MUSLIM
AUSTRALASIAN
Multimedia News & Views
ISSN: 1039-2300
AMUST
Print Post Publication No. 100021354
Print edition published Monthly on first Friday with Website updates
Politicisation of Hajj? BOOMERANG PAGE 5
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TIME
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Issue # 141
Islamophobia Report Launched COMMUNITY PAGE 9
August 2017; Dhul Qa’dah 1438
Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair Photos
AUSTRALIA PAGE 16 & 17
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Taken: Support for Hostages UMMAH PAGE 24
AFL: Many cultures, one game Mobinah Ahmad The 2017 AFL Multicultural Festival, was held on Saturday 29 July at Cathy Freeman Park located at the Sydney Olympic Park attended by more than 15,000 people from diverse communities. The festival, presented by Australia Post and supported by Multicultural NSW delivered an extensive range of cultural performances and workshops that created a cultural whirlwind never seen before in Sydney. The AFL Multicultural Festival is centered around sports as a bridge connecting Western Sydney’s ethnically and culturally diverse populace with the mainstream Australian community sharing a passion for Australian Rules Football. Nickie Flambouras, AFL NSW/ACT Multicultural Programs Manager said, “Australia is a country that is multicultural and at the AFL we want to use sport as a way to connect with new and emerging communities arriving into our country.” The festival was held a few days after the AFL launched of the 2017 Toyota AFL Multicultural Round at Lachlan’s Old Government House in Parramatta on 25 July. The AFL Multicultural Festival was held in conjunction with the GIANTS vs. Fremantle Dockers showpiece game in the Toyota AFL Multicultural Round held at Spotless Stadium that the GIANTS won. The 2017 festival was headlined by internationally acclaimed hip hop artist and AFL Multicultural Ambassador, L-FRESH the LION. Continued on page 4
Performers from KUD Zambak, a traditional Bosnian & Herzegovinian group. Photo by Narelle Spangher.
Sultan and the Saint: Eid at Taronga Zoo Interfaith gathering at premiere
Zia Ahmad More than 500 Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths and no faith attended the Australian premiere of The Sultan and the Saint on 29 July 2017 at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta Campus. The Sultan and the Saint, a docudrama movie tells one of the great, lost stories from history, the meeting between St Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, Malik Al-Kamil, in the midst of the conflict of the Fifth Crusade nearly 800 years ago. A simple Christian friar and a mighty Muslim leader changed world history by going deeper into their faiths –
beyond war and the angry rhetoric that some of their co-religionists were advocating – to find the central message of their religions: mercy, compassion and peace. The retelling of the story of their encounter comes at a similar moment of fear, hatred and demonisation of the other prevalent today. Journalist Hugh Riminton, MC for the premiere, with his extensive experience as a news reporter covering violent conflicts in various parts of the world, provided a personal insight into the importance of community relations and harmony.
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Continued on page 4 Read about the movie on our website at: http://tinyurl. com/ycyfsn6a
Mobinah Ahmad Almost 20,000 people joined ‘Eid at the Zoo’ festival at Sydney Taronga Zoo on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July 2017. The organisers, Crescent Wealth welcomed the community to a memorable experience for the second time after last year’s successful unique and unprecedented initiative. It was a magical feeling with beautiful blue skies overhead, the sound of children’s laughter ringing across grassy fields, tempting aromas of food tingling the senses, Muslims feeling welcome and at peace, and the sound of the Adhan echoing across the harbour, calling some to prayer and others to curiosity. One attendee said “This is my first time to the Zoo and it is such a wonderful time to visit it in celebration of Eid with the family.” The Muslim community appreciated the prayer facilities, availability of the large variety of halal food, 10% off discounted store goods, the Adhan playing on the loud speakers, and the comfortable feeling of other Muslims around enjoying Sydney’s prominent iconic attraction. Waleed Gouda, the General Manager of Crescent Wealth said, “Eid at Taronga in
Aisha Deane, 6 enjoying Eid at the Zoo. Photo by Devita Supardi. partnership with Crescent Wealth is about giving our community a memorable experience in a remarkable location. He further added, “Thank you everyone for coming and enjoying the weekend with us with the animals! Eid at the Zoo is a fantastic event that brought together the Muslim community to share in a unique festivity at one of Australia’s most iconic sites.” Continued on page 21
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