A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.

The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?'

The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.

 **

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

** 

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to 'honour' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?'

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'

 **

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Mummy, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'

** 

The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'

 **

 A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, 'Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.'

'Yes,' the class said.

'Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?'

A little fellow shouted,
'Cause your feet ain't empty.'

** 

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

'Take only ONE . God is watching.'

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'

Parramatta Advertiser

by Di Bartok

IN the wake of the latest drive-by shootings in the area, Police Minister Mike Gallacher visited Merrylands to speak to business owners and residents today.

Along with Granville state Liberal MP Tony Issa, Mr Gallacher asked business owners how the shootings, and the perception that Merrylands was unsafe, was affecting their trade.

The Parramatta Advertiser joined the walk down Merrylands Rd and spoke with Mr Gallacher on the fight against outlaw motorcycle gang-led crime.

Mr Gallacher said the government needed to fight the upsurge in gun crime ``across different departments’‘.

He said that it was no longer a matter for the police only in cracking OMCG crime and the tighter controls over tattoo parlours was evidence of that.

``We have fair trading playing its role (in making sure tattoo parlour licensees meet requirements), liquour and gaming in not granting licenses to known members of these gangs and these departments are working with police,’’ Mr Gallacher said. ``Until now, these gangs were used to dealing just with the police.’‘

Mr Gallacher has introduced tough new laws to ban known bikie gang members from owning or operating tattoo parlours and give police the power to raid the shops at will.

One person who is glad to hear that is hairdresser Susan Wahab, whose salon is next door to the tattoo parlour shot at last Tuesday.

``Customers are feeling unsafe and it is affecting my business,’’ Ms Wahab told the minister.

Real estate agent Elie Kaltoum said he feared Merrylands was becoming like New York where innocent people could be caught in the crossfire.

Yong Lee, owner of Rainbow Cafe, said people were moving out of the area because of the drive-by shootings. He also told the minister that businesses wanted more police on the beat, as it had been about five years ago.

``Having police on bikes is not the same - they are gone before you can talk to them if you have concerns,’’ Mr Lee said.

Joanne Gerges from La Gillette Patisserrie, who also lives in Merrylands, said that as a mother of three young children, she was concerned over living near some of the recent shootings.

Long-time Merrylands resident Raymond Khawly seemed nonchalant about the shootings so close to his doorstep.

``As long as the bullet goes straight, I’m not really worried,’’ he said.

He said he was happy with the government’s handling of the crime.

Mr Gallacher told the Advertiser that the Crime Commission and police had made inroads into the organised gun crime spree, with more than 300 arrests already made.

He said the shootings were mostly executed by young “apprentices’’ to the outlaw motorcycle gangs who had to prove they were worthy of becoming members.

``These young recruits are called noms and the shootings are part of their apprenticeship,’’ Mr Gallacher said.

In a scary and scandalous report that journalist Hamid Gheriafi published today in the Kuwaiti daily, Al Syiasi, he quoted prominent Syrian opposition figures in New York and Paris calling for an urgent human rights need to stop the horrible criminal atrocities the Syrian ambassador in Beirut, Ali Abdul Karim Ali, is openly carrying out all over Lebanon.

They described Ali, an ex-secret security officer, as evil, vindictive, blood thirsty and merciless, and orchestrating and conducting all the notorious kidnapping and assassination felonies in Lebanon against both Syrian citizens and opposition leaders, as well as against Lebanese intellectuals and politicians who oppose Assad’s bloody Syrian regime.

One of these Syrian opposition leaders living in New York informed Al Syiasi daily yesterday that it is not acceptable under any given circumstances to turn a blind eye on the brutalities that this man, Ali, is inflicting savagely on many Syrians, citizens, politicians and military personnel, who were forced to take refuge in Lebanon in a bid to escape the crimes al-Assad regime is committing against its own people who oppose al-Assad’s dictatorship and call for his resignation.

According to the report, Ambassador Ali has converted the Syrian embassy in Beirut to a major headquarters for pro-Syrian killers, assassins, spies, mercenaries and secret intelligence activities. Among those merciless hitmen and criminals that Ali hired and leads are tens of Lebanese security men serving the al- Assad regime and not their own country, Lebanon, or its military leadership.

Lebanese Internal Security officer, Salah Al Hajj (son of the former Lebanese director of Internal Security Forces, General Ahmed Al Hajj, a major suspect in the ex-Lebanese Raffic Al Harriri assassination in 2005) is one of these hitmen.

Hajj, has been involved in blatantly smuggling weapons into Syria, kidnapping many Syrians and Lebanese and transferring them to Syria where they are liquidated. This officer and many others who serve Ambassador Ali are loyal to the two Shiite terrorist and pro-Syrian-Iranian organizations, Hezbollah and Amal Movement.

The Syrian ambassador is replicating the notorious and oppressive era of Syria’s occupation of Lebanon that had ended in 2005. He practically runs a professional Mafioso gang of well-trained killers and assassins. For the last year Ali has been unashamedly terrorizing and intimidating all Syrian refugees who fled their country to Lebanon in fear for their lives. The UN has estimated that there are about 25,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

An active Syrian diaspora opposition leader told Al Syiasi that Hezbollah, the Iranian Shiite terrorist organization that actually and practically occupies Lebanon and fully controls its government and most of its security bodies, has made the country's communication data available for Ali and his assassination team around the clock. Through this data Ali and his Syrian-Lebanese spies have full accessibility for surveillance all over Lebanon. Accordingly, Ali monitors the activities and phone calls of all the Lebanese politicians, officials and many others.

Ali also runs in Beirut, its suburbs and the Bekaa Valley a number of detention and torturing centers that are used to detain, and torture the victims before either being killed or transferred to Syria.

One might wonder and ask why the Lebanese security forces are not doing anything to stop Ali and his assassination team? The answer is because Hezbollah runs the country and serves the Syrian and Iranian expansionism and terrorism schemes and not the Lebanese people.

Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition is calling on the Lebanese authorities and the UN to put an end to Ali's atrocities and close the Syrian embassy in Lebanon or otherwise they are threatening to resort to military action against the embassy building.

In conclusion, Ali is using Lebanon to entrap and hunt all free Syrian citizens and dignitaries who flee to Lebanon. At the same time he is using all evil criminal and spying means to intimidate the Lebanese politicians and intellectuals who support the Syrian revolution. Sadly, Lebanon is an occupied country and accordingly its government which is a Syrian-Iranian puppet is not going to solve this problem. The UN and Arab league are required to step in and take action against Ali and the gangs that he runs.

PRESS RELEASE
The MCS held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday April 24th in the presence of his Lordship Ad AbiKaram, Maronite Bishop of Australia and Joseph Metledge, Founding President of the Maronite Catholic Society.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the members and his Grace to discuss the latest developments of interest to the Maronite Community both in Australia and in Lebanon.
Bishop Abikaram was praiseful and prideful of the important role of the MCS and of its unwavering support for the projects undertaken by the Maronite Eparchy in addressing the needs of the Maronite Community both in Australia and in Lebanon.
And in an atmosphere full of harmony and understanding the annual elections were held in accordance with the MCS Constitution and a new executive Committee was duly elected as follows:
President: Toufic Kayrouz (elected unopposed)
Hon. Secretary: Raymond Abi-Arraj (elected unopposed)
Hon. Treasurer: Ghassan Hatem (elected unopposed)
Executive members: Ghassan Awit – Joe Peter Khoury – Chafic Saade – Ray Wehbe – Toufic Laba – Antoine Doueihi – Camille Harb – Pierre Salame – Nelson Semaan.
Portfolios and other positions will be assigned at the upcoming meeting of the executive scheduled for next Tuesday 1 May 2012 in the Society’s new office at OLOL’s Community Youth and Pastoral Centre.

For further information contact:
Toufic Kayrouz on 0414293978 OR Raymond Abi Arraj on 0413069004

By Hasan Lakkis The Daily Star  
(The Daily Star/Dalati Nohra/HO) 
BEIRUT: Australian authorities are irritated by President Michel Sleiman’s call for Australians of Lebanese origins to get engaged in Lebanese politics, diplomatic sources told The Daily Star Sunday.

The sources said that during Sleiman’s visit to Australia last week, Australian authorities informed the president’s delegation of their annoyance with Sleiman’s attempts to involve Australians of Lebanese origins in political affairs which bear no relation to Australia.

According to the sources, Australia believes that any Australian, whether of Middle Eastern or other origins, should have no “national” political affiliation other than with Australia as long as he or she has become an Australian citizen.

During his visit, Sleiman visited with members of the Lebanese community and stressed what he considered their right to take part in 2013 parliamentary elections, promising that polls would be held on time and that their participation would be allowed.

He encouraged expatriates to register their names in embassies and consulates. Although Lebanese expatriates were granted the right to vote in parliamentary elections in 2008, some officials are worried that the mechanism for out-of-country voting won’t be ready in time.

Sleiman said that he did not expect a high expatriate turnout for the 2013 elections, but didn’t consider this important as he voiced confidence that such turnout would gradually increase over the years.

The president said that Lebanon’s concern for its expatriates would encourage them to care for their homeland in return.

Which election law will be adopted in next year’s general election is currently the subject of heated debate, with Sleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri supporting proportional representation while Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt openly opposes it.

The sources called it unacceptable that a guest in Australia, namely Sleiman, would ask Australians of Lebanese origin to interfere in the politics of the country from where the guest originated.

In a number of speeches during his visit, Sleiman tackled Lebanese politics, stressing that political assassinations would not hit the country again.

“We have respectful security forces that are fully ready, after a long period of neglect, to uncover crimes quickly and within a few days. This is reassuring because it prevents assassinations. There will be no return to assassinations in Lebanon,” he said.

His assurances came in light of fears expressed by some March 14 officials about a return to political assassinations after Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea survived an attempt on his life on April 4.

The president also voiced concerns over the yearlong crisis in neighboring Syria, which he said is linked to Lebanon by “strong family, geographical and historical ties.”

“I hope that [Syria] will transition to democracy peacefully and smoothly and that the Syrians will talk to each other without the intervention of anyone to find the best way to apply democracy.”

The sources explained that Mexican authorities conveyed a similar message to Lebanon following Sleiman’s visit to Mexico earlier this year.

  

The World Lebanese Cultural Union NGO in association with the DPI of the UN wishes to advise that it does not in any way accept the comments gratuitously provided in a press conference recently conducted between the press and Minister Adnan Mansour as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lebanon.

In the exchange with the Press Corps conducted in Canberra on 16 April 2012 the Minister in response to a question from the editor of the El Telegraph concerning the problems with the “…two WLCUs” and whether he was attending to remedying the existence of the alleged “problems” responded with words to the effect: “What two WLCUs? To us, there is only one WLCU in the world, and that is the one that our government recognises. We do not recognise anyone else…”

Such a statement is both utterly misconceived and indicative of the deft manner in which the current government of the Republic of Lebanon fails to understand and administer its relations with organisations that exist within the world and are and have been for some time legally and validly registered to so exist independently of any affiliation or association from within the Republic of Lebanon for their existence.

Effectively, the statement by the Minister is both rejected and refuted categorically, and without in any way acknowledging his right to make the statement, but more importantly that it is both incorrect and fails as an indication as to what is the status of the WLCU. It is a UN NGO and not subordinate to any national government.

The WLCU has been in existence since 1959 since its creation in Mexico, is the sole body that can claim to globally be representative of the world Lebanese Diaspora. That it is so indicative of its status is effectively appreciated when one realises it is an NGO affiliated with the DPI (Department of Public Information) with the United Nations in New York City. It also is a member of ECSOC which is an agency within UNESCO.

There is no other body representative of the Diaspora for the Lebanese equal to or having the status of the WLCU as it bears its affiliation with the United Nations.

The Minister is effectively speaking out of order, and sadly does not appreciate or have any understanding of the status of the WLCU and, regrettably, is ignorant of it as a body with the international recognition that it has achieved.

It is more to the point indicative of the manner in which the current Lebanese government, in terms of its inability to be effectively democratic and representative of the true will of the Lebanese people within Lebanon, insofar as it is beholden to forces that dictate its direction, albeit at the threat of intimidation that this Minister is effectively speaking from as a platform and not otherwise.

In short, the Minister seeks to enter into and embroil his government in a debate that it has no standing to argue on. The WLCU categorically rejects out of hand any criticism of its status, and more particularly within the Geographical Regional Council (GRC) in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, such an attack on the status of the WLCU is rejected and dismissed as nothing more than an ignorant and ill-informed assessment by a government minister who knows no better and, in the circumstances, detracts from the status of both his government and the purpose of his visit to Australia to promote relations between Lebanon and Australia on the inaugural visit of His Excellency President Sleiman as the first Head of State for Lebanon to visit our country.

Equally, and to be not understated, are the comments of His Excellency the President that he hopes to have resolved the “problems” between the two organisations. For the record, there are no problems insofar as the WLCU as an NGO exists and will not be subordinated to or in any way affected by any comment from a government that has no right or authority to dictate the existence of a body lawfully organised and legitimately recognised by the United Nations to act as a transnational representative of the Lebanese Diaspora.

The Lebanese government would be well warned to leave well alone the WLCU lest it embroils itself in an argument that it not only will not win, but will further add embarrassment to it as a national government that is both ill-equipped and utterly ill-fit to be representative of the democratic will of the Lebanese people. It is regrettable to have to make such a statement, but the WLCU will not in any way be intimidated by the ill-thought and ill-advised comments of a Minister who glibly seeks to make provocative pronouncements as a cheap political stunt which will not be countenanced by the WLCU, its officers and its members.

For and on behalf

Tony Yacoub

President WLCU

Geographic Regional Council (GRC)

Australia, New Zealand and Oceania

Don�t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here (Mark 16/05)

Do not be afraid, �Don�t be amazed", with these reassuring and soothing words The Angel spoke to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They had came to the tomb on Sunday morning to mummify and anoint Jesus' Body as the Jewish tradition required. They thought death had defeated Jesus and ended His life as it does to every human being. On their way, they were sadly thinking and wondering who will roll for them the stone away from the tomb's entrance so they can get in and perform the mummifying and anointing process. While halfway from the tomb, they saw that the enormous stone had been rolled away. When they entered the tomb they found that Jesus' body was not there. They found only the shrouds that His body was wrapped with on His burial after the crucifixion.

Saint Mark's (16/01-13) Gospel describes thoroughly what has happened with these three loyal and faithful women: "When the Sabbath was, past Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying among themselves, �Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?� for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He said to them, �Don�t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, �He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.�� They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid. Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. They went away and told it to the rest. They didn�t believe them, either."

Lord Jesus who died on the cross, had risen from the dead on the third day just as He has said while proclaiming His message. He triumphed over death, defeated the forces of darkness, overcame pain, abolished anguish and brought despair to an end. He rose from the tomb to be constantly with those faithful to Him throughout their lives, and to never abandon them. He shall empower forever those who believe in His message and observe His commandments with the spirit of truth, knowledge, wisdom and solidarity with His Father, Almighty God.

Christ is the Way, Christ is the Truth, and Christ is the actual eternal life that we long for. We strongly believe with full conviction that Christ dwells in His Holy Church, and exists in its Mysteries (Sacraments). He is always present in the Holy Eucharist that we receive during every mass. Christ at all times is ready, willing and delighted to help us in our burdens when we call on Him and ask for His mercy. �Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.� (Matthew11:28)

The miracle of resurrection is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. This pivotal liturgical fact was strongly stressed by Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians, (15/12-26): " Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain. Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn�t raise up, if it is so that the dead are not raised. For if the dead aren�t raised, neither has Christ been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ�s, at his coming. Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death".

Through Crucifixion and resurrection, Christ has overcome death, broke its thorn, and granted us His eternal forgiveness from the original sin. With His death and resurrection, death in its traditional earthly human concept has been abolished forever and Sin since then has become the actual death that leads the sinners to Gahanna into the unquenchable fire.

When our bodies die, we sleep in the hope of resurrection. On Jesus' return on the Day of Judgment, the dead will be the first to rise and escort Him. "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed", (Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15 / 51-52).

Easter Sunday is a holy feast of love, humility, forgiveness, brotherhood, tolerance and repentance. Religiously we are not to participate in any of these feast prayers or make any offerings or receive the Holy Communion unless we replace hatred with love, grudges with forgiveness, rejection of others with tolerance, arrogance with humility, greed with contentment, deception with transparency, and evil with righteousness.

If we do not learn how to tame our selfishness, anger, hatred and forgive others for whatever evil deeds they commit against us and reconcile with them, than we do not qualify to be called Jesus' followers. Our prayers will not be heard or responded to, if we do not practice the grace of forgiveness as did He who was crucified for our salvation.

�If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift". (Matthew 5/23-24).

Meanwhile our true faith in Jesus and in His Sacrifices won't be complete unless we adopt in our thinking, deeds and language the pure components of sacrifice, honesty, truth, self respect, meekness and decency. "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. Don�t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4/29-32)

For our prayers to be looked upon and heard by Almighty God, we are required to reconcile with ourselves and with all others on whom we have inflicted pain and injustice, and treated with an evil manner. To please the Lord we are required to genuinely, heartily and overtly perform all required acts of repentance for all our mischievous conducts and wrongdoings. Mark 11/24-26: "Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions"

Almighty God has endowed us with His love talent, (minas) and expects us to faithfully invest it in helping others who are in need. He expect us to observe all the teaching of His Bible so that He will reward us on the Day of Judgment and put us on His Right Side.

On this Holy Day of Resurrection, we must be aware that Jesus' Holy blood was shed on the Cross for our sake. Remembrance of His death and resurrection is a Godly consignment that we are entrusted with. It�s up to us either to honour this trust or betray it. In regards to what is committed to us, Saint Paul conveyed to his disciple Timothy the following advice (6/20-21): "Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the faith".

Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen.

Recently the Premier held a media conference with ethnic community media outlets to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government.

It has been a pretty poor year of achievement, with more than 200 broken promises to the Premier's name. I make no criticism of the media conference specifically; I am critical of the way this State Government has treated ethnic community media as no more than a distant second to mainstream media.

The Premier called on the ethnic media to tell the people of New South Wales what he claims to have achieved while his Government slashes advertising in ethnic community media outlets.

This not only further tightens the financial noose but also disadvantages the migrant communities that these outlets serve.

Ethnic community media in Australia are valuable institutions contributing to our vibrant multicultural, multi-faith society and ought to be given the respect that they and their respective communities deserve. Although ethnic community media is well established in this State, many ethnic community newspapers or media generally struggle financially.

I accept that this affliction is not unique to media outlets, and that this is a free market where the most successful survive.

In my view, however, the State Government should find the means to support the service the ethnic community media provides. Such support, however, must be on a no-strings-attached basis so as to maintain the integrity of our third estate.

One option would be that, through an independent body such as the Community Relations Commission, the State Government could provide grants to small community media outlets in a similar manner to Federal Government community grants as provided through the Department of Immigration. Ethnic community media plays a vital role in the everyday lives of millions of Australians, providing diversity and interfaith harmony. They help the newly settled to understand what is going on around them and help them make informed contributions to community discussions and decisions.

They are at the heart of everyday living of migrant communities that produce and transform ethnic identity, culture and perceptions, and help them fit in and coexist and understand culture, behaviour, etiquette, ethics and values of others they live with and around and, by extension, identify themselves in the overall society in which they live.

They can become mobilising agents for ethnic communities and they can be indicators or barometers of social change.

Ethnic media has the capacity to raise awareness about issues not addressed in mainstream media.

Ethnic media can provide members of the broader community with insights into changes or developments taking place around them and internationally.

I understand, respect and value ethnic community media journalists and producers and all who are involved in producing their radio programs, their press reports or their online services.

I know they work hard and are committed to their jobs.

I commend them for their perseverance in making their product a success.

Those who established ethnic media in this country are true pioneers and they deserve recognition.

They are really and truly the quiet achievers, informing locals and the outside world of business and trade opportunities, promoting tourism, creating commerce and understanding. Governments should better understand the role of ethnic community media and the issues they cover so as to incorporate migrant community concerns into the agenda of State policymakers.

Neither governments nor mainstream media reference ethnic media in reporting news or initiating policy. Ethnic press is seldom seen as publicly significant; in fact, it is argued by some that, historically, there has been xenophobia towards the ethnic press.

I have commenced the process of establishing the Ethnic Community Media Awards to recognise the work of ethnic community journalists and to reward them accordingly.

Members will be aware that I have been recognising ethnic media journalists and owners in motions I have put before the House.

It is time that we recognised and respected these community builders for their journalistic professionalism and their hard work and commitment to keeping the community informed about national and international affairs.

Today we are starting to see community language media diversifying, producing in ethnic and English languages in print, on radio and on websites. Significantly, they are applying other electronic social media in globalising their news and outreach.

It is time the Government saw the true value of ethnic media and encouraged their success through supportive measures that will ensure their survival and that of the role they play in our Australian multicultural society.

The Son of God shattered the barriers of death and rose triumphant!

His excruciating Calvary and crucifixion were a culmination of his immense Love for humanity and a climax in the performance of His Redeeming Design.

This August Memory inundates our spirit with Faith, Hope, Courage and Strength, which converge in synergy to save us from tribulations and propel us toward achieving our righteous goals.

Let's rejoice the bliss of the Resurrection of Jesus our Savior!

Happy Easter!

Hamid Aouad

On the occasion of the State Visit to Australia

by

The Lebanese Ambassador to Australia

and

the Consul-General of Lebanon in Sydney

have the honour to invite the Lebanese community to a

"Welcome Reception"

To be held on Wednesday, 18 April 2012

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Venue

Waterview in Bicentennial Park

Bicentennial Drive, (Entrance off Australia Ave)

Homebush Bay, NSW - 2127

RSVP by 12 April on:

- Mob. 0405 536 864

- Fax: 9327 8722

- email: info@lebconsyd.org.au

* Dress code : Formal *

OPEN INVITATION

• Guests will be issued with a "Guest Number" upon acceptance.

• Travelling to the venue by public transport is recommended as car parking spaces are very limited.

• Attendants should arrive 6:30 pm for security screening