A City Wide Celebration

Chinese language students with red lanterns ahead of the Chinese Moon Festival next week. (Image: Claudia Baxter)

IPSWICH'S Chinese community hopes to get the rest of the city involved in its first annual Moon Festival, to be held on September 21.

The Moon Festival is a traditional family celebration in the Chinese community, but one that has not been enjoyed in Ipswich until members of the Australian Culture Link Association's Alpha Chinese School got the ball rolling.

ACCLA president Windy Wu said the event aimed to promote the exchange of cultures, crafts, knowledge and ideas between ordinary people.

"In Chinese culture and tradition, Moon Festival is a day for family to be together and have fun," Ms Wu said.

"To the Chinese the full moon represents the whole family siting at the round table and there are many legends and stories associated with Moon Festival."

The event, to be staged at Ipswich Central State School Hall, will feature Chinese music, drama, singing, dancing and other cultural performances.

Members of the public will be able to enjoy the activities for free.

Ms Wu said the Australia China Culture Link Association was a non-profit organisation promoting cultural exchange between China and Australia through language lessons in both countries.

Alpha Chinese School is part of ACCLA and it has been providing local community classes of Chinese language and culture.

"This is the first time that the Chinese Moon Festival will be accessible to Ipswich, and we have created this event as an opportunity for all cultures to come together," Ms Wu said.

FAST FACTS

When: September 21 from 10am-noon

Where: Ipswich Central State School Hall, 2A Griffith Rd, Ipswich

Welcome to Ipswich - Where Buddhism is Big

HELPING HANDS: Julia Wu (front), the principal of Tzu Chi Foundation Australia based at the Gold Coast, and other members of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation donate books to Metro Hotel Ipswich International and library services in Ipswich

THE caring ties that bind Ipswich and the Tzu Chi Foundation have been strengthened with an agreement between the city council and the Buddhist group. 

The Tzu Chi Foundation, which live by the creed that it is more of a blessing to serve others than be served, unexpectedly flew into Ipswich after the 2011 floods and has continued to help, regularly giving out care packages. 

After the floods, the group known as Blue Angels due to their distinctive outfits gave $500, blankets and other supplies to 2000 families. 
Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale, who has developed a close relationship with Tzu Chi, is delighted with the agreement signed on Monday. 

"The founder of the organisation has over 10 million followers and this is the first agreement of its kind in the world," the Mayor said. 

"This is not a business agreement. It is an agreement based on care and compassion between a great city and a great organisation." 

Now, in a world-first, guests at the Metro Hotel International in Ipswich will be able to learn more about the Tzu Chi Foundation. 

Cr Pisasale and Ted Matthews from the Metro Hotel International yesterday accepted a special presentation from the Buddhist compassion relief organisation. 
Copies of a book on Jing Si Aphorisms will be in each of the hotel's 97 rooms and copies were also given to the city's library service. 

Cr Pisasale said the donation was yet another wonderful gift to the city by the foundation. 
"We are pleased to be able to accept these books which will provide the hotel's guests and Ipswich library patrons with the chance to learn more about the basics of the foundation," he said. 
"This book is in four different languages - English, Japanese, Italian and Chinese - and this hotel will be the first in the world to get it." 

In the book, Dharma Master Cheng Yen has translated the essence of the Buddha's teachings to exemplify life lessons. 

Cr Pisasale said the council looked forward to working closely with the Tzu Chi Foundation. 
"The foundation believes compassion is not only expressed through words but is to be realised through service to humanity," he said. 

"With integrity, compassion, joy and courage we will embrace a bright and promising future together. 
"People think that because Tzu Chi is a Buddhist organisation that they're there to sell Buddhism; they're not. 
"But part of their religion is care and compassion for the community." 

Buddhism Basics 

• Buddhism is a religion that encompasses beliefs and practices based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, meaning "the awakened one".
• The Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of India some time between the sixth and fourth centuries BC.
• He is recognised by Buddhists as an enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering and attain the sublime state of nirvana.

Sydney's Festival of the Winds 2013

Sydney's most colourful spring festival

Sydney's beloved kite flying festival, the Festival of the Winds, returns on Sunday 8th September 2013. 

Throughout the day there will be heaps of activities and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Art displays, flying displays, a full day multicultural entertainment program, roving performers, circus clowns, a real butterfly house, children's rides and inflatables, puppet shows, kite making workshops, food stalls and much more.

One of the largest kite flying festivals in Australia, the Festival of the Winds attracts both local and international kite-makers, flyers and enthusiasts. International guests this year include flyers Karl Longbottom from England, Peter Clark, Craig Hansen and Debby Hansen from New Zealand and Liu Zhiping from Weifang, China. 

There will be fabulous delta, free form and fighter kites from the Australian Kite Flyer Society members who will be showcasing their own designs, huge hand-made character kites as well as kite designs from India, Malaysia, China and Japan.

2012 Festival of the Wind

All festival-goers are invited to fly their own kites alongside the experts; bring along your own kite, purchase one from the kite stalls in park or make your own kite by participating in one of the kite making workshops!

Accompanying the interactive kite activities is an all-day multicultural entertainment program with great music, dance and kid's shows MCed by Sydney's one and only, hilarious comic juggling percussionist; Joel Salom and his sidekick Eric the Dog!

Event highlights include;

• Yellomundee Family Band: a young Indigenous act performing both traditional and contemporary song and dance.
• Sankha Ridma Dance Ensemble: a Sri Lankan group, with dazzling costumes, rhythmic dance moves and phenomenal drumming.
• The Real Mexico: virtuoso Victor Valdes and his Mariachi group perform traditional Mexican music and dance.
• Strings on Fire: an experience like no other, consisting of tango, violins, circus tricks, music and fire stunts!
• Bukhu: Mongolian musician Bukhu will delight you with his unique throat singing and horse-head fiddle.
• Sydney Cook Island Dance Group: expect exuberant and vibrant hip swinging, arm swaying and log drumming.
• Free dance workshops for all to enjoy, including capoeira, zumba, dance fusion, tango and belly dancing.
• Kite Making workshops for all ages, as well as kite stalls.