NEWS + EVENTS

REFUGEE WEEK 2011 June 19 - June 25

Refuge Week 2011 will be celebrated from Sunday, June 19 to Saturday, June 25, to coincide with World Refugee Day (June 20). For information about Refugee Week, visit www.refugeeweek.org.au

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday 12 to Sunday 17 April – Sydney
Tibetan Monks Sand Mandala
These events will include Sand Mandala creation, chanting meditation, Buddhist Philosophy and Tibetan handicrafts.
Details: 12-16 April 10.00am-5.00pm, 17 April 1.30pm-4.00pm; Avalon Recreation Centre, Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon; enquiries 0437 531 240.

Friday 15 April – Sydney
Political Charity? The Impact of the AidWatch case
A Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Research Centre and AidWatch Forum to debate a recent High Court ruling that charities can have a political purpose.
Details: 9.00am-2.00pm; Mitchell Theatre, Sydney Mechanics School of the Arts, 280 Pitt St near Town Hall; registration is free but please email ccs@uts.edu.au for a place.

Friday 15 April – Brisbane
Love City Hall Concert
Queensland Multicultural Inc. presents this fundraiser for Brisbane City Hall Renovation. The event will feature International singer Kamahl and Thanh Bui, in the top 8 of 2008 Australian Idol will perform.
Details: 6.30pm-7.30pm networking, 7.30pm concert starts; RNA Coffee Club, Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, Brisbane; tickets $50, $70 or $100; for more info contact Dr Bui 0414 738093 or Wayne Ko on 0412 046 201.

Saturday 16 April – Sydney
Burma-Tibetan Friendship night
A fund-raising event to raise money for Burmese refugees living in Delhi to be able to visit Tibetan activists in Dharamsala. The event will include dinner, a screening of the film ‘This Prison Where I Live’ and a Q&A session.
Details: from 6.00pm; 90 Bangaroo Street, North Balgowlah; bookings essential; RSVP by 10 April to Kerry Wright 0438 699 494 or Sophie Coles 0415 033 933.

Saturday 16 April – Brisbane
Access and Equity Consultation
This exciting event, organised by the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA), is a forum for CALD communities to speak out about their experiences with government service provision, namely in the areas of employment, housing, health and family services. This is also an invaluable opportunity for those services to gain direct feedback on the benefits and weaknesses of their service. This consultation, along with others held across Australia, will form the backbone of the 2010-2011 National Access and Equity Report.
Details: 10.00am-2.00pm; lunch provided; Gumbaya Room, ECCQ House, 253 Boundary Street, West End, Brisbane, parking: ECCQ car park on Granville Street, or on-street parking; RSVP by 11 April, email jenni@fecca.org.au or ring Jenni on (02) 6282 5755.

Saturday 16 April – Toowoomba, Queensland
Establishing your Community Association: workshop for refugee and migrant community members
Issues covered include: organisational structure, unincorporated and incorporated associations, getting incorporated and management committee roles and responsibilities. The workshop is supported by the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland, Mercy Family Services, Toowoomba Regional Council
Details: 11.00am-3.00pm; Mercy Family Services, Lucia Training Rooms, 104 South Street; contact David Barton (07) 4617 7600.

Monday 18 April – Sydney
Open Forum: Children in Immigration Detention Centres
A discussion about the current situation with guest speakers Professor Louise Newman AM, Ms Dianne Hiles AM and Ms Najeeba Wazefadost
Details: 5.30pm for 6.00pm; University of Western Sydney Parramatta campus, Building EB Room EB.3.33; call (02) 9678 7374 or register online at
www.uws.edu.au/equity_diversity/equity_and_diversity/activities_and_programs/rsvp

Thursday 28 April – Melbourne
Cross Cultural Awareness Training: Communication and Dialogue
This training session will focus on dialogue-based strategies in the areas of: non-verbal communication, language and discourse analysis, knowledge, perspectives and world view, multiculturalism and democracy and intention in communication
Details: $260 + GST per person includes lunch and materials; Independent Schools Victoria Training Facilities; 40 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne; for more information contact Erfan Daliri 0401 387 874 or tabarsimd@iinet.net.au or www.tabarsi.com.au

From Friday 29 April – Perth
Come ‘n’ Try Sports Clinics for multicultural youth
A range of come ‘n’ try clinics for young people aged 6-10 years will be held during the school holidays at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.
Details: $4 per session, lunch provided; contact Natalie on (08) 9205 7335 for more information and to register (bookings are essential).

Saturday 30 April – Melbourne
Visit to the museum for asylum seekers
The Asylum Seeker Welcome Centre (ASWC) in Brunswick invites asylum seekers to a visit to the Museum. The visit will be followed by lunch and soccer in the park.
Details: meet at ASWC in Brunswick at 10:00am or at the museum at 11:15am; to book contact Paul at the ASWC on (03) 9388 2459 or paul.boyd@uniting.com.au; for further details visit www.aswc.org.au/saturdayprogram

Friday 6 May – Melbourne
2011 Human Rights Dinner
The Human Rights Law Centre and the Public Interest Law Clearing House have organised a Human Rights Dinner with keynote speakers Simon McKeon, 2011 Australian of the year, and Dr Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service. There will be a silent auction, featuring pictures by renowned photographer, the late Wolfgang Sievers, signed human rights books, fine wines and other delights.
Details: 6.45pm drinks for 7.00pm start; Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf (Rooms 105 & 106 Hilton South Wharf entrance); RSVP 27 April 2011; tickets $140 full price, $80 subsidised; dress code lounge/cocktail; email rsvphumanrights@pilch.org.au or call Toni Hynes (03) 8636 4459

Friday 6 May – Sydney
Accidental Counsellors: Skills for working with refugee survivors of torture and trauma
This one-day workshop has been designed to give workers not trained as counsellors some basic tips and skills for how to deal with difficult behaviours in trauma clients in the workplace. It will give you practical skills in dealing with situations such as: disclosure of traumatic stories, tearfulness, anger outbursts and suicide threats.
Details: $149 per person, $99 for students; 9.30am-4.30pm; 152-168 The Horsley Drive, Carramar NSW; for more information contact Jacqueline Donoso on (02) 9794 1900 or Jacqueline.Donoso@sswahs.nsw.gov.au, or visit www.startts.org.au/default.aspx?id=396

Friday 6 & Saturday 7 May – Sydney
No disrespect: Say no in plural to the “say no to burqas” mural
This exhibition, hosted by Muslim Youth of Sydney, Justice and Arts Network and Cross Border Collective, aims to create opposition and alternatives to the “say no to burqas” mural in Newtown. The opening night on 6 May will feature music and performances including spoken word artist Rima aka Soul Beats. The event on 7 May will include a panel discussion on race, difference, feminism and the burqa plus a performance by Fear of a Brown Planet.
Details: 6 May from 6.00pm; 7 May from 2.00pm; Newtown Neighbourhood Centre; for more information e-mail crossborder.sydney@gmail.com or call Najiyah on 0431 722 910.

Saturday 7 May – Sydney
Confronting 21st Century Inequalities: Towards more just schools and social services
This symposium will be of immense interest to those working in all levels of education, social work, juvenile justice, community development and youth work. Opening address by the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, keynote speakers: Raewyn Connell, Ross Homel AO and Peter Freebody.
Details: $240 per person incl. GST and morning tea, lunch and closing drinks, group discounts available; for full program details go to
www.sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/professional_learning

Monday 9 May to Sunday 15 May
National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week is the largest celebration of volunteers and volunteerism in Australia, and provides an opportunity to highlight the role of volunteers in our communities and to say thank you to the more than 5 million Australians who volunteer.
Details: for further information, visit
www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s02_article/default.asp?nav_top_id=55&nav_cat_id=357

Friday 20 May – Sydney
Asylum Seekers Centre Quiz night
More details will be announced soon but please save the date!

See also: United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) Website for UNAA Diary Dates and UN observances