NEWS DESK First ‘tech fest’ THE Mornington Peninsula and Frankston’s first entrepreneurship and technology festival starts on Friday with a business breakfast and a threeday “hackathon”. The event is a joint venture between the technology business hub Frankston Foundry, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Frankston City Council and sponsors including the state government’s start-up investment body LaunchVic. Kate Gittings of LaunchVic said the region’s first hackathon, PeninsulaHACK, aimed to “build solutions for regional problems such as high youth unemployment and job availability”. The three-day hackathon, 6pm Friday to 6pm Sunday, will see about 150 entrepreneurs, businesses and community leaders from Frankston and the peninsula “discuss and explore opportunities around the gig economy and the future of work”. (The gig economy is the term for a labour market of short-term contracts or freelance work rather than permanent jobs.) About 15 teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, with winning teams taking a share of $6000 prize money. Other events include free and low-cost public workshops and talks covering topics such as the internet of things, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. Speakers at the breakfast will include the state Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Philip Dalidakis; LaunchVic CEO Dr Kate Cornick; and technology entrepreneurs. Details and bookings: www.peninsulahack.com.au Mike Hast
PAGE 4 Frankston Times 7 August 2017
Library’s open day for Islam’s main text THE book central Islam, the Quran (or Koran), was the main feature of a display and discussion at Frankston Library earlier this month. The aim of the exhibition by the Langwarrin chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Victoria was to introduce Islam “and to help dispel any misconception and misunderstanding about the Islamic faith and the Quran”, said Soofi Aziz, secretary external affairs Langwarrin Jamaat (an Islamic religious organisation with no political affiliations). The Saturday 8 July display included copies of the Quran in several languages, Islamic literature and banners on topics in the Quran. “Some of the information on display included women’s rights, interfaith dialogue, real concept of jihad, social justice and world peace,” Mr Aziz said. “Visitors to the library could attend an information session on the basic teachings of Islam led by Langwarrinbased imam and minister of religion of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Imam Syed Wadood Janud. Imam Janud answered many questions that residents had about Islam.” Mr Aziz said the visitors “left the exhibition after gaining firsthand knowledge and understanding about the true teachings of Islam as taught by the Quran and practiced by local Muslims”. Inquiries welcome: Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Victoria’s Langwarrin congregation at Frankston Library during the Quran display are, from left, B S Bali, Imam Wadood Janud, Banga Sethi and Tariq Ataullah. Picture: Supplied