Creating a home away from home

Cl/SA silver jubilee celebrated with affirmation of values, music and dance

'''Unity i.n diversity' is a great way to describe the wond erfu l multiculturalism d1at we enjoy here in South Australia., stated Mr Hieu Van Le, AO Lieutenant Gover.nor of Sou th Australia and Chairman of South Australia Multicul tural Edmic Affairs Comnussio n, w lu le addressing an augu st garnering at the Club lndia lnternational SA lnc.'s (CIISA) silver jubi lee celebrations in Ad ela ide recently.

Jv[r Le was referring co die CIISA mono 'Unity in D iversity,' an d srnted d1at it speaks volumes about what the club stands fo r.

"U ni ted under di e common values that Aus tralia stands for, we respect peop le from all backgrounds, a.nd we know diat by

INDIAN LINK emb racing o ur incredible diversity we become a m ud, better and stronger society," be said.

Mr Le congramlated di e cl1iJdren who led the si nging of d1e national antl1ems o f Australia and India, and y01mg Maxine T aylor who acknowledged die traditional cu stodians of die land. He furthe r srnred that given d1at Soudi Australia is bl essed with a rapidlyincreasing Indian population, he had no doubt that the Club would continue to grow and co shine even brighter over die next 25 years

In her addr ess, Kirsten Alexander, Lord Mayo r of the City of Charles Sturt acknowledged me contribution of me Lldian community co tl1e City, with meir work culmre, food, resrnurants, shops and communi ty centres and emphasised the work of CilSA. She applauded the efforts of its members in offering settlement su pport to r ecently arrived migrants and also its volunteers, fo r facilirncing social integration which in turn helps resid ents feel at home CilSA President i\llaJ-..-.vell Taylor while ac knowledging the contribution of past members, stated mat die C lub has come a Jo ng way from what it is today. He also acknowled ged the support from d1e City of Charles Stun Council, tl1e State governm ent and tl1e Federal government in assisti ng the C lub financially.

Mr Taylor also highlighted the CIISA's acluevemenrs and overall contribution to South Australia

Earlier, Vice President Daniel D'Silva welcomed die garnering and re m embered di e contribution of d1e fow1der member Robin Phillips; as a mark of respect, a minute-lo ng mi.nme silence was o b served to pray

Od1er dignitaries pr esent were Kuarna E lder Uncle Lewis O'Brien and officials from the Department of Immigration and Citizen ship, Government of Soudi Australia.

The offi cial part of tl1e event was followed by a gala dine-and-dance at which Aussie band Sh al(en Not

Stirred perfo rm ed, w hile John Paul Pereira sang Australia folk so ngs such as l~1ltzing Matilda and l Still

Call A11shvlia Ho111r, Atuta John performed Bharatnacyan1, an Indian traditio n al dance; and Shane Paul presented a Bollywood item Club members and meir families al so joined in a n Indian fas hion sh o\\i wearing Indian atti re.

Club lndia was for m ed 25 years ago by a group of Indian migrants who came co st.-u:t a n ew Life in Soud, Australia According to founder member Robin Phillips, at that rime Australia's population was abou t l I million, and the Indian population in Soum Australia was Jess than a dozen famil ies These enthusiastic young families join ed forces to support each omer in respect co social, culnu-aJ and herirnge aspects, interactions and challenges to esmblish die Club. It p rovid ed a niche for new Indian nugrants who spoke English at home and did not n ecessarily align witl1 me larger religious or language based community organisations d1at were emerging at that time. \'v'hile many of di e fmmcling members had their roots in Anglo Ind ian communities, CIISA has continued to this day to be a space for all people of Indian herir.-ige who ,vant a fun, open and supportive family-friendly communi ty; an Indian home away fro m home.

In 1989, Club Lidia Internation al SJ\ was officially incorporated. Since men it has opened its hospitality to more tl1a.i1 500 new an d established Indian migrants. Though India has man y diverse in ternal comrnrnuties represented here in J\ustralia widi their respective languages, sucb a.s die very strong Gujarati, Malayalee and Punjabi communities w h o all have significa n t communi ty organisations, C lub India has been unique in that it has never been of a single community, but has become a meeting place for those wislung to relive d1e hospitality of India in a new Australian conte..xt.