AIAA Annual Report 2017-18
Australia Indonesia Cultural Ambassadors Project 2017
Asia Pacific Writers and Translators Conference in Singaraja Bali
Following on from the highly successful Cultural Ambassadors Projects in 2015 and 2016 AIAA was very successful in presenting a series of events in Bali in 2017 including a screening of Rise of the Eco Warriors presented by producer Mark White and a fantastic presentation of Kalimantan and Dayak culture as part of the Asia Pacific Writers and Translators Conference in Singaraja Bali in October 2017 with the kind assistance of photographer/Kalimantan activist David Metcalf. The AIAA participation at this very significant international event was coordinated by AIAA coordinator Dee Tipping.
Australia Indonesia Forums 2017 Byron Bay
During 2017 two major Forums were held in Byron Shire coordinated by Judy Shelley and Dee Tipping with the kind assistance and support of Mayor Simon Richardson and Byron Shire Council. The first Forum was held in conjunction with Byron Harmony Day and the Consular visit of Bpk Yana Mulyana Consul General who visited Byron Bay for the Forum in March and to attend Harmony Day 1 April 2017, along with his wife Irene, Bpk Hermanus and a delegation of 26 performers and staff.
The second major forum was held in November 2017 at Byron Council Chambers and was attended by Bpk Yana Mulyana Consul General and staff including two representatives from the Indonesian Investment Board, Ade Zuchri National President of the Indonesian Green Union, Bpk Bupati from South Aceh with his wife and staff and a number of very important speakers on environment, agriculture and tourism. This event was held at Byron Council followed by field trips to Crystal Castle, Lismore Council, SCU, SAE and Byron Sewerage works.
Rise of the Eco Warriors Film Screening at Parliament House
Due to the kind support of Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham, AIAA was given the opportunity to present a screening of the Rise of the Eco Warriors at Parliament House Sydney. This event was a huge success in creating contact between Consular staff and Members of Parliament as well as providing promotion of the destruction of orangutan habitat and rainforests in Kalimantan. Speakers included Mark White Film producer, Jeremy Buckingham MP, Mehreen Faruqi MP, Holly Somervlle-Knott plus Kodi Twiner from the Eco Warriors Film.
Byron Harmony Festival 2018
Byron Harmony Day 2018 was a massive success as usual with the event being presented in Mullumbimby Civic Hall for the first time.
The Harmony Festival program took place on the 28 April 2018 and was an even bigger and more exciting program than ever with 10 hours of performances and workshops including many new and exciting groups such as the Thai Community dance group from the Gold Coast plus a whole 4 hour program of Japanese culture such as Taiko, Koto and Shakuhachi, Japanese dance and Waggaki Band coordinated by volunteer coordinator Mayu Akiba. Yumiko Suzuki, one of the Japanese radio presenters was also greatly involved in preparing all spread sheets and assisting with event management.
Despite heavy rain, people who attended and participated were very appreciative of the Byron Harmony Day event and all performers generously volunteered their time. The Byron Harmony Festival attracted the participation of about 200 performers and food vendors from many different cultures such as Thai, Japanese, Indonesian, Middle Eastern, Hawaiian, Turkish, Indian, Italian etc volunteers and workshop leaders and attracted an audience of approx 2000 local community members.
The event was opened by Delta Kay, traditional song man Uncle Magpie and the Bunyarra Dancers plus Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson. We are very honored to have such wonderful support from Delta and Uncle Magpie.
Many thanks to coordinators Judy Shelley, Mayu Akiba, Yumiko Suzuki, Belle Arnold from Byron Council and Penny May from St Vinnies and any others in the Harmony Team for all their hard work. During the lead up to the Festival regular meetings were held with Yumi Suzuki representing the Japanese community, Belle Arnold from Byron Council and the Migrant Settlement Officer from Vinnies Lismore. Many thanks also to the Mullumbimby Neighborhood Centre for their support and use of venue space.
KLUB Ngobrol @ Byron Services Club
During 2017-2018 Judy Shelley National Coordinator AIAA contined to present the Klub Ngobrol – Indonesian Conversation Club at Byron Services Club to support local Indonesian speakers including Indonesian community, Indonesian language teachers, AIAA Board members such as Judy and John and local activists such as Claire Oelrichs from the Indonesian Endangered Species Fund. The Klub was held once a month in the free meeting rooms at the Services Club and included many interesting and significant speakers and attendees from Indonesia, some of our visiting VIPs included Indonesia’s foremost writer Eka Kurniawan who was in Byron for the Writers Festival and members of the Indonesian Forum delegation – Ade Zuchri National President of the Indonesian Green Union along with the Bupati of South Aceh and his wife.
SUARA Indonesia as part of Multicultural Nation Radio Show @ BayFm Community Radio
This year continued with the successful radio show Suara Indonesia @ BayFm as part of the Multicultural Nation Radio Show which goes to air every Tuesday @ 1-2pm – Judy Shelley Main presenter, Malikeh Michels, new Indonesian presenter Tikal Sermet, the Japanese presenters Yumiko Suzuki and Hiromi Matsubara who present the Japanese Show every 4th week plus Japanese presenter JT Rasta Samurai with “Smile Japan” every 2nd Tuesday. All presenters have been provided with free training by Main Presenter Judy Shelley. The program presents many interesting cutting edge guests – for more info: see the Multicultural Nation page at bayf.org
AIAA Office Space at the Byron Youth Activity Centre on Fridays
During 2017 discussions with the Byron Youth Service resulted in AIAA being allocated the use of the computer room at the Byron YAC to use every Friday for AIAA, Byron Multicultural group, Japanese community and any other ethnic groups to hold meetings and other activities.
Byron Multicultural Group
Regular weekly meetings at the Byron YAC including Penny May Settlement Officer from St Vinnies resulted in the establishment of an informal group called Byron Multicultural Network which is working towards greater access and resources for the local ethnic communities. During 2018 the group has regularly held Multicultural Lunches once a month with about 15 people of many cultural backgrounds attending each month – the Lunches have also included performances and workshops such as Solomon Islands, Indonesian and African music performances and knitting/yarn bombing. AIAA has auspiced the Byron Multicultural group to acquire funding from Byron Shire Council to continue the Multicultural Lunch program throughout 2019 and to work towards incorporation.
NEW AIAA Website
Many heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Carole Chapman who started her career as a website designer right back at the beginning of AIAA in 1998 and to this day has faithfully and tirelessly continued to volunteer her time to update the AIAA website! This has been such a fantastic effort and such a wonderful support to have such a caring, reliable and stalwart supported of AIAA during the last 20 years.
For many years Carole had been suggesting that AIAA update and create a totally new website. During 2018 Carole successfully created a whole new website incorporating a link to the old website – so please send you contributions to our wonderful new website – still at www.aiaa.org.au
Australia Indonesia Hub Facebook Page
During July 2017 the Australia Indonesia Hub Facebook page was created by National Coordinator Judy Shelley and Assistant Coordinator Dee Tipping to share and promote Indonesian culture and environmental issues in Australia and beyond.
Many Thanks to the National Board
This year we have had some very sad news that our beloved President Malia Ritaningsih has passed away. Malia has served as President of AIAA for many years. She has been wonderful, intelligent, hilariously funny, reliable, a fantastic support, friend and sister to us all – she is very deeply loved and missed.
Many thanks to the wonderful National Board of AIAA John Lewis, Judy Shelley, Vera Kos, Dharma Bradridge and Cynthia Webb for their many years of dedicated support for AIAA and Indonesian cultural exchange.
Thank you to our Sponsors 2017-18
The National Board of AIAA expresses sincere appreciation for the generous support of the Indonesian Consulate General Sydney, Bay FM Community Radio, Byron Shire Council, Elements Resort Byron Bay, Byron High School, SAE College, Lismore City Council, Crystal Castle, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Tamara Smith MP, Dawn Walker MP, Rainbow Animal Rights Activists, Mullumbimby High School and Senator Lee Riannon.
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