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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-10-28 Daily Xml
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United Nations Association of Australia Peace Bottle Launch

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:31): Today I rise to speak about the United Nations peace bottle launch and the Port Adelaide Festival. At this point in time, those of us who are familiar with the song Message in a Bottle by The Police may just start singing—but just hold that thought because I believe it might be against the council's convention, so we will not do it!

It was certainly a double celebration on 10 October 2015 in Port Adelaide. At the international level, the United Nations is celebrating its 70th anniversary. At the local level, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield is celebrating its 175th anniversary. This particular peace bottle launch was done in conjunction with the launch of the Port Adelaide Festival. Mayor Gary Johanson highlighted that the council has one of the highest concentrations in Australia of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD). Mayor Gary Johanson was such a great host. He also mentioned that diversity also includes a strong Aboriginal presence within the council.

This multiculturally diverse council represents a vast number of migrants who may still have residents and loved ones residing in war-stricken countries. Therefore, the council was very proud to work together with the United Nations Association of Australia South Australia to launch a symbolic United Nations peace bottle in one of South Australia's most multicultural cities. I was delighted to attend and support the launch of the particular festival, along with former senator and former president of the United Nations Association of Australia, the Hon. Robert Hill.

The United Nations Association of Australia South Australia committee members and volunteers organised a wonderful event. I place on the record my congratulations and thanks to the President, John Crawford, a true gentleman, along with the Vice-President, the lovely and most tenacious, Lidia Moretti, for their ongoing commitment and dedication to spreading the message of peace and the meaning of the United Nations to the wider community in South Australia.

The idea of the peace bottle was conceived by the creative and talented South Australian surrealist artist, Andrew Baines, to convey peace messages from Australia to the world. The peace bottle, which was coloured sky blue matched the logo colour of the United Nations and measured nearly two metres high and became the centrepiece for the morning. It was delivered to the Black Diamond Wharf by the well-known South Australian sailing ship the One and All and carried by many youth ambassadors of the United Nations. This big bottle was filled with peace messages from South Australian school students, youth and community leaders. I am very pleased to announce that on Thursday last week, 24 October, the peace bottle was sent to the United Nations in New York to mark the 70th anniversary of the world organisation; so I can safely say it was signed, sealed and delivered, so to speak.

Educating our youth and community leaders on global affairs allows us as individuals to realise how extremely lucky we are to live in a peaceful harmonious society, and that there are opportunities for us to be involved and make a change in someone else's life who may be less fortunate. Once again, I wish to congratulate the United Nations Association of Australia SA Division on their continuous hard work and dedication in promoting and contributing to the missions of the United Nations. The United Nations representative in Australia, Mr Christopher Woodthorpe, was also there and it was really great to meet him. I look forward to highlighting more of the achievements of the United Nations in my private member's motion, which I will speak about and move in the following sitting week.

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