Multicultural Health Week (MHW) celebrates diversity and the health of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

It reminds NSW health services, government agencies, local councils, CALD groups and media the importance of providing equitable access to information and resources to Australians whose first language may not be English.

This year’s theme ‘Health Information in Your Language’ highlights a new partnership with the State Library of NSW whereby libraries are committed to store health information in community languages and to assist members of CALD communities to obtain information on a range of health subjects.

The Whitlam Library at Fairfield with health information in the Vietnamese language and the Wagga City Library with information in the Arabic language are spearheading the new partnership.

Other libraries are gearing up to follow suit and are already busy collecting information material in languages set to reflect CALD communities in their areas.

Banners and posters announcing this new service will be displayed at these libraries and advertisements will be published in Arabic and Vietnamese publications.

Radio advertisements will be broadcasted together with interviews with health professionals to encourage CALD community members to go along to these libraries for health Information in their language.

For more information about Multicultural Health Week and upcoming activities or to register your MHW 2011 events, call 02 9816 0347.

Source: NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service

L-R: Oliver Gadista (lead vocals/composer/guitarist), Paul Noriel (percussion/bass), and Joel Townsend aka JT (keyboard/vocals/bass). Not in photo is Kazuo Moriya (drums)

This spring, Sweetmojo will charm and entertain the Strathfield Festival main stage audience with their own brand of music, and their own original compositions.

Sweetmojo is a Sydney-based all-Filipino band that has gained reputation for their ability to transform and rearrange a song. Band members Oliver Gadista (lead vocals/composer/guitarist), Kazuo Moriya (drums), Paul Noriel (percussion/bass), and Joel Townsend aka JT (keyboard/vocals/bass) will sing their original compositions, particularly “Everything I Want” and “You Don’t Know Me”.

Sweetmojo will be joining other Australian performers and entertainers on the main stage in the two-day (September 10-11) multicultural and multi-talent event featuring multicultural food stalls, display of Chinese kites, Korean lantern parade and a Bollywood feature film.

The Strathfield Festival has three stages: Main Stage Performers, Kids Stage and Martial Arts Stage.

The Filipino Australian has gathered that headlining the main stage performers is the Justice Crew, one of the hottest hip-hop bands and winners of Australia’s Got Talent.

Other main stage performers are TaikOz, Natalie Colavito, Sweetmojo, Strathfield Music Society, Nassibian Dancers, Syrenka, Nikki Webster Dance School, Southern Cross Chinese Dance School, Belinda’s Art of Dance, LA Dance and From Within Dance Academy.

Bless Salonga, Sweetmojo’s manager, said that the festival is “an opportunity to showcase not only their (Sweetmojo’s) music but also other Filipino talents and community service providers whom we have invited to join us in the festival. We also hope to promote Pinoy radio stations on broadcast here in Sydney.”

In lining up Sweetmojo for the main stage, the festival organisers wrote:

“In 2009, Sweetmojo stirred its musical direction by promoting their original songs. They raised funds for charities, was nominated 5 Most Fascinating Group by Star Central Magazine and their song ‘Everything I Want’ caught the attention of Mr Bird from IMA (Independent Music Awards in the US). From there a Sweetmojo tour was organized overseas gathering them fans, a feature article at FHM (For Him Magazine) and an entry to FamousFilipinos.com. They also launched their first album in the same year here & overseas and continued to get media attention including SBS radio, 2RDJ, NU107, SWRFM, Parramatta Sun, Filipino Australian, Inner West Courier to name a few.”

The Filipino Australian first featured Sweetmojo in 2009 when the group toured Manila and southern Luzon entertaining plain townsfolk who were victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

On Sunday, September 11, why not allow Oliver, JT, Paul and Kazuo take you on a musical journey – with their own Sweetmojo brand of music!

Events will be staged inside Strathfield Park located at Homebush Road and Chalmers Road, Strathfield.

The entries “Get to Know the Australian Aged Care System” by the Western Sydney Multicultural Health Network / Health Reform Transition Office, and “Healthy Older Person’s Safety: Home Hazards – A Falls Prevention Tool” by the Liverpool/Fairfield Aged Care & Rehabilitation and Older Persons Mental Health Service won the awards in Booklet/Brochure and Audio Visual categories, respectively.

“Get to Know…” is a booklet designed to deliver information about services that are mainly aimed for older people and their carers to sustain the former’s independence. The booklet was submitted by Western Sydney Multicultural Health project officers Monika Latanik and Yvonne Sta. Lucia.

Getting to Know... Health project officers Yvonne Sta. Lucia and Monika Latanik

“Home Hazards…” is the first in a series of tools designed to assist health and community workers, who work with older people, and highlights the strategy on how falls can be prevented or at least mitigated. The audio visual was submitted by Melinda Dimarco, a senior occupational therapist of Liverpool/Fairfield Aged Care Service.

Nelly Tiga and Melinda Dimarco (second from right) with NSW Parliament Legislative Council President Don Harwin and NSW MCHS Director Peter Todaro

The Awards are held every two years by the Multicultural Health Communication Services of the NSW Health Department to recognise information providers in helping health professionals communicate with non English speaking communities throughout NSW.

The five categories in this year’s awards are Fact Sheets, Brochures/Booklets or Patient Information Resources, Posters, Website Resources, and Audio or Visual Resources.

The community resource tools are also available in other languages including Arabic, Assyrian, Italian, Polish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Laotian and Spanish.

L-R: NSW MHCS Project Officer Jess Helaratne, Consul General Louis, NSW MHCS Director Peter Todaro, Consul Tony Reyes, and NSW MHCS Marketing / Communication Manager Michael Camit

Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, present in the awarding, expressed her appreciation that Filipinos are acknowledged as a major group in NSW multicultural settings.

“Although communication is not a major concern amongst Filipinos, the Awards highlight that Filipinos are considered one of the dominant cultural groups in New South Wales,” Consul General Louis said, adding that the Consulate acknowledges the contribution of Filipino health care workers and providers in NSW in the development of community resource tools.

Chinese Australians donned in traditional costumes...

With more than 300 stalls offering items ~ from food to clothing, from publications to real estate, plus various other wares ~ and seven stages spread across Main Street, Flushcombe Road and Campbell Street, the Blacktown Fiesta (previously called Blacktown Festival) made the three Blacktown City streets alive with merchandising and entertainment.

Last weekend’s event was the culmination of a one-week celebration of 2011 Blacktown Fiesta which started last May 21.

Filipino Australian community advocacy, alumni, language and business groups participated in the parade.

Blacktown is a large multicultural community. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Blacktown has 34% of its resident population born overseas, and about 37% speak a language other than English at home.

//TFA Photos

The new Australians – who hail from countries including Japan, the United Kingdom, India and Korea – are the first of thousands of people across the country who will become citizens on and around Australian Citizenship Day on September 17.

“Australian Citizenship Day was introduced in 2001 as an opportunity for people to take pride in our citizenship and reflect on the meaning and importance of being Australian,” a Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesman said.

“Citizenship is the bond which unites us all in our culturally diverse nation. It symbolises our sense of belonging to the country where we have been born or have decided to make our home.

“Australian Citizenship Day celebrations provide an occasion for all of us to be proud of being part of this great nation. It is also a special day for our newest Australians to join our extended family at ceremonies around the country.”

Some 3,600 people from 118 countries will become citizens at 69 ceremonies across Australia as part of Australian Citizenship Day.

DIAC and local government councils will host ceremonies in state and territory capital cities, major metropolitan centres and regional towns.

Source: Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Somewhere in New South Wales // Photo: TFA

The topic of this competition is New South Wales landscape. This can be rural, regional, urban, industrial or coastal as long as the subject of the photo is within the boundaries of NSW.

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, is encouraging the members of migrant communities to participate in the NSW Parliamentary Plein Air Photographic competition.

“The history of the modern development of rural New South Wales is the history of settlement by people of all backgrounds including the Chinese, Italians, Greeks, Germans, Lebanese and Sikhs who are all well known for their contribution to agriculture and rural life in New South Wales, ” Mr Kerkyasharian said.

“Today people of every background are increasingly living away from our big cities. Filipinos, Vietnamese, Africans, Maoris and Pacific Islanders are becoming significant players in rural New South Wales.

“I hope photo enthusiasts, whatever their background or wherever they live, look seriously at this competition. It would be exciting to see photographic works of art by migrants or children of migrants, hanging in Parliament House in Sydney and kept in a permanent collection by the NSW Parliament, portraying our wonderful landscapes”, Mr Kerkyasharian continued.

The Parliamentary Plein Air Photographic Prize is an acquisitive competition offering awards of $10,000, $5,000, $3,000 and the special Clerk of the House Prize of $2,000 (non-acquisitive).

The last day for submitting entries is on 23 July 2010. Other details of the competition and entry forms are available at: www.Parliamentaryphotoprize.com.au

Source: Community Relations Commission of NSW

The Filipino Australian is proud to be part of emanila.com - the inaugural Technology Award winner in 2000

Winners of the Awards will be officially announced at a Gala Presentation on November 1, 2010. A total of seven awards will be given out on the evening, including awards in the areas of community, commercial sectors, advertising and government.

The Community Relations Commission of the NSW Premier’s Office is the organiser of the Awards.

The annual Awards have started 21 years ago. Nominations to the Awards were from states across Australia and across multinational business, government and community sectors.

Past winners include diverse entities such as the Sydney Opera House, the winner of the inaugural technology award, e-manila.com in 2000, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (2001), the NSW Police (2003), Chabad House, Christian Interfaith Education and Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations (2004), Cisco Systems Asia Pacific Technical Services (2005), Australian Football League (2006), National Interfaith Festival (2007).

Entry forms will be available on the CRC’s website at www.crc.nsw.gov.au

Part of Blacktown's Main Street to be closed to vehicular traffic on Streets Alive parade

The popular Streets Alive Parade and Festival Day gives the local community the opportunity to take advantage of over 350 street stalls, six performance stages, free amusement rides, exciting displays and heaps of attractions.

From 8.30am, residents and visitors to Blacktown City will have the opportunity to shop for knick-knacks, hand-crafted jewellery, show bags and taste the delicious foods from the many food stalls.

Commencing at 11.00am, a vibrant parade will travel through the streets of Blacktown’s CBD. Don’t miss this spectacular display of colour and excitement, featuring clowns, floats, dance groups and marching bands to entertain the crowds.

Parade entries will be judged during the magnificent parade against the following categories: community, business or commercial, school and best use of the theme; celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity.

Winners will be announced by the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Charlie Lowles at the Wednesday, June 16 at Council’s Ordinary meeting at 7pm.

“The Blacktown City Festival is one the largest community festivals celebrated here in Blacktown City. It produces an amazing crowd full of community spirit and we invite everyone to join in,” Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Charlie Lowles said.

Live entertainment will be provided by local performers across 6-stages throughout the day including performances by the Blacktown City Pipe Band, Jacaranda Folk Dancing Group, Simply Voices Choir, Drumming Workshops, Cook Island New Generation Cultural Dancers and numerous dance and music groups.

The 2010 Blacktown City Festival is celebrating the International Year of Astronomy and will be held across Blacktown City from May 22 – 29. There are over 15 FREE events available for local community members to attend during the festival.

The Streets Alive Day is the last day of the 2009 festival.

Source: Blacktown City Council

Australia is clearly a less racist and more accepting nation that it was half a century ago but some sections of our community have failed to embrace this. A very small minority continues to hold extreme racist views that are condemned by most Australians and by the international community.

Australia’s international reputation has been tarnished by the many recent acts of racial violence and by the public ridicule of differing ethnic communities by the media. These incidents have come at a time when much good work is being done to reconcile with indigenous Australians and improve our treatment of ethnic and religious minorities.

The Ethnic Communities Council trusts that our State, Federal and local Governments will all continue with an even greater commitment to promote the wonderful benefits to society and business that multiculturalism has brought to Australia, and that our Police Force will take a renewed vigour in combating all racist sentiments and violence.

Sutherland Shine has continued to experience race related attitudes and crime since the Cronulla riots of 2005. While Sutherland Shire Council has attempted to develop programs to reach out to other local council areas and communities within Sydney, the Council needs to do much more to combat racist and confrontationist attitudes held within the Shire.

The Ethnic Communities Council extends its condolences to the family of Mr Alvardo and to the Filipino community in Sydney and trusts that the justice system can deal with the matter expeditiously to reduce the hurt this is no doubt causing to many people.

*** Ronaldo Villaver is Vice Chair, Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, and President, Philippine Community Council of NSW.

Thumb: A Health Resource Fact Sheet translated in Filipino

This week 27 July – 2 August is observed as Multicultural Health Week 2009.

NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service Director Peter Todaro presented certificates of commendation to two government agencies that produced resources in Filipino addressing the health needs of the Filipino community in NSW.

The Certificate of High Commendation was awarded to Monika Latanik, the Multicultural Access Project and Siew-Ling-Lo, the SWAHS Multicultural Health Network, Mt Druitt Community Health Centre and the Aged Day Care Service for the resource “Communication Aid for Aged Day Care Services” translated into Filipino and other languages.

The resource came as a result of the need for an identified communication tool for service providers operating in the Cumberland Prospect Local Planning Area and provides appropriate phrases; pictures that can illustrate the intended messages that clients, carers, family members and staff can use that are culturally accurate and appropriate.

Aside from Filipino, the resource was also produced in Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Chinese, Croatian, Farsi/Persian, French, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Macedonian, Maltese, Punjabi, Pushto, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Singhalese, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and English.

A Certificate of Commendation was presented to the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission for their two fact sheets: “Concerned about your health care?” and “Resolve concerns about your health care” where both resources were translated into Filipino and other languages.

Seven winners topped the Multicultural Health Communication Awards over all the entries this year.

More than 70 people were in attendance at the Awards ceremony with special guests including area health managers, multicultural health workers, community organisation representatives and ethnic media.

Mr. Todaro said that the Multicultural Health Communication Awards 2009 acknowledges the excellence in the development of effective materials for multicultural communities in NSW.

He added that the Awards program focuses on positive contribution of individuals, groups, government and non-government organisations who dedicate their services to CALD communities in NSW to produce multilingual resources setting high standards in good practice principles in multicultural health communication.

Now in its 5th successful year, the Multicultural Health Communication Awards is held as part of the key activities during Multicultural Health Week. This event is presented yearly by the NSW Health Multicultural Communication Service, a state-wide service that provides health information to address the needs of multicultural communities.

Each year, the number of entries continues to grow showing that the success of this event since 2003 highlights the importance of this Award and the recognition it brings to agencies and workers who focus on providing quality health information to ethnic communities for a healthier society.

The Honorable Peter Primrose, President of the Legislative Council hosted the 2009 Multicultural Health Communications Awards.

*** Jess Helaratne is Project Officer, NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service.