Seafarers’ website launched

The life of a seafarer is a tough one, and their hardships mostly go unrecognised. Some of us don’t even know they exist, despite their contribution towards making or lives easier. Seafarers of many nationalities visit the Melbourne Port Welfare Association on regular basis. In acknowledgment of their profession, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Seafarers launched a website for seafarers around the world.

The event was organised by the ITF and was attended by seafarers and ITF members from around the world. Henry Robins, an Indian ship captain who has been connected to the Seafarer Association since the past 30 years was conspicuous in his presence. The event included speeches from ITF Assistant Co-ordinator Australia, Mr. Matt Purcell; Jim Beggs, Chairman of Melbourne Port Welfare Association; Rachel Purcell Melbourne Port Welfare Co-ordinator and others. Mr Purcell said that the website designed by ITF (www.itfseafares.org) offers online help for seafarers around the world, among other options. ITF launched the website in Chinese (simplified Mandarin), Spanish and Russian, in addition to its current English edition. ITF Seafarers is a free-to-use help, news, advice and support website for seafarers across the globe. It is intended to provide services to seafarers speaking Chinese, Spanish, Russian and English, with any level of web access and computer fluency.

ITF Maritime Coordinator Steve Cotton commented, “We’re proud of how widely used ITF seafarers has become since its launch. It set out to answer a need voiced by seafarers and welfare bodies for cutting edge, free, easy to use communication from ship or shore. The unveiling of the allSpanish, all-Chinese and all-Russian sites makes it a virtually universal service for the world’s seafarers, whether they’re at leisure, at work, or in trouble and needing help.”

The website offers seafarers information on health, pay and safety and includes message boards; advice and help; a ship look up tool showing vessel agreements and other information; briefings; interactive polls; trade union contact details and an ITF inspector’s blogs.

Among the people who attended the event was Robert T B Iversen, Project Manager of The Mental Health of seafarers. This organisation is involved in projects which collate information on depression within seafarers of India and other countries.

The Victorian government, the Port of Melbourne Cooperation and the Melbourne Seafarers’ Centre are currently in the process of establishing a Melbourne Seafarer’ Centre which will coordinate all funding, services and activities for visiting seafarers at the Port of Melbourne.

Priya Rajan

What’s On

Saaz Aur Aawaz

8 May, 8-11pm at Mount Street

Neighborhood house, 6 Mount Street, Glen Waverly, Mel Ref: 71 D2, entry from Panoramic Gv car park. Light music evening programme with local artists. No entry fee, all welcome. Contact Satish Dutta on 0418179122 for more details

Ramakrishnan Vedanta Society of Victoria

13 May & 14 May from 7.45 - 9 pm at Law Building 12, Lecture Theatre L1, Monash U., Wellington Rd, Clayton. Sw.

Sridharanandaji’s lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8: The way to Brahman

15 May from 11am - 12noon at Law Building 12, Lecture Theatre L1, Monash U., Wellington Rd, Clayton. Sw. Sridharanandaji’s talk on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8: The way to Brahman. vedanta. melb@gmail.com

Events at Global Organisation for Divinity

15 May An evening of music and dance at the Sydney Baha’i Centre, 107 Derby Street, Silverwater. Devotional music by Uma Ayyar and Mythili Narayanaswamy, and bharatanatyam dance presentation by Padma Balakumar’s Nrityagriha School of Dance. Details Mythili Bala 02 9482 1204. More details at www.godivinity.org.au

26th Annual Concert

15 May, 6 pm onwards at Chandler Community Centre, 28 Isaac Road, Keysborough (melway ref: 89 G6).

Krishna Ravali students present musical compositions in praise of Lord Venkateswara (Balaji)

16 May, 4 pm onwards at Chandler Community Centre, 28 Isaac Road,

Keysborough (melway ref: 89 G6).

Krishna Ravali students present musical compositions in praise of Lord Subramanya (Muruga). Admission free both days.

Voyages and Journeys

16 May from 4pm onwards at 419 Spencer Street, West Melbourne. Music and images from across the globe from landmark album. Ticket: Pre sales:$17.00 + b/f; door sales:$20.00 & $18.00 (conc); or visit www. spenserslive.com. Contact Matthew Fagan on 0423 972 927 for more information.

Hinduism Summit

16 May, 1.30 – 5pm at Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, 32 Halley Avenue, Corner of Toorak Road & Eddy Street, Melbourne 3214 (Melway Ref: 60 B 5). Hinduism Summit (Hindu Dharmasabha) for anyone interested in understanding, living and preserving Hinduism. Live webcast live on FHA and HJS websites. For more information and registration details, visit www.forumforhinduawakening.org/events or call toll free 1300 88 99 08

Sangeet Sandhya

5 June from 8-12pm at Brandon Park Primary School, Cootamundra Drive, Wheelers Hill, Vic (Melway: 71 E 11). Musical Evening with Melbourne’s Hindustani (North Indian) classical singer Mr Bikram Malharji. Free Entry. Visit www.sharda.org/Events