Tribute to founding Buddhist leader

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, today paid tribute to the leader of Vietnamese Buddhists in Australia, the Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue, who died on January the 28th and whose funeral service was held today.

“He led his people in rebuilding their lives, shattered by a civil war that set the Vietnamese people against each other and by perilous journeys across the open sea in tiny boats.

“The success of the Vietnamese community and the high standing it now enjoys in Australian society is in large part due to the Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue.

“He was a giant amongst his people and one of the genuine pioneers of Vietnamese and Buddhist immigration to Australia. He is believed to be the first Buddhist monk to arrive in Australia and set the highest standards for those who followed.

“He was a leader, a builder and an inspiration.

“His legacy is not only the magnificent temple buildings which he inspired but the spiritual leadership he gave to those who struggled to understand life in a new culture and their children who struggled to straddle the culture of their friends and the culture of their parents.

“The Most Venerable was an internationally respected Dharma Master - one of the few Australians to be mentioned in the Seeker's Glossary of Buddhists.

“He organised a number of important first-time international Buddhist gatherings in Australia.

“He not only served the Vietnamese community with great dedication for the past thirty years, the Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue was a major force in the acceptance and understanding of Buddhism within the broad Australian society.

“He became a great and true Australian

“While we mourn his loss we celebrate his great legacy to all Australians”, Mr. Kerkyasharian said.

(left to right) The Hon. Mircea Lubanovici, a Member of the Parliament of Romania, CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian and Consul General of Romania Prof. Dr. Paul Floricel Mocanu, at the CRC's Head Office in Sydney.

Important member of Romanian Parliament visits CRC

The Hon. Mircea Lubanovici, a Member of the Parliament of Romania visited the Head Office of the Commission, accompanied by the Consul General of Romania in Sydney, Prof. Dr. Paul Floricel Mocanu.

Mr Lubanovici who has special responsibility for Romanians in the North and South America, Australia and New Zealand had discussions with Commission Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian about the Romanian Community in NSW, focusing particularly on education and the teaching of the Romanian language.

Commission Chair Stepan Kerkyasharian presents a CRC medallion for Tamworth Council to the Mayor, Councillor Col Murray

CRC Holds Its Yearly Regional Meeting in Tamworth

Each year the Commission holds one regional meeting in a regional centre. The purpose of the yearly regional meeting is to provide the Commissioners and senior staff of the Commission with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with regional issues and priorities, and to meet and interact with key community people and senior government representatives in the area.

The visit also provides a great opportunity for members of the local community to interact with the Commission and raise their particular concerns.

This year the Commission held its meeting in Tamworth, the Mayor of Tamworth Councillor Col Murray hosted a mayoral reception which was attended by 70 people including business, civic and religious leaders, government representatives and key community representatives.

During its visit, the Commission met with senior representatives from Hunter New England Health, who conducted a presentation on the services they provide in the region and the challenges they face in recruiting and retaining overseas qualified health professionals.

The presentation was beneficial for both the Commission and health staff and provided the opportunity for questions and views to be exchanged.

The Commission has also visited British Aerospace (BAE) systems military flight training school. It hosts international guests from Singapore Air Force (approximately 30 per month), Royal Brunei Air Force (approximately 8 per month) and Papua New Guinea as well as from the Australian Air Force.

The Commission met with the guests who talked in positive terms about their stay and experience in Tamworth. In general, the visit was successful and strengthened the relationship between the Commission, the Council and the local community.

(left to right): Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chair CRC of NSW, Premier Barry O’Farrell, Regina Boulos UBI TV President, Lou Petrolo Director LOUD Multicultural, Jhaike Braham, Marketing Manager Cancer Council of NSW, Sally-Anne Prado, Cultural Diversity Manager from the Cancer Council NSW, Erica Green, Account Director LOUD and Victor Dominello Minister for Citizenship and Communities.
Photo by Warren Duncan

National Multicultural Marketing Awards have changed attitudes

The twenty-first National Multicultural Marketing Awards, conducted by the Community Relations Commission of NSW, awarded a national morning tea, a puppet-maker, a multinational Asian bank, a university, a library, a refugee football team and pharmaceutical exporter.

The winners were announced at a gala dinner at the Westin in Sydney last night hosted by the Premier, Barry O’Farrell and the Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, said today: “These awards, over the last two decades, have paved the way for the work which the New South Wales government is doing now to promote the economic value of cultural diversity.

“These awards are a clear indication that New South Wales has always lead the way when it comes to appreciating the magnificent value of our people, who have come from somewhere else in the world to make a new life in this country.

“And now the NSW Government has taken steps to harness this resource for the good of the state by setting up the NSW Export and Investment Advisory Board supported by Multicultural Business Advisory Panel.

“The breadth of scope of the entrants and their projects showcased last night tells us that lots of people in business, government and community now well and truly get the idea of multicultural marketing and are putting it to work in daily business.

“That result alone tells the Commission that the National Multicultural Marketing Awards have been a very successful pursuit and have changed habits and attitudes around the nation” he said.

The winners of the seven categories announced tonight were:

(left to right) Jason Conroy, Deputy Principal, Mr Andy Tran, Chantelle Tran (Winner), Evelyn Tran, Mrs Rachel Tran, Mrs Kirsten Oakley, English Teacher, Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello, CRC Chair Stepan Kerkyasharian

Minister Dominello presents The Community Relations Commission's Poetry Award

Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello MP today presented twelve-year-old Chantelle Tran of Prairiewood High School, Wetherill Park with the Community Relations Commission’s (CRC) annual prize for poetry.

The CRC prize is part of the National Dorothea Mackellar Awards in memory of Mackellar’s iconic poem, My Country.

Through this category young people are invited to write a poem expressing their thoughts and feelings about migration, settlement and cultural diversity. Minister Dominello and Chair of the CRC, Stepan Kerkyasharian hosted Ms Tran and her parents at an afternoon tea in Parliament House today.

Click here to read the poem.

Sympathy for fatal disturbances in Egypt

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission of NSW, Stepan Kerkyasharian, has offered his sympathies to the Coptic Community of New South Wales following the fatal clashes in the streets of Cairo overnight.

“These scenes must be very distressing to Australian Copts. It is sad to reflect that the unity we saw during the revolution earlier in the year could be dissipated in the wake of extremist attacks on churches and members of the Coptic faith in Egypt.

“I realise that being so far away from family and friends at these difficult times only adds to the pain for Australian Copts.

“Fair-minded people around the world would be greatly disturbed by the scenes in the streets of Cairo in the past twenty four hours and would condemn all acts of violence, especially those committed as a result of religious intolerance or hatred.

“No one should be persecuted or vilified in any country for their religious beliefs”, Mr Kerkyasharian said.

MULTICULTURALISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN NSW

Over four hundred ethnic community leaders and youthful leaders-in-waiting came together over the last two days to assess the state of community harmony and progress in New South Wales, at the annual symposium of the Community Relations Commission.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, declared the eleventh annual congress of multicultural New South Wales “a complete success”.

“This was a great gathering of experience, history and potential. There were lots of great ideas and suggestions from the four hundred and more delegates who came together for the two days of presentations, discussions and debate, he said.

The Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello, addressing his first CRC Symposium told the youth leadership delegates: “The knowledge of language which you have learnt from your parents, the knowledge of culture which you have learnt from your community and the contacts your family still have in their former homeland country are all extremely valuable to Australia.”

He urged the young people to seize opportunities that have been given to them and to take their place in multicultural New South Wales.

In his concluding address Mr Kerkyasharian declared that multiculturalism was very much alive in New South Wales.

“However, political support for multiculturalism waxes and wanes over the years. So, it’s necessary for everyone concerned, especially young people, to continue the campaign to sell the economic and cultural value of diversity and to fight for the services that immigrants need to maximise their contribution to the new homeland”.

The key note speakers on each day stimulated great debate and discussion:

On Youth Leaders Day, Ms Peta Jane Madam of SBS News spoke about social media and multiculturalism and on the Symposium General Day, Mr Peter Wertheim, Executive Director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry addressed the future of multiculturalism and the pivotal role that education has to play.

Stepan Kerkyasharian,CRC Chair, with Samaira Farah (right) President of African Film Festival of Australia and Faduma Geddi, Vice-President.

African youth launch their own arts development project

A new arts initiative to promote and showcase the talent of Australians of African background has been launched by the Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

The African Film Festival Inc will not only organise an annual festival of contemporary African cinema but will strive throughout the year to seek out and encourage artist and creative talent within the community.

“I am thrilled to see that young people of many different African backgrounds have come together to create this important new arts organisation.

“This is a clear indication that the Australian youth of African background are now comfortably taking their place in our society as fully integrated professionals”, he said.

(left to right) Emanuel Valageorgiou, ECC Chairperson, Mark Franklin, ECC Executive Officer, Dai Le, ECC Deputy Chairperson, Marte Tagle, CRC Director of Business Services, Stepan Kerkyasharian, CRC Chair, Ross Berghofer CRC Project Officer.

New leadership of the ECC holds talks with Commission Chair

The new Chairperson of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW, Emanuel Valageorgiou and the Deputy Chair, Dai Le met today with the Commission Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian, and staff to pave the way for future cooperation.

“Change always presents opportunities and we are going to explore a number of new approaches to ensure the Commission and the ECC work cooperatively for the benefit of all the people of New South Wales”, Mr Kerkyasharian said after the meeting.

The Norwegian Ambassador to Australia, Her Excellency Siren Gjerme Eriksen and the Chair of the CRC, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

Norwegian Ambassador holds talks with CRC Chair

The Ambassador of Norway in Australia, Her Excellency Siren Gjerme Eriksen, has held talks with the Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, in Sydney. The discussions included references to the recent tragic events in Norway in the context of community relations policies.

The Community Consultation at Gymea

Commission holds consultations in North and South suburbs of Sydney.

The Commission has held community consultations in Crows Nest and Gymea as part of its on-going programme of visits to different regions of Sydney.

Commission staff and commissioners took part in the meetings with local community members from across a broad spectrum of society.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, said: “It is invaluable for us to hear at first hand the views of ordinary members of the public.

Each area has very particular views and needs which we must analyse and feed into our decision-making processes.

The Commission is required by legislation to consult widely and systematically. Suburban meetings are an important part of meeting that requirement.”

The Premier Barry O’Farrell addresses the interfaith dinner for Ramadan

Premier Hosts Inter Faith Dinner For Ramadan

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has joined religious and community leaders from across the State to mark the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Mr O’Farrell has hosted an Iftar meal at State Parliament at the end of the dawn to sunset fast.

Mr O’Farrell was joined by the Minister for Citizenship and Communities and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Victor Dominello and a number of other MPs.

(left to right) Djordo Prstojevic, Assistant Minister for Religion and Diaspora, Mr Miodrag Jaksic, State Secretary, Stepan Kerkyasharian, CRC Chair, Richard Acheson, Director, Community Relations Service and Ambassador Branko Radosevic

Serbian Delegation visits CRC

Officials from the Serbian Ministry of Religion and Diaspora paid a visit to the CRC Head Office in Sydney for talks about the development of the Serbian community in New South Wales.

The officials, Mr Miodrag Jaksic, State Secretary and Mr Djordo Prstojevic, Assistant Minister, were accompanied to the Commission by Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney, Ambassador Branko Radosevic. They met with Mr Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chair, Mr Richard Acheson, Director, Community Relations Service and Mr Warren Duncan, Media Officer.

James Samios, M.B.E., B.A., LL.B., (1933-2011)

Multicultural pioneer dies

“I was deeply saddened to hear today of the death of Jim Samios, one of our true pioneers of multiculturalism,” Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian said today.

“He was a gentleman politician who never allowed political considerations to impede his actions to meet community needs.

“Jim was there at the very beginning of public advocacy for the rights of and opportunities for migrants and maintained his enthusiasm until his death.

“He gave a great lead to the children of other migrants of his day – studying law, working in the Commonwealth Attorney Generals Department and serving for two years in Royal Australian Air Force.

“He was in every sense an Australian but an Australian with a rich cultural background which infused him with a passion to assist others who were searching to make their contribution to their adopted homeland.

“Jim’s political achievements were considerable although he rarely sought the limelight. As a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1984 to 2003 he was a parliamentary secretary from 1988 until 1995 dealing with ethnic and multicultural affairs. In that position he worked quietly to promote community harmony and was instrumental, behind the scenes, in the formulation of anti-vilification legislation.

“As a board member of the SBS he played a pivotal role in the development of ethnic radio and television.

“But it was his quiet demeanour and dogged determination that made Jim so effective as an important voice for the social and economic benefits of cultural diversity. We all owe him a debt of gratitude”, Mr Kerkyasharian said.

CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian, (left) and Dr Eman Sharobeem CRC Commissioner(centre) with Egyptian overseas students

Egyptian Students given valuable tips for life in NSW

More than sixty international students from Egypt today attended an information session on life in New South Wales.

“The information provided to students today is invaluable. I would like to thank the Community Relations Commission for organising such an outstanding session today, I will definitely share this information with my fellow students...” an international student told the CRC after the session.

The gathering was addressed by the Chair of the CRC, Stepan Kerkyasharian, who encouraged international students to approach the Commission about any support they might need during their stay in NSW.

CRC Commissioner, Michael Christodoulou congratulates the Australian distributor of the film 33 Postcards, John L Simpson who accepted the CRC Award at the Sydney Film Festival, on behalf of Producer/ Director Pauline Chan.

33 Postcards wins CRC Award at Sydney film Festival

Sydney film-maker Pauline Chan has won the annual Community Relations Commission Award at the Sydney Film Festival for her feature film 33 Postcards.

Congratulating Ms Chan, the Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, said: “We have offered this award at the Sydney Festival since the early Nineties to encourage film makers to explore aspects of cultural diversity, the immigration experience and the interaction of immigrants with each other and with the settled community."

The Minister for Citizenship and Communities, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, The Hon. Victor Dominello MP, launching the 2011 National Multicultural Marketing Awards.

Minister launches National Multicultural Marketing Awards

Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello MP today launched the 2011 National Multicultural Marketing Awards, an initiative of the NSW Community Relations Commission (CRC).

Click here to read media release.

2011 Grand
Award Trophy

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian (far right), Superintendent Robert Redfern APM (middle) with international students attending an information seminar at Parramatta Town Hall.

International Students learn survival lessons

International students and student counsellors from Universities, TAFE and other private colleges attended an information seminar on Saturday 14 May at Parramatta Town Hall hosted by the CRC. The Chair of the Commission Stepan Kerkyasharian, opening the seminar, restated the Commission’s support for all international students.

“The Commission is committed to doing everything possible to ensure that international students remain, safe and healthy, enjoy their time here and go home as great ambassadors for New South Wales”.

The seminar provided valuable advice for students from the NSW Police, the NSW Department of Industrial Relations and the NSW Office of Fair Trading.

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, welcomes the Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Australia, Ms Jacqueline Zwambila to the Commission’s head office in Sydney.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador visits Commission

The Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe to Australia Ms Jacqueline Zwambila has paid an official visit to the Community Relations Commission.

Ms Zwambila held talks with CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian, about the work of the Commission in promoting and protecting community harmony. The Ambassador gave details of her government’s programmes to heal community divisions created by the period of political instability in the recent past.

Dr Ian Johnston is congratulated by the Minister for the Arts, George Souris.

Doctor's literary skill translates to Premier's Award

A Hobart doctor with a passion for language and translation has won this year’s Community Relations Commission’s Translation Prize at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards announced in Sydney tonight.

Dr Ian Johnston has won the prize which is jointly sponsored by the Sydney Branch of Pen International, the worldwide association of writers which defends freedom of expression and fights for the rights of people harassed, imprisoned or murdered for what they write.

Congratulating tonight’s prize-winner, the Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian said: “Dr. Ian Johnston is a super-star of translation. He works in fields where few of us could dream of entering - classical Chinese and Classical Greek. Yet, he renders ancient works from those languages in English which makes them accessible to all and eagerly sought out by scholars.

Ouyang Yu is congratulated by CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

Chinese truck driver's story wins CRC Literary Prize

The Community Relations Commission Prize at the Premier’s Literary Awards tonight has been won by a prolific Australian writer of Chinese background, for his novel The English Class.

Congratulating Ouyang Yu on his award, the Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, said: “The English Class is an intriguing piece of writing about the migration experience. The story actually begins a long time before the central character leaves his homeland for Australia as he struggles to master English in the belief that it guarantees him a better life in the west.

The Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello, meeting with CRC Commissioners

The Minister for Citizenship and Communities, The Hon. Victor Dominello, meeting with CRC Commissioners during the regular monthly meeting on May 13th 2011.

In the picture (left to right) Sam Almaliki, Ozlem Huseyin, Lalli Sethuram, Jihad Dib, Minister Dominello, Stepan Kerkyasharian(Chair), Dr Eman Sharobeem, David Knoll, Adol Takpiny and George Pappas.

CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian and Commission officer, Thida Yang, listen to the view of community leaders in Randwick.

Community Consultation at Randwick

The Commission has resumed its programme of community consultation with a meeting of local community leaders in Randwick on Thursday 10th March.

Around twenty community leaders discussed a broad range of local issues, including youth behaviour, with CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Commissioner Seini Afeaki, Commissioner Michael Christodoulou, and Commission staff.

The Chair told the leaders that the meeting was part of the Commission's commitment and its obligation to consult broadly and deeply. During the meeting he took on board a number of requests for further investigation of local issues.

Mr Kerkyasharian said today the Commission would be continuing the programme of consultation throughout the year.

“Our job is very much to be the bridge that carries the hopes, aspirations and concerns from the community to the Government and to make recommendations for action”, he said.

The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Ali Nasser Ali Al Nuaimi (left) meets CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

U.A.E Ambassador to Australia visits Commission

The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Ali Nasser Ali Al Nuaimi paid an official visit to the Community Relations Commission and held talks with the Chair,  Stepan Kerkyasharian on Thursday March 10, 2011.

The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Mohammed Saeed, Third Secretary, and Ms Maria Silos , Economic and Legislative Analyst.

The meeting discussed issues of mutual interest regarding the settlement of Muslims within the Australian society.

Dr Simon Marginson during his lecture in Sydney.

Eminent Academic gives key lecture on International Students

Dr Simon Marginson, Professor of Higher Education in the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne delivered a powerful lecture on the issues confronting Australia in the field of Cross-border students.

Dr Marginson recently published International Student Security, based on a close study of international students across Australia.

His lecture raised a number of serious issues to be addressed by government and education providers in order to arrest the sharp decline in student enrolments from abroad. The audience was very broadly based and raised significant questions with Dr Marginson.

The lecture was organised by the Community Relations Commission and chaired by Stepan Kerkyasharian, CRC Chairperson.

Click here to view Dr Marginson's Speech.

Click here to view Dr Marginson's Presentation.

Chairman of the CRC, Stepan Kerkyasharian (centre) surrounded by attendees of the Youth Networking Evening in Parramatta.

Multicultural Youth Network holds successful Youth Networking Evening at Parramatta

The Community Relations Commission’s Multicultural Youth Network has staged a successful networking evening at the Riverside Theatre, Parramatta on Tuesday 8 March 2011. Members of the MYN organised the event to provide opportunities for young people to expand existing networks and to meet similar-minded young leaders.

Newly appointed CRC Youth Commissioners Sam Almaliki and George Pappas met with over 90 young people from various cultural backgrounds and youth organisations.

Attendees were given a briefing on the work of the MYN and its future projects and key-note speaker Tshibanda Gracia Ngoy spoke with great passion and clarity about the need for leadership and to act with purpose.

Members of the Mexican Dance Group of Australia added some colour with their traditional performance and even had some of the event attendees up on their feet.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, urged young people of immigrant backgrounds to promote multiculturalism and the economic and social benefits of cultural diversity.

Radhika Prasanna, International Students Project Officer at the CRC meets students at the First International Students Festival at Darling Harbour, Sydney

Commission participates in first International Students Festival

The Community Relations Commission participated in the first International Students Festival at Darling Harbour on Sunday 6th March.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian said today: “This was a valuable opportunity for Commission staff to meet face-to-face with international students and to talk to them about the series of information sessions we are currently organising for students.

“Our staff also distributed, directly to students, large numbers of the Z card which the Commission produced in 2010, as a pocket guide to services throughout New South Wales.

“After the concerns in 2009 about student safety and college collapses it was great to see thousands of overseas students enjoying the outdoor life of Sydney on a typical summer’s day,” Mr Kerkyasharian said.

Click here for details of information sessions.

Click here to view the winners.

CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian with the High commissioner of the Republic of Kenya in Australia, Stephen Tarus, at Parliament House, Sydney

CRC Chair meets with High Commissioner of Kenya

The CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian has met with the High commissioner of the Republic of Kenya in Australia at Parliament House.

The High Commissioner, Mr Stephen Tarus was accompanied by Ms Beatrice Muthigani, from the High Commission staff, Mr David Mutoro, NSW Kenyan Community leader and Ms Alison Roberts-Brown, Regional Manager, Kenya Tourist board in Sydney.

The guests discussed with Mr Kerkyasharian migrant and refugee settlement and issues affecting overseas students.

(Left to right) Ms Ha Kyung, Ms Yunjin Bae, Ms Jihye Lee, Mr Stepan Kerkyasharian, Soyoung Choi and Narae Kim

International interest in the work of the CRC continues

Two groups of students from Korea have visited Commission recently to learn about Australian multiculturalism.

Three students from Jyung Hee University in South Korea visited the Community Relations Commission to learn about multicultural education policies. Five other students from Busan came to inquire about policies for maintaining community harmony in a multicultural society.

The Turkish consul General in Sydney Miss Gulseren Celik with CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

New Turkish Consul General in Sydney visits Commission

The newly arrived Consul General of Turkey in Sydney, Miss Gulseren Celik, has visited the Commission for talks with Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian. The Consul General was keen to hear about the Turkish community in New South Wales and their settlement aspirations.

Deputy Mayor Jeff Whitton, Chris Gryllis, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chair, CRC and Mosha Gryllis

The Community Relations Commission Visit to Orange 11 and 12 November 2010

Each year the Commission holds a meeting outside the Sydney Metropolitan area as part of the Commission’s ongoing program of consultation and engagement with regional communities. Regional meetings provide the Commission with an opportunity to become familiar with major issues of concern to the locality and enable it to address those issues more effectively.

Click here for more information.

Alvaro Barba, Consul General of Uruguay in Sydney, Alberto Fajardo, (left) Ambassador of Uruguay to Australia, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chair, CRC

Diplomatic Visitors from Uruguay

The Ambassador of Uruguay in Australia, Alberto Fajardo, and the Consul General of Uruguay in Sydney, Alvaro Barba, visited the Commission to hold talks with the Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

Discussion ranged over community issues, community harmony and discrimination issues.

Ambassador Fajardo expressed a special interest in the maintenance of the Spanish language in the third generation of immigrants from his country and other Spanish speaking nations and the formal teaching of Spanish to other Australian children as a major world language.

Mr Liu Jieyi, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

Future Chinese Leaders hold talks with the Commission

A delegation of young political leaders from the Communist Party of China visited the Community Relations Commission for wide-ranging talks about multiculturalism on the 25th of June 2010.

The group was lead by Mr Liu Jieyi, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Mr Liu has worked at the United Nations office in Geneva and was later Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations in New York. Other members of the delegation hold senior party positions in various provinces of China and several have responsibilities for relations with western nations.

The discussions which involved Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chair of the Commission and Warren Duncan, Media Officer of the CRC, covered many aspects of the work in New South Wales to foster and maintain community harmony.

The delegation was accompanied on its visit to the Commission by the Deputy Consul-General of China in Sydney, Madam Li Yanduan.

Stepan Kerkyasharian, CRC Chair, addresses the study group from the Royal College of Defence Studies at the Commissions Head office in Sydney

Visitors from the Royal College of Defence Studies hold talks with Commission.

Fourteen future military and civilian leaders from various nations met with the Commission for detailed talks about community relations in New South Wales. The group was led by Vice Admiral Charles Style CBE of the UK Royal Navy, Group Captain Guy Van den Berg of UK Royal Air Force Wing and Commander Chrissie Taylor of the UK Royal Air Force.

The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the United Kingdom's National Defence Academy.  The College’s mission is to prepare senior officers and officials of the United Kingdom and other countries, and future leaders from the private and public sectors, for high responsibilities in their respective organisations, by developing their analytical powers, knowledge of defence and international security, and strategic vision.

The aim of their visit to Australia is to examine from a strategic perspective, the impact of contemporary national and international issues on the current and future stability, security and prosperity of key states and regions in the world.

The tour members were drawn from Jordon, Ghana, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nepal, South Africa, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom. Taking part from the Commission were Stepan Kerkyasharian (Chair), Richard Acheson (Director of Community Relations) and Warren Duncan (Media Officer).

(left to right) Consul General of the Netherlands, Jaap Frederiks, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chair CRC, Ambassador Willem Andreae and his wife, Christine Gervoson De Sierven

Dutch Diplomats hold talks with Commission

9 June 2010

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Willem Andreae, and the Consul General Jaap Frederiks visited the Commission’s Head Office on the 9th of June 2010.

The diplomats discussed issues affecting multiculturalism in Australia and the Netherlands, with Chair of the CRC, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

(left to right) Stepan Kerkyasharian, Ambassador Oguz Ozge and consul General Hikmet Ranan Sekeroglu

Turkish Ambassador visits Commission

His Excellency Mr Oguz Ozge The Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in Australia and Mr Hikmet Renan Serkeroglu Consul General have paid an official visit to the Commission’s head office in Sydney on the 1st of June 2010.

The diplomats held talks with Commission Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

(left to right) Richard Acheson, CRC, Reverend Lawrence K Bomett Commissioner, Stepan Kerkyasharian, CRC, Mzalendo Kibunjia Chair, Alice Nderitu, Commissioner, Yvonne Nambia Wamalwa Kenyan High Commission.

Important Commissioners from Kenya hold talks with CRC Chair and staff

The Chairman and two Commissioners from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission of Kenya held lengthy talks with CRC Chair, Stepan Kerkyasharian, CRC Director of Community Relations, Richard Acheson and CRC Media Officer, Warren Duncan, about ways of fostering community harmony and acceptance of difference in multicultural societies.

The Commission was set up after the tragic clashes based on tribal difference that followed the disputed Kenyan election in 2008. Members of the Commission are visiting Australia to study policies for maintaining and promoting community harmony.

The Kenyan Commission Chair, Mzalendo Kibunjia, has been joined on the visit to Australia by Commissioners Reverend Lawrence K Bomett and Alice Nderitu.

The commissioners were accompanied at the talks at the CRC head office in Sydney by Ms Yvonne Nambia Wamalwa, Deputy High Commissioner of Kenya in Australia.

Harmony found in Darling harbour

Young dancers from backgrounds as diverse as Serbian, Sierra Leone, Uruguay, Punjab and Egypt joined hip-hop and rap artists, gospel singers, lion dancers and street clowns, as part of the festival fun at Darling Harbour on Sunday 14th March, for the 3rd Youth Harmony Festival, organised by the Community Relations Commission of NSW

Click here for information on the event and a photo gallery.

(Left to right) Former Consul General of Turkey in Sydney, Mr Niyazi Adali, Professor, Dr. Ali Akdemir, Professor Dr Mehmet Fatih Yavuz and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Erat. Foreground, (left) Stepan Kerkyasharian and Richard Acheson

Delegation from Dardanelle University, Turkey, visit the Commission

A delegation from the Dardanell University in Turkey paid a visit to the Community Relations Commission’s Head Office in Sydney to discuss aspects of multicultural policies in New South Wales.

The delegation, comprised of Professor, Dr. Ali Akdemir, Rector of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Professor Dr Mehmet Fatih Yavuz, Head of the History Department and Chair of the Management Committee of the Turkish Australian Culture Centre and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Erat, Wars/Gallipoli Expert, was accompanied by the Former Consul General of Turkey in Sydney, Mr Niyazi Adali.

The delegation held talks with The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Mr Richard Acheson, Director of Community Relations, CRC and Mr Warren Duncan, Media Officer CRC.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, addresses the Blacktown consultation, accompanied by Lalli Sethuram (left) chairperson of SydWest  Multicultural Services

Commission Meets Communities in Blacktown

The Community Relations Commission has held a community consultation in Blacktown to hear directly from locals about issues of concern and about ideas to enhance community relations in the area.

The Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Commissioners Afeaki and Christodoulou and Commission staff met with around forty-five representatives from the Sikh, Muslim, Filipino, Pacific, Indian and various communities from Africa, for a two-hour discussion.

Mr Kerkyasharian said after the meeting: "This was a very useful consultation. We heard a number of suggestions which, I am sure, the Commission will want to follow up. Youth issues, employment issues and experiences of discrimination were very candidly expressed by the participants.The Commission has a legislative responsibility to consult broadly with communities around the state. This meeting in Blacktown at the office of SydWest Multicultural Services was part of our regular consultation programme."

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