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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-05-07 Daily Xml
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Al Salam Festival

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (15:16): I rise today to speak about the inaugural Al Salam Festival, the Festival of Peace, which was recently held at Rymill Park. I want to begin by congratulating the local Muslim community, including the Islamic Society of South Australia, which is based in my electorate of Elder, for putting on such a wonderful event on 26 April. The historic day marked the realisation of a bold vision on behalf of the organisers.

When the leaders of the Islamic Society from the Park Holme mosque came to me as their local member of parliament some time back with their dream of hosting this festival, I could barely have wished it would come to fruition in such a spectacularly successful fashion. From the idea of fostering inclusion, community and shared understanding arose a truly amazing event. It was a festival of welcome, a festival of community, a festival of peace, and I was honoured to be part of the day, along with a number of colleagues from both sides of this house and those from the other place.

It was pleasing to see and mix with the many community leaders from different sectors who were there to demonstrate their support. The afternoon offered a remarkable array of activities and culinary delights and brought together a diverse crowd of people with a wide range of heritages and backgrounds. Doves were released into the grey threatening skies above Rymill Park as a traditional sign of peace. While the weather was somewhat fickle and chilly, the welcome was sincere and warm for those who gathered.

I wholeheartedly commend and thank the Muslim community for having the courage, will and faith to press ahead with organising such an ambitious and impressive occasion. I recognise the tireless hours in pursuit of this bold vision by this group, all planned and progressed in their own time, as they are all volunteers driven by a passion for peace and a desire to share. Along with the Weatherill state government, I am proud to support this festival—a festival that I am sure will become an annual event.

I also acknowledge the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Hon. Zoe Bettison MP, and would like to thank her for her assistance and support in making the Al Salam Festival a reality. The organisers' faith that the wider public would embrace this gesture of peace and inclusiveness was rewarded by all who attended. What a wonderful demonstration of unity with our brothers and sisters of the Muslim faith.

The day was all about replacing stereotypes with the truth that no matter what our creed, colour or culture, we are all part of one community, we all have something to contribute. On the same weekend as the Al Salam Festival, like many of you here, I attended events that remembered the sacrifices of those in our armed services a century ago at Gallipoli and in many other conflicts across the globe and across the generations. Such reflections starkly remind us of the tragedies of war. The concept of the Al Salam Festival, in contrast to looking back, is about looking forward to a future we all hope is a future not of war, hostility or hatred, but one of peace, tolerance, harmony and mutual understanding. Through the prism of this ideal, we look forward to a future in which we value our common humanity and respect and celebrate one another's differences. Once again, congratulations to all who made the Al Salam Festival possible.

I recently attended another excellent festival, one which also recognises the importance of community diversity and commemorating culture: Marion Celebrates—the Many Cultures, One Earth Festival on 29 March. It was a fantastic day, showcasing the talents and cultural identities of the Marion community at the beautiful Warriparinga Wetlands and Living Kaurna Cultural Centre in Bedford Park.

This free biennial event, which in 2013 won the Governor's Multicultural Award for Art and Culture, brings together thousands of people for a family-friendly day of dancers, musicians, stalls, displays, children's activities, art, food and much, much more. All of these come from so many different backgrounds and cultures. Congratulations to the City of Marion and to all who, once again, made this day a day to remember.

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