Sydney Eid Festival
E&OE
Nadia Zahr:
Concetta, how are you?
Senator Fierravanti-Wells:
Good! Good to be here. Although it’s starting to get a little bit chilly now.
Nadia Zahr:
Yes it is. I would like to thank you so much for joining us at the Paul Keating Park to celebrate a festive occasion on the Muslim calendar. How do you believe such an event fosters the beauty of multiculturalism and harmony?
Senator Fierravanti-Wells:
Look, it’s a very important event. Ramadan and Eid have now become part of the multicultural calendar. And if you look around here today you have not just got people of Muslim faith, you’ve got people of different backgrounds who have come down to join and celebrate with the community this important cultural event. It is a time of fasting, yes, but it is also a time of charity and doing good work. This is the point that I wanted to underline, to pay tribute to the Muslim community for the work that they do, the contribution that they make. Especially at this time, it’s not just about fasting. It’s about family, it’s about community and it’s also about doing important charity work which is being done all over Australia.
Nadia Zahr:
It definitely is and I would like to agree with you that not only is it a time to celebrate the fasting period, but it is also a time to celebrate the community involvement and participation that the Muslim community has made through the many years.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells:
It is, very much so. And as the daughter of migrants myself, I understand just how important it is to share your heritage and your culture. Because when you’re sharing, people understand and coming, as I do, from the Australian-Italian community, over many, many years of involvement, today our community is well known and that’s because we have shared. That’s why I think it’s really good to see the Muslim community sharing with the broader Australian community. Because let’s not forget that so many people of Muslim background have left their homes, have come to Australia to build a better life for themselves and for their children. And that’s why it’s important that they make the most of the opportunities and that our second and third generation children from the Muslim community make the contribution and seek the recognitions that they deserve for the contributions that they do make.
Nadia Zahr:
Definitely, I do agree with you also on that point. And it is good to see both the young and the old come together and celebrate the beauties of this festive occasion. And it’s nice to also share that with people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. I would like to quickly ask you, what initiatives have you done to help reach out to your community?
Senator Fierravanti-Wells:
Well, I have to say that coming as I do from my background; I’ve been involved in multicultural activities for the last 30 years, so this is a very, very good portfolio. In particular, I most recently delivered a speech to the National Imams Consultative Forum in Canberra, where I wanted to very much to stress, not just the contribution this community has made, but also to make the point that it is vitally important. And, can I commend those in the community that have been advocating understanding and tolerance, and all those important messages, because it is very important that the deeds of just a few people do not detract from the very good contribution that people have made of Muslim background and continue to make every day to Australian society. People of Muslim faith have come from all different countries from across the world to make Australia their home, to build a better life for themselves and for their children and that’s why it’s really important that they be afforded the opportunity to live in peace and harmony and that we all as Australians, we respect, we value, we have important issues of tolerance. It is so important to respect and respect each other.
Nadia Zahr:
Definitely, because such events allow people to understand more about the Muslim community and also spread that knowledge to others so that people won’t have any types of misunderstandings or any miscommunication with other people, so I would like to commend you so much for joining us and being a part of this wonderful event.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells:
Thank you very much and I look forward to visiting Muslim Radio in the not too distant future.
Nadia Zahr:
Definitely, thank you so much.