Thousands mark 70th year of TC emigration to Australia
A long way from home . . . A sign shows just how far, during a festival in Melbourne marking 70 years of Turkish Cypriot emigration to Australia. The event saw colourful displays and costumes and a VIP guest list included local MP Tim Watts, pictured left. Full story and more photos, page 15
MORE than 10,000 people turned out for a festival in Melbourne marking 70 years of Turkish Cypriot emigration to Australia.
Crowds were treated to colourful entertainment including folk dancing, music and an Ottoman band, as well as carnival rides and nearly 50 stalls selling Turkish and Turkish Cypriot handicrafts and traditional foods.
Organised by a committee headed by Serkan Hussein and Janev Aziz, the Cyprus Turkish Festival — under the slogan, “The journey from one island to another” — was held beside the mosque in the district of Sunshine, and backed by 10 civil organisations.
MC Ahmet Ali provided an overview of the community’s 70year history to festival guests who included a representative of the indigenous group of Brimbank, the district that includes Sunshine, and several Australian politicians.
The latter included Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister Alan Tudge; local federal MP Tim Watts; Victoria Legislative Assembly minister Marlene Kairouz and member Natalie Süleyman; Brimbank Deputy Mayor Daniel Allan, and Helen Kapalos, head of the state’s Multicultural Commission.
Turkish Ambassador in Canberra Vakur Gökdenizler, Turkish Consul-General Mehmet Küçüksakallı and TRNC Representative Hasan Sayar were also present.
Organising committee secretary Mr Hussein, Australian representative on the Association of Turkish Cypriots Abroad (Atca), told Cyprus Today: “It was a fantastic event and turnout, breaking all records . . . for the Turkish Cypriot community here.
“It was amazing to see Australian politicians stand in front of the TRNC flag and give their addresses praising our community and its economic and social contributions to the diverse society of Australia.”
Committee adviser Hakkı Süleyman said it had “created a new synergy for the Turkish Cypriots in Australia”.
Kubilay Aşık, a singer from İskele who travelled Down Under for the event, said it had been a display of “love, hospitality and Turkish Cypriot solidarity . . . a real spirit of the 1960s”.