Sorry Day this year is on the Monday the 26th of May with Reconciliation Week to follow from the 27th of May to the 3rd of June.
This year’s theme is Reconciliation: it’s all our story. So much has happened involving Indigenous Australia in the past year including the NT Intervention, apology to the Stolen Generations and recently the news that the native title process is to be reviewed. Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week provide a chance for us to reflect on both the positive and negative aspects of the last year and to plan for the next steps in the journey towards an equal and reconciled Australia.

For events happening over the next week go to the Reconciliation Victoria wesbite at www.reconciliationvic.org.au

Join Melbourne’s Burmese community for a commemoration ceremony for the victim’s of Cyclone Nargis in Burma.

Saturday the 17th of May 4-6pm

174 Collins St

Baptist Church Melbourne

The Justice & International Mission Unit was the only Christian group to make a submission to ‘The Impact of Voluntary Student Unionism on Services, Amenities and Representation for Australian University Students’ inquiry.

The discussion paper can be found here

The submission briefly outlines the history of Christian involvement in higher education and questions the wisdom of cutting funding to services for needy students.

Other submissions can be found here

“One group said they were paid $2.50 for a detailed shirt which took one hour to sew. Another group said they were paid between $2 and $3 an hour. When asked about hours worked, most indicated that they often went weeks without a job but when the work was available they worked long hours.”

– Ethical Threads, report by Brotherhood of St Laurence (2007) on Australian Homeworkers

Full article here 

31 May at Bar 303

Rec Vic launches a new Youth Network with this gig at 303 from 2pm. Featuring Tjimba and the Yung Warriors, Brolga Boys and more.

Contact Matt Bell for more info on 9662 1645, matt.bell@reconciliationvic.org.au.

8, 15, 22, 29 May

Join Friends of The Earth and the Yorta Yorta people for fundraisers to protect the world’s biggest red gum forest from logging and create Victoria’s first Aboriginal Owned National Park. Every Thursday in May at the Edinburgh Castle, Brunswick  from 8.30pm. Lou Bennett and the Sweetcheeks; hip hop MC Joelistics from TZU; award-winning folk band Milk and Gyspsy stars Chalga Party.

For full line-up and details check-out www.melbourne.foe.org.au/events/index.htm

Fairtrade fortnight is firing up this weekend!

If you have some time free and would like to help out the Fairtrade cause, volunteers are needed on Tuesday the 6th of May (Melbourne Central 8am-12pm) and Friday the 9th of May (Federation Square anytime from 10am to 9pm).

Call Nancy Nunez from Australian Volunteers International on 0422 508 976 or email her at nnunez@australianvolunteers.com

‘Racism has recently been recognised in a number of key reports as a threat to public health in Australia. A range of health problems including high blood pressure and heart disease, depression, anxiety, low birth rate and premature birth can all be caused directly by people’s personal experiences of racism.’ ANTaR

Check out ANTaR’s Racism Makes Me Sick campaign at www.antar.org.au/racism

JustFocus, is posted on the Justice & International Mission (JIM) website. April 2008 materials can be downloaded from: http://victas.uca.org.au/main.php?id=220311

In the April edition:

Events

• JIM Convention

Letter Writing Actions

• Church’s Concern over Anti-Terrorism laws in the Philippines
• Australia trying to weaken new treaty on cluster munitions
• Micah Challenge Action of Overseas Aid
• Taking Care of Business – The Victorian Government & the Gambling Industry

Get Involved

• Anti Death Poverty Petition
• Prayer Sheet for Human rights in the Philippines
• Consultation Sheet for 2008 Synod recommendations

Please send any replies to any letters you write from the letter-writing actions back to us. It is very useful to get such feedback.

Thanks for your on-going support.