Nearly 150 people partied at The Hughenden for this grand celebration of 3 years of passion, committment and idealism to bring FEAR FACTOR: TERROR INCOGNITO to Australia at last.
This important anthology driven by Indian Professor Meenakshi Bharat and Australian academic Sharon Rundle, has connected Australia and the world through the commonality of us all when faced with terrorism. They sought to open discourse on terrorism as a pathway to peace.
Highlights:-
Melina Marchetta’s speech launching Fear Factor: Terror Incognito
David Malouf generously signing and relating to fans
Andrew Kwong’s story of escaping as a boy from the Chinese Cultural Revolution
Rosie Scott’s passion for social justice
Support from so many divergent groups
-including writing groups, teachers, authors, the media – from ABC radio to 2UE
Sharon Rundle summarised the feelings - ‘It was a magical event’
Susanne Gervay and Jennie Orchard with Room to Read
The Edmund Rice Centre brought forward the brilliant initiative of an event about the power of story to engage young people in social justice. The auditorium was full, the stands representing Fair Trading, the Pacific Islands and Room to Read bringing literacy to the children of the developing world were there.
The speakers were passionate, committed and had the audience moved and ready to act for eco justice and human rights.
Melina Marchetta, Nadia Wheatley, Maria Boyd, Libby Hathorn, Libby Gleeson advocated for human rights through their stories.
Lynette Riley a Wiradjuri & Kamilaroi woman, Deputy Director of the Koori Centre, was especially powerful in her advocacy for the indigenous. Robin Morrow spoke about the power of literature to enrich and inform.
Mark Raue is working to save the Pacific Islands from drowning with climate change , a founding member of the Pacific Calling Partnership sang for social justice and ecology. I loved his songs.
Mark Raue
I spoke about my emotional experience talking about ‘Butterflies’ at the World Burn Congress in New York. The audience responded with tears and a commitment to engagement with those who face the challange of disability.
It was wonderful. All wonderful
Susanne Gervay's Butterflies
Melina Marchetta, Libby Hathorn, Maria Boyd authors supporting Room to Read
Jennie Orchard the head of Room to Read Australia impressed the authors at The Hughenden, with the extraordinary work of Room to Read, bringing literacy to developing nations - from Nepal to India to Vietnam and now Africa.
Room to Read has:- built over 750 schools; created over 7000 bilingual librarues; donated over 5 million books; 320 local language titles; provided scilarships to over 7000 girls and brought books to over 3 million children.
Pam Cook organiser of Students Helping Students program and ambassador for Room to read author Markus Zusak
- Jennie Orchard and author James Knight
