1st Place: Amity Girls A
Jannah Hadid
Aviva Huuke
Zehra Nevzat
2nd Place: Pinnacle A
Mohannad Budair
Abdulmalik Almsater
Asraa Al-Sarraf
3rd Place: Amity Girls B
Bushra Abdi
Hanah Masri
Fariha Dean
Public Speaking Results;
Mayera Asif 1st
Leila Safi 2nd
Saliha Yildiz 3rd
The 14th International Festival of Language and Culture was held at the Sydney Opera House with attendance of Governor General of Australia His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC, Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove and Governor of NSW His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC, Hon. Craig Laundy and many other dignitaries. Veteran anchorman George Donikian and Sarah Abo from SBS World News were the MCs of the evening.
Students from 22 countries has made the audience experience an unforgettable evening. A video from this evening can be found here .
Sir Peter Cosgrove has made the opened the festival with a speech. His speech can be watched here :
Our members Amity College and Affinity Intercultural Foundation were proud co-host of this festival in 2016. Amity College and Affinity Intercultural Foundation are avid supporters of collaborative learning and compassion, promoting fellowship and dialogue among youth of diverse backgrounds in Australia.
You can watch the welcome address by Amity College students here :
The purpose of the International Festival of Language and Culture is to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, whilst also providing an opportunity for participating students to showcase the kaleidoscope of their language and culture with other students from around the world.
AUF has conducted its annual “Teaching Development Program” to assist its member organisations with future employment alternatives. The program was held between 6 and 10 July 2014 at Amity College Prestons Campus.
The program was designed for potential teachers who were planning to start the profession in the near future. Experienced teachers provided vital information for future teachers to make a fresh and informed start to the profession. The program also aimed to provide a chance for the affiliated school administrators to get to know the potential teachers.
18 teacher candidates have participated in the intensive 5-day program. Amity College’s Prestons Campus was the venue.
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The executives of AUF have participated in quite a unique program to celebrate the 99th Anzac Day. “Gallipoli; A Turkish Perspective” has been organised by Bayram Turkish Cultural Association together with Macquarie University and Community Relations Commission NSW on 24th April in Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.
There are two sides to every story of conflict. So it was at Gallipoli. Harvey Broadbent has been researching and translating the Turkish Gallipoli documents for several years. On the eve of the Anzac Day he was joined by Turkish Military Historian Mesut Uyar to present the other side of the Gallipoli Story.
Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello who has made the opening speech and NSW Governor Marie Bashir were among the crowd witnessing the historical documents from a century back.
Mehmet Saral, director of AUF has also made a very touching recollection of letters from Turkish soldiers who had fought in Gallipoli.
The event attracted more than 300 members of the society.
AUF invited Prof Muhittin Akgul of Sakarya University, Turkey as the guest speaker for the “Noble Birth Week” activities organised by Galaxy and Selimiye Foundations.
He arrived to Sydney on Saturday the 5th of April 2014. The two “Infinite Light” conferences he was the guest speaker were
> on 5 April, at 6:30pm, in Amity College Gymnasium (Auburn Campus) NSW
> on 11 April, at 7:00pm, in Serenity Foundation VIC
During his stay he visited various community leaders, interfaith organisations as well as sharing his wisdom with the general public.
In his talks, he discussed various aspect of the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) with special emphasis on honesty and trustworthiness. His qualities as an honest individual had been acknowledged even by his arch enemies during his time.
He stated that there is a fountain in New York named after Him to appreciate his efforts against Alcohol.
Prof Muhittin Akgul departed from Australia on 11 April.
Turkish Language Olympiads have been organised by the International Turkish Education Association since 2003. In 2013, students from more than 130 countries have competed in different areas like poetry, singing, acting etc. AUF Member schools have participated in these Olympiads in the past and achieved great results representing Australia. It is a great opportunity for the school community to encourage teaching languages other than English. AUF tries to assist in organising the various stages in Australia and monitor the Australian team selections.
Students who were going to represent Australia at the 12th Turkish Language Olympiads, among the representatives of over 140 countries, had been selected at the “Language and Culture Festival” on Saturday, 7 December 2013 at 7.30 pm at the Serenity Receptions in Melbourne. The event was organised by Istanbul Culture and Arts Centre.
The event is followed by the “Anatolian Culture and Arts Festival” on the next day (8 December) in Federation Square.
Students from across Australia displayed great performances and made the job of the judges, lead by Deputy CEO of the Australian Universal Federation Mahmut Celal Arikan, extremely hard. At the end, the following students secured the first place in their categories:
Song Contest: Mutia Nur Hafiza and Dilara Aydin (Turkish Background)
Poetry Contest: Sarah El Wazni and Sadullah Taşbaş (Turkish Background)
Speaking Contest: Sarah El Wazni
Officials from Turkish Consulate in Melbourne, community leaders, local and national media, businessmen, visitors from overseas were among the guests.
In 2013 Turkish Olympiads, the Australia Information Centre came third in the Culture Exhibition Category. Also Enes Ahmadi received a third place in Speaking and mention in Special Talent. Fatma Lelik also received a third in Essay Writing. Students will travel to Turkey in early June to compete with hundreds of students from all over the world to get a place in 2014 Turkish Olympiads
FAREWELL TO FIRST CEO, MEHMET VEHBI YAVUZLAR
Mehmet Vehbi Yavuzlar, who was appointed as the first CEO of the federation has officially resigned from his post as of 27 November 2013 due to health reasons. He was born in 1957 in Turkey.
He has graduated as a Chemical Engineer. Instead of seeking an academic or corporate career, he decided to become a teacher. It was a turning point in his life – and the life of many other young men and women. For more than 25 years, he inspired thousands with his unique teaching but more than that with his exemplary personality. His name became a legend in teaching circles in Turkey. His teaching motto was “No student should be left behind!”. Not achieving was not an option in his class! His students consider themselves lucky to witness one of the great teachers of all time in action. He was the head of the Turkish Schools in Eastern Africa for 4 years, before coming to Australia in 2009.
In one of his latest interview he commented on teaching “Teaching is the world’s most blessed profession. It is through our teachers that the new generations’ develop their character and academic skills. Generally, students start intense studying in years 11 and 12. In my opinion this is not right. Educators should not stand as idle spectators to this issue. Enjoying learning, and having a solid foundation should begin in the first years of the school life. Without applying pressure, teachers should aim to get students to like their subjects and to follow a steady study schedule. Teachers have two important duties. Firstly; with their subject and material preparation and class management skills, they should be performing their jobs as if they were an actor in a theatre show. Secondly; through a student-centred teaching approach they should try to motivate the students so that they could be active both in the classroom and at home. They should try to bring them in to the community as ‘self-motivated’ individuals.”
In the same interview he also explained the reason behind the name changes some of the AUF affiliated instutitions “AUF wants to contribute to Australia’s multi-culturalism. We are very sincere in this regard. In our everyday lives we are in direct contact with people from different backgrounds. However there is no doubt that the most influential and lasting interactions is in the educational institutions. By giving our foundations and schools English names, we thought that non-Turkish parents would be more comfortable with the idea of sending their children to our schools. We are resolute with our educational and mentoring principles. To date these values have made us successful and so we shall continue following this path. We are certain that the Australian youth will be satisfied with our existing educational system and its quality. We want our services to encompass not only the Turkish and the Muslim populace but also the whole of the Australian community.”
He has been known to all as a dedicated community person, who has set an example to all around him. His position will be replaced by Mr Teyfik Aydinlioglu, Corporate Services Manager of Galaxy Foundation.
AUF has moved to its new premises on Del Rosa: a property regarded as one of Liverpool’s most historic.
Located at 7 Speed Street, Del Rosa was sold at auction for $745,000 in April 2013. AUF moved in the property in July 2013.
A NSW Environment and Heritage Statement of Heritage Impact described it as showing: “A particular Spanish Manor-style that is now rare within the Liverpool area.
Del Rosa is also known as “the house of Dr James Pirie” a local doctor. He was a charitable man who visited patients in their homes, often treating many without fee, especially during the 1930s depression. He was the most popular doctor in Liverpool. He was so well liked that the council cancelled their meeting in reverence to him. He passed away in 1942.
This “Remnant of the history of Liverpool” sits on a prominent corner block comprises of 6+ offices, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, foyer, secured courtyard area, triple lock-up garage, off-street parking for 7+ cars, 1200 square metre with 200 square metres of lettable area.
The single-storey, free-standing cement rendered brick residence features lightly textured external stucco finish to walls and gables with rounded-tile verge capping. It has three arched openings, Marseilles patterned terracotta roof tiles and wrought iron balustrading and gates.
The details of the new home of AUF are as follows
Address: 7 Speed St Liverpool NSW 2170
Phone: 02 9822 4448
Fax: 02 8277 9425
This article is adapted from the following site
Dr Mustafa Ozcan the Chancellor of Fatih University, Turkey and Nevzat Savas the Director of the International Hira Magazine have been invited to take part in the “Hira Conferences” and a series of other seminars for the wider community.
They arrived in Australia on 7 February 2013 and conducted series of seminars with the members of the Galaxy and Selimiye Foundations in Sydney and Melbourne respectively.
During their stay, they visited various community members, intercultural organisations and various other associations as well as sharing their insights with the general public.
During their stay in Sydney, Dr Mustafa Ozcan had also visited Anthony Bubalo in Lowy Institute and Hon Peter Anderson, Director, Policing Intelligence & Counter Terrorism Centre and Dr Julian Droogan in Macquarie University.
They also took part as international speakers in two Hira Conferences; on 9 February in Sydney (organised by ISRA Australia) and on 10 February in Melbourne (organised by Serenity Foundation).
(from left to right) Dr Mustafa Ozcan, Mr Anthony Bubalo, Prof Muhammad Sharkawi and Mr Mehmet Yavuzlar
