PPSEAWA Australia Newsletter

• President: Coral Fleming, 12 Rymill Place, Mawson ACT 2607 coraljf [at] grapevine [dot] net [dot] au
• 1st Vice President: Luisa Latukefu, 12 Caroline Street, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 luisa [dot] latukefu [at] act [dot] gov [dot] au
• Secretary: Aurea Sethaphanich, 6 Agonis Close, Rivett ACT 2611 aureaseth_2004 [at] hotmail [dot] com
• Treasurer: Moko Eade, 49 Foveaux Street, Ainslie ACT 2604 mokoeade [at] actewagl [dot] net [dot] au
• Program Director: Noelle Leonard, 102 Arthur Circle, Forrest ACT 2603 noelle [at] netspeed [dot] com [dot] au
• UN Officer: Calmar Annandale, 4/19 Carandini Street, Melba ACT 2615 cal

Peace - an end, a goal? Everyone desires blessings that can be experienced only from inner peace; a state of mind, body and perhaps soul in tranquility, inner contentment . People that experience inner peace say that the feeling is not dependent on time, people or any external object or situation; that it is possible to experience inner peace even in the midst of war.

Harmony day started in 1999 and occurs on or around 21 March each year to celebrate Australia's success as a diverse society united by a common set of values.

Australia today is a nation built on immigration. We have a proud history of welcoming people from around the world and since 1945 more than 6.5 million migrants have come to Australia. Australians speak over 300 languages, including indigenous languages, identify with more than 200 ancestries and practise a range of religions.

Australia's cultural diversity is a reality which will continue.

Karen Miller, of the Benevolent Society, speaker at the PPSEAWA NSW June meeting and no stranger to fundraising having done so in the UK, NZ and Australia over a fourteen year period including the last x 2½ years for the Society in Australia.

Beverley Pavey

3/9/1944 - 7/3/2008

Whatever one says about Beverley Pavey, some things of importance will be omitted. She was such a vibrant, interested, concerned, understanding and caring individual that it is difficult to cover all her attributes. She was adored by her husband, Andrew, her two children, Christopher and Catherine, and her large circle of friends.

On Wednesday 5th March the Girl Guide Training property "Glengarry" located at Turramurra was the site for a luncheon to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day.

This very happy luncheon was organised by Pan Pacific South East Asia Women's Association to raise funds to support UNIFEM AUSTRALIA's work to give women in this region opportunities for economic and political empowerment so to engender an equitable and sustainable future and for PPSEAWA's International Fund.

Visiting the Australian Consulate for morning tea with the Australian Consul Peter Grant, his wife Kath and cultural officer Candice was a highlight for me in Hawaii but how it came about was even more interesting.

I'm sure many who went to the Cook Islands PPSEAWA International Conference in 2000 will remember Leilani Bin-Juda who was one of the two Australian youth delegates who distinguished themselves at the conference.

As your PPSEAWA representatives Luisa Latukefu and I attended the February planning meeting in Sydney where the AWC major consultation project for 2008 "Planning for Ageing in the Future'' was discussed. The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, our new Minister for the Status of Women addressed the meeting and joined members for morning tea. It was decided to include social inclusion in our major project and subsequently a survey on Ageing and Social inclusion was circulated widely in April and formed the basis of our first Hot Issues Report to the Office for Women in May.

A very special and joyous occasion attended by the Mayor of Honolulu, Mufi Hannemann and a large number of PPSEAWA Hawaii members. The Mayor gave a key note address noting the significant work of PPSEAWA Hawaii in Hawaii and recognising the status of PPSEAWA internationally. He declared May 17, PPSEAWA Hawaii Day!!

Representatives of PPSEAWA countries made presentations of gifts to PPSEAWA Hawaii.

The entertainment was also enjoyed by everyone.   

The following objectives were set by the International President, Viopapa Annandale for the mid-term council meeting of PPSEAWA International held recently in Honolulu, Hawaii.