By: Marcelle Mansour
I was delighted to attend a very impressive and breathtaking event yesterday evening. It was a historic event for the Australian Coptic Community, where the Australian Coptic Movement Association (ACM) was deeply honoured to host the Prime Minister of Australia the Hon Tony Abbott MP together with Mrs Margie Abbott, at the Coptic New Year Inaugural Gala Dinner at the Novotel Hotel in Sydney. Undoubtedly, it was a thrilling event to the Australian Copts to have the Prime Minister attended such a formal function hosted by ACM. A Considerable number of Federal and State Members, church and political leaders also attended to celebrate the Coptic New Year dinner on October 4, 2014 in Sydney.
The Hon.PM, has acknowledged ACM's tireless efforts and stated that all individuals and societies of humankind should have equal rights to freely practice their religions and cultural values or ethnic identities, with acceptance and respect to the rights of others.
Senator Deborah O'Neil representing the Hon. Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Opposition has recognised the significant contribution that the Orthodox Christians of Coptic community has made to Australia.
This was followed by HG Bishop Daniel’s speech, which highlighted the fact that Orthodox Christian Copts are being persecuted by others, and we learnt to adapt three steps to endure the persecution, to pray for the persecutors and to bless them.
The Coptic New Year is celebrated on 1st day of the Coptic month of Tout; it is the Ancient Egyptian calendar which is a continuation of the oldest calendar in the world. It commemorates the sacrifice that Copts’ ancestors made in order to preserve the Christian faith that Copts in Egypt and the Diaspora share today.
It was a wonderful work made by the Australian Coptic Movement indeed and it was a pleasure to join the historical event with my family and to have photos taken with the Prime Minister of Austrlia the Hon Tony Abbott that is most appreciated.
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