A new exhibition focusing on places of worship within the streetscape of central Melbourne opens at the City Gallery on Thursday 2 September. Through the compelling images of photographer Zoe Ali and text from Christos Tsiolkas, A New Jerusalem: Faith and the City will take visitors on a journey through the streets and laneways of Melbourne, exploring expressions of worship and cultural diversity. A New Jerusalem: Faith and the City will present text relating to city life from the Bible, the Koran and the Torah combined with Christos Tsiolkas’ own observations about life and faith in 21st century Melbourne. These wildly divergent yet compatible texts are presented alongside 159 black and white photographs of places of worship in Melbourne by Zoe Ali. Zoe Ali’s photographs depict all 61 of the places of worship within the city of Melbourne, plus selected favourites from neighbouring areas. Each photograph captures the perspective of a passer-by; peering at doorways, gazing high to the distinctive rooflines or taking a moment to appreciate ornate detail. The City Gallery is an initiative of the City of Melbourne and hosts exhibitions which draw upon its vast Art and Heritage Collection.

For further information, visit www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/citygallery Where: City Gallery Venue: Inside Halftix at Melbourne Town Hall, 110 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Event duration: Thursday 2 September 2010 – Saturday 22 January 2011 Gallery hours: Mon 10am - 2pm, Tues - Fri 11am - 6pm, Sat 10am - 4pm, Sunday closed

Cost: FREE

Contact: 03 9658 9658 Web: www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/citygallery

The debate this month is entitled "Renewable Energy: Should we make the switch?"

The Speakers
John Daley (Grattan Institute) - Yes
Alan Moran (Institute of Public Affairs) No

PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPIAGN

PUBLIC FORUM

Palestinian-Iraqi Refugees & settlement in Australia:  aspiring for a better life

In 1948, more than 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their home land forced to flee by Zionist forces to neighbouring countries, becoming the world’s largest refugee population. Since day one of the American invasion of Iraq in April 2003 the Palestinian refugee community in Iraq (numbering 30,000) was once again forced to experience many brutal assaults, torture, murder and theft, this time at  the hands of US forces and several of the newly formed post invasion armed militias. This has resulted in the mass exodus of a large number of Palestinian refugee families from their homes in Baghdad. Unlike Iraqi refugees, Palestinian-Iraqis were denied access Jordan and Syria and hundreds of them have ended up in desert encampments on the border between Iraq and Syria. For up to 5 years, these children, women, and men have been enduring some of the harshest living environments on earth.

The Australian Society for Palestinian Iraqi Refugees Emergency (ASPIRE) is an initiative started by Melbourne University lecturer and radio presenter Yousef Alreemawi in September 2007. Its aim is to try and give as many of this group of refugees the opportunity to settle legally in Australia. The society encompasses an amazing group of Australian and Arab volunteers including academics, lawyers, and musicians.

In February 2009, by the united efforts of the ASPIRE volunteers and Amnesty International-Australia, the first set of applications for humanitarian refuge into Australia were submitted on behalf of 16 families made up of 68 people from El Hol Palestinian- Iraqi refugee camp. In December 2009, Australia approved the families for humanitarian refugee status. They arrived to Melbourne and Perth and finally found the welcome and dignity they’ve been denied for years

Speakers include:

*Yousef al Reemawi - founder of ASPIRE

*Former refugees from El-Hol Palestine-Iraqi refugee camp.

*Robin Laycock, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Yousef will speak about the founding of the project, as well as Phase II of ASPIRE's ongoing effort to resettle in Australia more  Palestinian refugee families mired in El Hol Camp. 

Speakers from the refugee families will also speak about the impact the project has had on their lives and the lives of their families, while Robin will discuss the broader issue of the Palestinian refugee issue world-wide.

Thurs, September 9 @ 7pm

New International Bookshop

Victoria Trades Hall,

Cnr of Lygon & Victoria St, Carlton

Entry $6 workers /$4 conc

(with entrance fee donated to the ASPIRE project)

Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Supported by the Refugee Action Collective

Tel: 0439 454 375 or 0431 738 271

www.palestinesolidaritycampaign.net

Ten years ago the World Economic Forum planned a meeting at Melbourne’s Crown Casino. This gathering of capitalist big wigs sparked the first major protest against corporate globalisation in Australia. The Freedom Socialist Party was a part of the huge mass movement that blockaded Crown and prevented delegates from entering. Less than a year earlier, enormous protests had shut down the World Trade Organisation in what became known as the Battle of Seattle. Join in the discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of this movement and what’s needed to bring capitalism to its knees.

Dinner served at 6:30 pm for an $8 donation. The meeting, which kicks off at 7 pm, will be held at Solidarity Salon, 580 Sydney Road, Brunswick.

For more information call 9388-0062 or e-mail