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FIAV and Global Dialogue Foundation participates in United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) 4th Forum held in Doha
Jan 10, 2012
On the occasion of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) 4th Forum held in Doha, Qatar on 11-13 December 2011, FIAV’s President Mr. Vasan Srinivasan presented several major milestones of Multiculturalism in Victoria.
“To me multiculturalism is just how life is. I am an Indian born, raising a family in Australia, living in the house to the right is a Chinese family and to the left is a Greek family. When I go out to work in the morning, I see all Australian families going to work as well.
When you look down the street there are many different people from many different nationalities. All of us have been living together for many years now, said Mr Srinivasan in his remarks during one of the breakout sessions.”
More than 2,000 participants, including political and corporate leaders, civil society activists and faith communities gathered in Qatar to take part in the UNAOC Forum to discuss how to improve relations across cultures, combat prejudice and build lasting peace.
As the Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the UNAOC Australian civil society chapter, which is being established under the auspices of the Global Dialogue Foundation, Mr. Srinivasan representing the Indian community is working closely with leaders from; Australian Indigenous, Pacific Islands, Chinese and African communities, to offer the opportunity for community-based and grassroots organisations to connect with the UNAOC, its programs and its partners.
“We are all participating in this program to help take the UNAOC mission further, to communicate with other cultures and communities, and to establish more chapters of the UNAOC around the world.”
Mr. Srinivasan expressed his thanks to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for the opportunity, the Qatar Government for its leadership to strengthen civil society participation and to Mr Peter Gorgievski the Director General of the Global Dialogue Foundation.
Mr Srinivasan further emphasised the fact that the current Minister for Multicultural Affairs Victoria Hon. Nicholas Kotsiras comes from a Greek background, and he himself is very aware of the needs of a growing multicultural society.
Furthermore, the current Minister for Planning Hon. Mathew Guy comes from a Ukrainian background. Innumerable cases of multiculturalism are also seen within the Victorian & Australian State & federal Parliaments.
During a special session organised at the UNAOC Forum by the Australian and Turkish Government Foreign Ministries, The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, presented a strong message on developing 3Ds’ : Dignity, Diversity & Dialogue.
Mr. Rudd impressed upon the audience the key steps to achieving the 3 D’s are ; Laws- becoming Australian naturally ; unfolding new political and social forces and leadership ; the importance of education ; the importance of civil society, and allowing civil society to flourish.
The UNAOC Forum offered opportunities to create international partnerships, to form new UNAOC civil society chapters and to expand on momentum going forward with understanding for each other’s culture, background, language and faith.
FIAV is proud to be part of the UNAOC civil society chapter in Australia and extends an opportunity to all Indian organisations, but also to organisations of all cultures living in Australia, to join.
To find out more and to join the UNAOC Australian civil society chapter, visit http://www.gdfuni
tyindiversity.org/unaoccivilsociety.htm.
Comments
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Cash -
January 15, 2012, 2:03 pm
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Latonya -
February 23, 2012, 1:38 am
Add A CommentDamn, I wish I could think of soehtming smart like that!
Bus fqrnueecies have been consistently increased over the past few years, with great results for patronage.Rail frequency has changed marginally, with one or two extra services being added every six months or so, and mainly on the Caboolture Ipswich line. Every new service is preceded by overcrowding and demands by Mr Dow and his Rail-Back on Track group like squeezing blood from a stone.What's the matter with CityTrain? We know that old and obscure work practices remain in force. We know that attempts to recruit women train crew have been met with passive resistance from unreconstructed crew, and many of those who trained and began service have resigned, while few women from within QR have even put their hands up, knowing the culture. Does this resistance extend to negotiations about major changes to timetabling and rostering?Now that CityTrain is part of the new customer service' oriented Govt-owned QR, the challenge facing Mr Scurrah, the CEO who does not have an old-fashioned railway background, is to bring service standards and flexibility up to and beyond that of the bus services that have responded to the challenge of rising demand and expectations. No more can't be done responses to Translink requests for change!