......a sometimes
self-deprecating and occasional tongue-in-cheek look at ourselves and
the world around us ......
Sunday, 13 April 2008
.Newsletter
0179
This week's CCN is kindly
sponsored by
PITTER PATTER
If
you're not in it... you can't enjoy it!
The Kuraby Community Hall was a
hive of activity as droves of people came over yesterday
afternoon to register for this year's CresWalk2008, try
on shirts for size and catch up with friends.
Graham Perrett MP and son Stan (reigning
CresWalk champions in the pram/wheelchair category) and
Health Minister Stephen Robertson are busy
polishing up their running shoes for the walk. Expect to
stride alongside a few other notable entrants along the
route.
Only entries for CresWalk2008 received by Sunday 20th
April are eligible for a CresWalk2008 shirt
So if you and your family have not registered yet, get
your entries in by the deadline date
If you
would like us to conduct a poll on any topic email
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org with your
question and possible answers.
Abdul
Gets To Practice Politics
Wishart's
Abdul Kadir Obeid is set for a taste of political
life.
Abdul will be taking the seat of
State Minister for Mt Gravatt Judy Spence after
being selected as the electorate's 2008 YMCA Youth
Parliament representative.
Ms Spence said the 19-year-old
student had demonstrated a strong commitment to the
local community and would be an excellent representative
for the area.
Abdul applied for the position
earlier this year, citing his interest in multicultural
issues and the health of young people.
"I come from a strong cultural
background and have matured between diverse cultures,"
he said. "I'm looking forward to this opportunity to
present my thoughts on current issues which have
affected many youths in the Wishart area and most likely
other communities."
Abdul's community interest is
reflected in his work as a support officer in the ward
office of the late councillor Robbie Williams.
"Abdul has continued to work in the
Holland Park/Wishart ward office since councillor
Williams' tragic passing last December, and is also
studying law at Griffith University," she said.
Abdul was also a finalist in the
2008 Mt Gravatt Australia Day awards for Young Citizen
of the Year.
Youth members have a two-day
sitting in the Legislative Assembly chamber of the
Queensland parliament and will deliver statements, ask
and answer questions during Question Time, debate and
amend Youth Bills they have developed, consider motions
on government policy affecting young people, and speak
about their electorates and local issues during debates.
Issues raised during the Youth
Parliament are passed on to the Government and
Opposition.
Source:
Southern Star Wednesday April 9, 2008
The
list of the 20 members of the Youth Council can be found
here.
Sand
Castle Makers in Durban's Marine Parade
StepOne
to Community Cohesion
Tackling cultural relations issues in Australian
communities will be made easier by a new website called
StepOne, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural
Affairs and Settlement Services Laurie Ferguson said
recently.
A key feature of the website is a set of case studies
that have successfully addressed some of the more
difficult aspects of cultural diversity in local
communities.
The website aims to help local
councils and community groups overcome problems such as
racism, stereotyping and the social isolation of
cultural groups and build positive, long-lasting
relationships between people in their local area.
'Local councils are often best
placed to identify and deal with issues that arise in
culturally diverse communities because they live and
work with them every day,' Mr Ferguson said.
'We are one of the most
successful multicultural countries in the world and we
need to ensure that Australia remains an inclusive and
cohesive society,' he said.
Mr Ferguson congratulated staff
of the Centre for Research on Social Inclusion at
Macquarie University who developed the website as a part
of a project funded by the Department of Immigration and
Citizenship's Living in Harmony program.
'The website includes many
inspiring stories of how local governments and community
groups have brought together people of all backgrounds
in a positive way,' the parliamentary secretary said.
'I hope communities right
around Australia take up this resource with enthusiasm,'
he added
Brisbane’s Southside has a new Member of
Parliament who is eager to represent the
views of young people and the area’s ethnic
community, Member for Stretton Stephen
Robertson said this week.
Mr Robertson last week met with 17 year-old
Yassmin Abdel-Magied who has been
selected to represent the electorate of
Stretton as an MP in the YMCA Queensland
Youth Parliament.
“Yassmin received the news last month that
she had been selected as a Youth MP and will
spend the next few months representing our
electorate, investigating issues affecting
young people, and working toward improving
our community,” he said.
“Yassmin’s experience will culminate in her
implementation of a Local Action Plan in our
electorate from August to September.
“Youth Parliament is an exciting forum that
empowers young people to have a positive
impact in their local communities and bring
about positive social change – and I know
Yassmin will excel as our representative.”
According to Yassmin, Brisbane’s Southside
is a good example of how multiculturalism
can be utilised to enrich a community.
“I would like to build on this success and
bring in innovative ideas to further embed
diversity into our way of life,” she said.
“I think the YMCA Queensland Youth
Parliament is the ideal forum for the
development of such ideas.”
Mr Robertson said he is looking forward to
hearing more from Yassmin about her
experience as a Youth MP and about the other
community projects she is involved in.
“Already Yassmin has done some great work in
our community including last year founding a
youth run organisation, Youth Without
Borders which advocates for youth issues and
facilitates the development of networks to
achieve better outcomes for young people and
their communities,” he said.
The Queensland
Youth Council’s chair will be Reece Pianta
from Bundaberg, with Yassmin
Abdel-Magied serving as deputy.
Celebrating the Prophet's (pbuh) Birthday
The Islamic
Society of Algester hosted it's biggest-ever
Meelad-un-Nabi (SAW) celebration at the Logan West
Community Hall in Hillcrest on last Sunday.
A record number of over 700 people attended the
function.
There were a number of
distinguished International and local Ulema and Imaams.
They came from as far afield as
Makka-tul-Mukarrama, Syria, Jordan, India, Pakistan,
South Africa, Fiji, United Kingdom, America
and the West Indies.
The highlights of the function were
the presentations of the International Qari Sayed
Sadaqat Ali as well as the learned Sheikh Siddiq
Ahmed Nasir from Trinidad and Tabago, West
Indies.
Qari Sayed Sadaqat
Ali, who is also one of the best Naat
reciters in the world, "lifted the crowd into
spiritual ecstasy with his beautiful and unique
renditions."
The afternoon's proceedings, organized by the
Islamic Society of Algester, was concluded
with a meal of curry and rice provided and prepared
by Rahman Deen and his family.
Invitation from SAFA
The Syrian Australian Friendship
Association Inc. Queensland is hosting a Chronological
display of Syrian History the period 1900-1946.
Date: April 14 – 18, 2008
Time: daily from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: BCC Library - Carindale Shopping Centre.
You will be going back to an era in history to
commemorate the Syrian Independence Day.
Come on and go through the memories of those who shaped
the 20 century,
Read about their history in achieving the independence,
refresh your memories of Grandfather’s stories of the
war he fought, cheer up with the victorious nationals
who won the independence of their country in most
difficult but patriotic way. Learn about the women and
their brave contribution to the independence, their
intelligence and support to those brave men who lead
their country to victory.
At this time of the year, we connect with our past,
where we feel the greatness of our ancestor, whom
because of them we are this nation of pride.
For more information, please call 0417 741 131.
From
the IWAQ desk.......
• The Islamic Women’s Association
had a weekend getaway for clients and their carers on
28-30th of March at San Simeon, Gold Coast. This was a
resounding success with very positive feedback from
participants. Thank you to all the clients, their
families and the hard work of the organising team to
make this happen.
• The Islamic Women's Association has vacancies for the
positions of Salam Respite Coordinator and Aged Care
Coordinator. For a copy of the position description and
Key selection criteria, please contact IWAQ on 3272
6355. Applications close on COB Monday 28th April 2008.
The IWAQ Photo Gallery
The Bosnian Group at the
Client Weekend Getaway
Enjoying the serenity of the
outdoors
Time for lunch
At Avocado Land
A bit of country air
Taking in the view
The Director's Daughter
Maryam Elshemy and Alaa
Elghamery at their Wedding Reception
AMARAH
Forum
By
Shajaroh Amath
This past Sunday, AMARAH hosted a
community forum/information session on creating a bill
of rights in Queensland.
Sasha Jesperson, from
Amnesty International, was the guest speaker for the
night.
She highlighted the necessity for a
bill of rights and brought forth awareness of our lack
of rights.
Did you know that Australia is the
only major Western democracy that has not established a
bill of rights?
Do you feel safe knowing that you
do not have a legislative right to freedom of
expression/freedom of speech?
She mentioned that they are
currently only a few states that have passed a bill of
rights, but ultimately the main goal is to encourage the
federal government to pass a bill of rights legislation
of its own.
Jesperson went over what we can do
to accelerate the legislative process.
We have to start at the local level
and build our way up.
AMARAH plans on holding workshops
that will allow the community to participate in the
actual formation of the bill of rights.
It is highly encouraged that the
community has their input!
Using our book
club you can see what books we at CCN have
on our shelves, what we are reading and even
what we and others think of them.
You can even
create your own book shelf, find out what
your fellow CCN readers are reading, get and
give recommendations for what to read next,
create book lists, and even share your
opinion on a book with us.
Come see the
books we have selected and see if we have
any in common.
Then pick our
next book so we can all keep on reading.
Q: Kareema, what would be the best thing to eat first
thing in the morning before my workout?
A: Try carb-rich food and drinks that will power
you with energy. Other choices should include low-fat
breakfast or muesli bars, juice and toast with honey,
etc. Foods low in fat and fibre are less likely to cause
discomfort during exercise.
IN PREPARATION FOR
CresWalk2008, FOLLOW THIS 5 WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM:
REMEMBER TEAM:
TRAIN SMART, NOT HARD!!
WEEK 1 of our 5 week
training program:
Please note that the following program is
suitable for beginners. For the more
competitive or serious athlete, intensity,
duration and frequency of exercises need to
be increased!
REMEMBER: NUTRITION IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS
YOUR TRAINING REGIME. SO START EATING
HEALTHIER TODAY AND DON'T FORGET TO DRINK
YOUR WATER!
DAY 1:
Walk for a minimum of 30 mins. (10 mins. at
a moderate pace, 15 mins. at a more brisk
pace and 5 mins. cool down / slow pace.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO STRETCH AFTER EVERY
WORKOUT!
Healthy Tip: Always keep your body hydrated
- carry a bottle of water with you daily!
DAY 2:
Similar to day 1. Increase your walking time
by 5 mins. or more if you feel comfortable
and include some hills as part of your
course.
DAY 3:
Opt for some strength and resistance
training (try a pump class if possible).
Ensure good posture and technique.
DAY 4:
Get walking...the aim is to increase your
time and distance!
DAY 5:
Active recovery - Do an activity that you
enjoy (low impact). Include your stretching
routine.
DAY 6:
Take on a more challenging walking course
(steeper hills, etc.). Always challenge
yourself, but do not overdo it. Listen to
your body - QUALITY rather than QUANTITY!
DAY 7:
Have a rest, recover and get ready for week
2!
PLEASE NOTE: The above training program
assumes a healthy participant. Those
with medical conditions or who are not
already physically active, need to seek
clearance from their GP before starting any
form of exercise.
VEGETABLE & CHICKEN KEBABS
-------------------------------- 2 cups
white meat - 1 tsp green masala - 1 tsp fine dhana
(coriander seeds)- 1 tsp fine salt (as required) - ½ tsp
tumeric powder - 1 dash lemon juice (optional).
Method
Marinate chicken with the above ingredients and cook on
medium heat until all water has evaporated.
Vegetable Ingredients 1
½ cups mixed frozen vegetables - ½ cup frozen whole corn
- ½ cup frozen peas - 2 dessertspoon green pounded
chillies (as required) - 1 tsp fine dhanna - ½ tsp black
pepper - ½ cup greens (dhannia (coriander), mint and
spring onions finely chopped) - 3 medium potatoes
(boiled then mashed).
Method
1. Boil mix vegetables, corn and peas on medium heat for
approximately 7-8 minutes.
2. Remove, strain and dry vegetables on a cloth.
3. Mash vegetables slightly (must not be fine).
4. Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix
thoroughly.
5. Add chicken and mash potatoes and mix well.
6. Make balls and flatten them slightly.
7. Dip in egg and fry in hot oil (shallow – just
covering kebabs) or dip in egg, roll in crumbs and fry.
8. Must not be stored in the freezer.
Source: Radio Islam Newsletter - Wednesday, 09 April
2008
Do you have a recipe to share with
CCN readers?
Send in your favourite recipe to
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org and who
knows, you could be our "guest chef" for a future
edition of CCN.
The CCN Chuckle
Mula Nasruddin and
his mate Jalalludin are out on a walk, when a pigeon
flies by and relieves himself on Jalalludin's head.
"Yech!" says the
Jalalludin. "Get some toilet paper."
"What for?" asks Mula Nasruddin. "He must be half-a-mile
away by now."
1) Fiqh
Made Easy
Description: Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) at a basic
level, covering the topics from purity and salaah to
hajj, and business dealings to marriage.
Lesson this week: Fiqh of Marriage
Teacher: Shaykh Aslam Abu Ismaeel
Date: Every Friday
Time: 6:30pm (roughly after Maghrib
salaah)
Venue: Room 722, Building 9,
University of Queensland
2) Explanation of Riyad-us-Saliheen
Description: Explanation of hadeeth from the great
collection of hadeeth called "Riyad-us-Saliheen"
(Gardens of the Righteous), compiled by the great
scholar of Islam, Imam an-Nawawi.
Next Lesson: Hadeeth from 'Chapter of
Truthfulness'
Speaker: Shaykh Aslam Abu Ismaeel
Date: Every Monday
Time: 6:45pm
Venue: 323 Hawken Drive, St. Lucia
The
best ideas and the best feedback come from our community
of readers. If you have a topic or opinion that you want
to write about or want seen covered or any news item
that you think might be of benefit to the Crescents
Community please e-mail
Share
your thoughts, feelings and ambitions for our community
through CCN.
If
there is someone you know who would like to subscribe to
CCN please encourage them to send an e-mail to
theteam@crescentsofbrisbane.org with the words
“Subscribe Me” in the subject line.
Disclaimer
Articles and opinions appearing in this newsletter do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Crescents of
Brisbane Team, CCN, its Editor or its Sponsors,
particularly if they eventually turn out to be libelous,
unfounded, objectionable, obnoxious, offensive,
slanderous and/or downright distasteful.
It is the usual policy of CCN to include
from time to time, notices of events that some readers
may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are often
posted as received. Including such messages or providing
the details of such events does not necessarily imply
endorsement of the contents of these events by either
CCN or Crescents of Brisbane Inc.
Wishart's
Abdul Kadir Obeid is set for a taste of political
life.
