPP
projects helping job seekers across
Victoria get the work experience, training
and support they need to gain real jobs in
industries experiencing skills and labour
shortages, such as the IT industry.
For more information about the
Victorian Government’s Workforce
Participation Partnerships and the Skilled
Migration Program visit www.employment.
vic.gov.au and www.LiveInVictoria.vic.gov.au
1 Minister for Skills, Education Services
and Employment, Jacinta Allan (centre),
joins job seekers in Melbourne’s north
to celebrate the launch of Workforce
Participation Partnerships’ SkillFill project
46
SPONSORS
THANK YOU
TO OUR SPONSORS
The Victorian Multicultural Commission extends its appreciation to the sponsors and supporters
of Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week 2007.
This year the events and activities hosted during Celebrate our Cultural Diversity Week are proudly supported by:
PRIVACY
WORK SAFE
FINA
VITS
DEAKIN
FOOD WINE
IMMIGRATION
QUEST APTM
MULTI VIC
VIC HEALTH

multiculturalvictoria21 - Victorian Multicultural Commission

Transcription

Similar documents

Courthouse, 70 Horseferry Road, Westminster, SW1P

Awakening the Warrior Woman Within

Cindy-Lou Who`s Who

GLXS 2016

Reston Multicultural Festival

FReeZA 2013-2015 Grant Guidelines

Artist info and artwork images

Kamsack Victoria Elementary School November 5th Picture Retakes