Forget politics just enjoy the spirit of this great initiative.
I copied this from the Govt website:
Harmony Day is celebrated around Australia on 21 March each year. It's a day when all Australians celebrate our cultural diversity. The day is also the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Harmony Day is managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and gives people the opportunity to celebrate what makes each Australian unique and share what we have in common.
The continuing message for Harmony Day in 2012 is that Everyone Belongs, which means all Australians are a welcome part of our country, regardless of their background. It's a time to reflect on where Australia has come from, recognising the traditional owners of this land. It's also about community participation, inclusiveness and respect – celebrating the different cultures that make Australia a great place to live.
Harmony Day began in 1999 and since then, a wide variety of groups including sports organisations, community groups, local, state and federal government agencies, schools and businesses have staged more than 25 000 Harmony Day events.
Over the years, Harmony Day has grown in popularity as Australians have made the day their own.
In 2012, we will celebrate the important role that sport plays in bringing together Australians from all walks of life to share in a common passion with the message Sport — play, engage, inspire. The aim is to encourage everyone, regardless of background, to participate in a sporting activity, increase understanding and to be inspired or inspire others.
Now, check this picture slide show from this week's Liverpool Chamion. Liverpool is one of Sydney's (and Australia's) most diverse, multicultural suburbs. If only EVERYONE could be as innocent, happy and loving as the kids in these pictures.
http://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/multimedia/37928/507399/harmony-day.aspx
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Daniel and Wiiliam Clarke and the orangutans.
Two young brothers in Australia, Daniel and William Clarke, have been instrumental in raising over $600,000 to help save orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra.
Daniel has cerebral palsy and, when offered a wish from the Starlight Foundation, wanted to use it to help the orangutans. This is part of the transcript from "Australia Story"on ABCTV last week:
Daniel has cerebral palsy and, when offered a wish from the Starlight Foundation, wanted to use it to help the orangutans. This is part of the transcript from "Australia Story"on ABCTV last week:
PENNY CLARKE, MOTHER: Early in 2007 we were approached by one of the mums who went to Daniel’s school, and she wanted to offer Daniel a wish through the Starlight Foundation.
RODNEY CLARKE, FATHER: We said to Daniel, well, yes, "What would you like? Would you like a new car for Daddy? Or would you like to go to Disneyland or something like that?" And after a while, he came back to us and he said, "I really want to save the orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra. That’s my wish".
LEAH WALSH, STARLIGHT FOUNDATION VOLUNTEER: Here was a ten year old boy who, rather than ask for something for himself, was asking for the most selfless thing I’d ever heard of in, you know, my career as a wish-granting volunteer.
RODNEY CLARKE, FATHER: Even though this wish was so grandiose, and perhaps even really far-fetched, it was still... as a child it was still his dream.
DANIEL CLARKE: I thought this is my chance to really make a difference to the orangutans
.
PENNY CLARKE, MOTHER: Since he was probably about three he’d watch all the Steve Irwin DVDs – we’ve got every single one at home
.
LEAH WALSH, STARLIGHT FOUNDATION VOLUNTEER: My initial reaction was, "How on earth am I going to possibly grant such a wish?"
PENNY CLARKE, MOTHER: The Starlight Foundation said, "We really apologise, but we can’t do any overseas wishes. But, you know, we can send you up to Australia Zoo, and we can send you to a Wallabies match."
JOHN HOWARD, FORMER PRIME MINISTER : I met Daniel in the dressing room after a Wallabies match in May 2007.
I didn't see the program, but was alerted to it by this story in The Hills News:
Great story!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The Sutherland Hospital sandwich ladies.
Read this one while I was checking in to some of my papers while I was supposed to be relaxing on holiday.
Fundraising for hospitals can often be a little frustrating, as the money often disappears into a black hole (no disrespect meant - hospitals are just costly places to build, equip and operate). Tens of thousands of dollars raised for a building project, for example, will be lucky to put a few rows of bricks on a wall.
The ladies at the Sutherland Hospital Kiosk have stuck at it for 52 years (not a typo - over half a century!) and have raised 2 million dollars. Now THAT'S dedication from a team of volunteers! One lady quoted in the article (see url) has been a volunteer for 34 years.
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/sandwiches-sustain-hospital-by-raising-2m-over-50-years/2473904.aspx
They've raised money to provide over 400 items of life-saving medical equipment, proving that EVERY little bit helps and can make a difference.
Fundraising for hospitals can often be a little frustrating, as the money often disappears into a black hole (no disrespect meant - hospitals are just costly places to build, equip and operate). Tens of thousands of dollars raised for a building project, for example, will be lucky to put a few rows of bricks on a wall.
The ladies at the Sutherland Hospital Kiosk have stuck at it for 52 years (not a typo - over half a century!) and have raised 2 million dollars. Now THAT'S dedication from a team of volunteers! One lady quoted in the article (see url) has been a volunteer for 34 years.
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/sandwiches-sustain-hospital-by-raising-2m-over-50-years/2473904.aspx
They've raised money to provide over 400 items of life-saving medical equipment, proving that EVERY little bit helps and can make a difference.
First post - an explanation as to "Why?"and beginning with a good news story from the Philippines.
Wow! Quite a mouthful of a heading, huh?
The gap between rich and poor is growing worldwide, even here in Australia. A recent trip to the Philippines (back just yesterday after 3 weeks) highlighted this gulf between rich and poor even more, as it would in many other countries, I'm sure.
There was one really good story there (see below) and I'm sure I'll find others from around the world in coming weeks and months. I was inspired (big word, but I actually did feel driven) to start this blog as a result.
My friend Vino has a wonderful attitude to life and promotes the health and well being benefits of positives thoughts and actions. I tend to agree, but I'm not nearly as passionate about it as he is - perhaps until now. I've decided to make a late NY resolution and post at least one good news story from somewhere around the world each and every week of the year. They'll be small scale, by world standards, but, in keeping with my passion for community, they'll all be about people making a difference in their local communities.
It's going to be a challenge, as the media (my employer for over 30 years) sells more papers and get more hits on line from bad news stories - always has. But community newspapers in particular, publish a lot of good news stories about their local communities and this medium (worldwide) is going to be my main source of information and inspiration, i think.
So, wish me luck dear reader (numbering exactly 0 at this stage, of course :) ).
Bahay Pastulan - the nuns and the ube shop.
Now, there's at least one other post/blog about this on blogger.com (http://bucaio.blogspot.com.au/2008/01/bahay-pastulan-goodies.html), but my post is more about the story behind the retail store.
We visited Bahay Pastulan while on a day trip to Tagaytay with Johnny's family from Batangas. The purpose of the visit was to get ube jam, for which the shop is famous and, of course, other goodies were purchased as well. The sign below is on the the outside wall as you enter their retail store.
In short, there are now families with an income and people with a sense of self-esteem because of what Sister Mary and her fellow nuns started.
I'm the first to be critical of organised religion in any form (don't get me started!), but this is a case of one religious order doing something really good for a local community.
And it's a nice story with which to to start the blog, don't you think?
The gap between rich and poor is growing worldwide, even here in Australia. A recent trip to the Philippines (back just yesterday after 3 weeks) highlighted this gulf between rich and poor even more, as it would in many other countries, I'm sure.
There was one really good story there (see below) and I'm sure I'll find others from around the world in coming weeks and months. I was inspired (big word, but I actually did feel driven) to start this blog as a result.
My friend Vino has a wonderful attitude to life and promotes the health and well being benefits of positives thoughts and actions. I tend to agree, but I'm not nearly as passionate about it as he is - perhaps until now. I've decided to make a late NY resolution and post at least one good news story from somewhere around the world each and every week of the year. They'll be small scale, by world standards, but, in keeping with my passion for community, they'll all be about people making a difference in their local communities.
It's going to be a challenge, as the media (my employer for over 30 years) sells more papers and get more hits on line from bad news stories - always has. But community newspapers in particular, publish a lot of good news stories about their local communities and this medium (worldwide) is going to be my main source of information and inspiration, i think.
So, wish me luck dear reader (numbering exactly 0 at this stage, of course :) ).
Bahay Pastulan - the nuns and the ube shop.
Now, there's at least one other post/blog about this on blogger.com (http://bucaio.blogspot.com.au/2008/01/bahay-pastulan-goodies.html), but my post is more about the story behind the retail store.
We visited Bahay Pastulan while on a day trip to Tagaytay with Johnny's family from Batangas. The purpose of the visit was to get ube jam, for which the shop is famous and, of course, other goodies were purchased as well. The sign below is on the the outside wall as you enter their retail store.
In short, there are now families with an income and people with a sense of self-esteem because of what Sister Mary and her fellow nuns started.
I'm the first to be critical of organised religion in any form (don't get me started!), but this is a case of one religious order doing something really good for a local community.
And it's a nice story with which to to start the blog, don't you think?
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