e-news
december '06

  • 4 Battery Square, Battery Point, Tasmania, 7004
  • Ph 03 6223 1025 or 0400 824 261, Fax 03 6224 8041
  • Email admin@afairerworld.org, Web www.afairerworld.org

Dear Supporters

Welcome to our final e-news for 2006.  Unfortunately, there have not been as many of these as we would have liked this year - as always there has been too much to do with too few resources. To partially compensate for this there have been more "Current Event" emails this year and, of course, there is also now our website, A Fairer World, to help members keep informed of our current projects.

This e-news reflects some of the activities from a busy and productive year and foreshadows developments in 2007.  Some of these developments are positive - projects planned - and others are of concern - the availability of physical and financial resources. Whatever 2007 brings I hope that you will be joining us again as a member and supporter.

The summer break is a great time to come in and browse our resources or talk about our projects. We open again after the New Year on Tuesday 3rd and will then be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week from 9.30am to 2.30pm until normal times (see website) resume in the week starting February 12th.

On behalf of the Committee, staff and volunteers at the Centre, best wishes for a happy and peaceful holiday season.
Helen Hortle, Coordinator
This newsletter can also be downloaded from A Fairer World

In this issue

ruMAD? news

  1. Nearly 5,000 Tasmanian students have gone MAD
  2. What a great MAD Conference we had!
  3. The 2007 Program
  4. Newspapers in Education

Other centre news

  1. 2006 achievements celebrated
  2. Exceptional 2007 Management Committee elected
  3. Future of International House uncertain
  4. 'A Fairer World' - volunteers needed!
  5. A roundup of other projects and events
  6. A Charter of Human Rights for Tasmanians
  7. Tasmanians cycle for change!

Coming events

Check for upcoming events and regular meetings on our on-line Events Diary. Whilst the diary has been very full since being launched with the website in May, it currently looks bare, a result of the coming holiday period.  If you have any events to be added, email the details to admin@afairerworld.org.

Taking action

  1. Shop ethically for Xmas: EcoShop, Fair Trade suppliers
  2. Bring David Hicks home: Amnesty campaign, The Age campaign, Billboards for Justice (Get Up)
  3. Global warming: Sign Climate Action Now (Get Up), Join Climate Action Tasmania
  4. Get Fair Trade happening in Hobart: contact us for details on joining the Fair Trade group
  5. Help us make a difference: donate, join as a member or volunteer

Mailing list:if you do not wish to receive this e-newsletter in future please let us know by return email.

ruMAD? news

Nearly 5,000 Tasmanian students have gone MAD!

In the 2 years that it has been operating in Tasmania nearly 5,000 students have participated in MAD activities - MAD Day, MAD Projects or the ruMAD? Youth Ambassador Conference.  This is a substantial proportion - more than our share by population - of the 50,000 Australia-wide. 

MAD activities this year focused on a wide range of issues including:
° Poverty at home and overseas
° Environmental & community improvements
° Working together, getting along & the prevention of bullying
° Youth advocacy
° Awareness-raising of defensive driving and donating blood
° Fair trade
° Animal cruelty
° Mental health

View photos and descriptions of MAD activities in Tasmania

What a great ruMAD? Youth Ambassador Conference!

On Tuesday 7th November at Parliament House Hobart, 73 Tasmanian students who had been involved in MAD activities in 2006 participated in the ruMAD? Youth Ambassador Conference.  This included students from the north of the state who showed their commitment by getting up early to join us. The students came together to celebrate their MAD achievements and learn about being an ambassador, so that they can inspire others to be active. At this year’s Conference the new ambassadors worked with 19 leading Tasmanian change-makers on issues of global importance. The day concluded with students sharing their MAD activities with other students and community guests and receiving certificates of recognition from the Lord Mayor of Hobart, Alderman Rob Valentine.

Read about 2006 Tasmanian MAD activities or download the Conference Handbook 

The 2007 Program

We were recently fortunate to receive a grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund to pilot the ruMAD? Program in rural and high priority schools in 2007.  This grant will enable us to offer support to a limited number of  schools in this category and registrations are now open. 

The program is still open to all schools and a range of Professional Learning alternatives are available to help get the Program started:
° An introductory session (½ to 1 hour) at an individual school and at a time to suit, where there are 4
   or more staff interested;
° A full training session (3-4 hours) at an individual school and at a time to suit, where 4 or more
   classes register;
° A full training session (3-4 hours) at a regional location.

Registrations and training dates are filling so please book early in the new school year to ensure you get in.

Download the 2007 Introduction kit

The Examiner's Newpapers in Education

From October 24th to November 14th the NIE supplement (in each Tuesday's Examiner) was called "Taking A Stand". This 4 part series focused on the importance of young people making their voices heard on issues they care strongly about. Each of the parts took a different angle - why take a stand and what it means, how to go about creating the change you want, the pitfalls and rewards - and gave plenty of inspiring examples as well as classroom activities. It was great to see MAD schools feature prominently in each of the supplements.

To find out more or order copies of the series email NIE

Other news

2006 achievements celebrated

There was a fantastic turnout at the 2006 AGM on Tuesday November 21st, when we celebrated achievements in 2006 towards our core aims of promoting global perspectives and providing opportunities for social action.
"This has been a very full and exciting year for the Centre, and not too surprisingly some of us pinch ourselves occasionally to see if it can be true!" said President Robin Bowden when presenting the Annual Report to members.
Guest speaker at the meeting was Ben McKay, National President of the United Nations Youth Association. Ben informed and amused us with tales from the recent World Federation of UNYA plenary in Argentina. There was also a debrief, led by Mary Blake (Make Poverty History Tas Coordinator) on events at the recent G20 Convergence, which a number of the Committee members had attended.

Download and read the Annual Report

Exceptional 2007 Management Committee elected

The AGM also saw the election of the 2007 Management Committee. With 18 members it is the largest Committee yet and boasts a significantly younger profile. As well as teachers and individuals, Committee members represent the United Nations Association of Australia, Australian Education Union, Oxfam Australia, Returned Overseas Volunteers, United Nations Youth Association, Tear Australia, Caritas Australia, RESULTS Australia and World Vision.

Our sincere thanks to 'retiring' Committee members Santi Mariso (Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner), Diana Cossar-Burgess (RV Group) and Yvonne Bennett (teacher).

Read a full list of the 2007 Committee

Future of International House uncertain

A more sombre end to the year comes with uncertainty over the future of our Battery Point office. We have been tenants here since commencing operations 21 years ago. The Government has indicated that it would like to sell the building in the New Year and whilst the Minister for Education has offered to find us alternative accommodation, we would be very reluctant to part from our co-tenants, UNAA and Oxfam. Both of these organisations have been in the building since 1975 when Neil Batt, then Deputy Premier, arranged for the gifting of the building to community groups. 

Contact the office to find out more

'A Fairer World' - volunteers needed

Have you visited our website recently?  As a means of delivering on our aims it has exceeded our expectations and continues to grow at a rapid pace. The Events Diary has become a valuable community resource for local social justice events. Our original plans did not take into account the value of being able to showcase student activities but, having become apparent, it's an aspect we're keen to pursue. The new youth section - designed by and with content contributions from Clarence High students - is being prepared ready for the new school year. We have plenty of material and ideas, just not enough human resources to do it all! So if you have web skills (or an aptitude and willingness to learn) and some free time please contact us - we think it's a valuable way of making a contribution.

Visit the website or contact the office about volunteering

A round-up of other projects and events

Stand Up Against Poverty: More than 3,000 Tasmanians, most of them school children, were part of the 23.5 million world-wide who stood up on October 17.  A Guinness spokesperson called it "the largest single-coordinated movement of people" in the history of Guinness World Records.  A fantastic effort,  let's harness that youthful passion in 2007 and continue the fight to eradicate extreme poverty by 2015. Join the Make Poverty History campaign or the Tasmanian Anti-Poverty Coalition - both are open to organisations and individuals of any age. The MPH website includes school materials.

Visit the Make Poverty History website or contact us to join the local Anti-Poverty Coalition

Treasure Hunt - Anti-Poverty Week: Congratulations to St Michael's Collegiate and Clarence High students who participated in this event around the Hobart CBD to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Linley Grant of the Anti-Poverty Coalition designed a challenging course based around the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) that had the students on the run and helped them learn about these important obligations.
 
Visit the UN Eradication of Poverty site or the UN MDG site
Citizen of Humanity: 150 Cosgrove High grade 7/8 students have particiapted in all or part of this program, designed to raise awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The school incorporated the lessons in their supportive school program which ensures a welcoming environment for students from diverse cultures. The lessons have also been popular with home-schoolers - see some work samples from Paula on our website.

Visit the Citizen of Humanity web page

UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: "Education for sustainability requires approaches to teaching and learning that enhance knowledge and understanding, promote ethical and critical reasoning, and motivate and equip young people to participate in community affairs." So says John Fien, Professor of Sustainability at RMIT University in Volume 18 of Geographical Education. This issue, which is available in the Global Learning Resource Library, focuses on this important UN Decade with articles on various aspects of sustainability as it relates to education.

Read more on our DESD webpage or visit our library

Human Rights Week: Again Tasmania was the only state to plan a whole week of events around HR Day on December 5. They included a landmines BBQ, forums on discrimination, HR law and seniors, a play about disability, the annual Amnesty HR March, and presentation of the Tasmanian HR awards. Congratualtions to the award winners: Ros Lewis (Oxfam Australia);  Robert Rands (MiVAC); Aunty Eva Richardson; and the Glenorchy Reconciliation Group.

More on Human Rights and the National awards

A Charter of Rights for Tasmanians

The Tasmanian Government has asked the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute (TLRI) to investigate how human rights are currently protected in Tasmania and, whether the protection of human rights can be enhanced in any way. Responses are invited to the TLRI paper A Charter of Rights for Tasmania?  Late submissions are still being accepted and there is a Quick Response form available on their website. Australia is the only western democracy without formal protection of rights - to ensure that we get a charter in Tasmania it's essential that lots of people respond - it need only be a few words.  For more information email Terese, Ph 62262069, Fax 62267623.

Visit the Tas Law Reform website to read the paper and respond

Tasmanians cycle for change!

What is it about Tasmanians that inspires them to make a difference by pedal power?  There are currently 3 projects that we know about underway. Support these wonderful Tasmanians in their efforts:

Cycle for Sustainability: Devonport doctor, Nick Towle, and friends finished their trip in Hobart on Saturday December 16.

Visit the Cycle for Sustainability website or read Nick's story on A Fairer World

Pedal 4 Poverty: Caroline Wootton, from Turners Beach, is planning to cycle around South America to raise awareness of poverty.

For more information email  Caroline

Overland07: Bridgette Watts and Peter Booth plan to ride from the UK back to Tas to raise money for Oxfam.

For more information visit their website, Overland07, or email Bridgette


Help us - donate, become a member or volunteer

We can only continue our work in educating for a fairer world with your support. If you like what we do please consider becoming a volunteer, a member or making a donation. 

Go to our membership page to download a membership form

For more information on any of these items contact:Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning, 4 Battery Square, Battery Point, Tas, 7004
ph 03 6223 1025, email admin@afairerworld.org, web www.afairerworld.org