Michael Fay - Islam in Australia : looking around corners

Hosted by: AIIA NSW

The event will start on: Tuesday, 19 October 2010 6:00 PM

And will end on: Tuesday, 19 October 2010 7:30 PM

At The Glover Cottages, Sydney

124 Kent Street , Sydney NSW

02 9247 8504     nsw.branch@aiia.asn.au

Posted by: nsw   

Australian history had two significant contributions from Islamic societies and cultures and both were related to trading initiatives and have had positive influences that have continued until today. The first came in the 17th Century with the trade between Muslim Makassans from South West Sulawesi in Eastern Indonesia and aboriginal communities dotted along the coast of north and north west Australia. The trade was banned by the Australian government at the beginning of the 20th century. The second encounter with Islam was promoted by Elders trading company in South Australia in the mid 19th century, who engaged Muslim cameleers from the north west provinces of the then British India to bring their "ships of the desert" to Australia to help establish communication with the arid interior of this continent. Their legacy lives on in the "Ghan", the Adelaide to Darwin train line.

Today Australia has a vibrant Islamic community that is predicted to number 1 million by 2020. Islamic schools are growing rapidly in all Australian capital cities.

In Indonesia Australia is currently engaged in an ambitious multimillion dollar 'soft diplomacy' school building program. Included in the project is a school linkup between Australian and Indonesian students and teachers.

Our own Islamic history is a story yet to find its way into our history books.

Michael Fay

Michael (michael.fay@afgventuregroup.com) is a consultant, writer and commentator on international education and media. He is a director and also heads the educational services division at AFG Venture group (AFG V), a corporate and strategic advisory company based in Sydney. AFG V specialises in the ASEAN region and India where the group have a network of offices. He was principal author on the 2010 focus publication “Australian education–passport to a global career”.

Michael was the co-founder and managing director of InSearch language centre at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) from 1987-1999.

Michael is an honorary fellow of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), has been a board member of the national English language training accreditation scheme (NEAS) and provides strategic advisory to a number of education and related organisations including Australia Network television, the International Award for young people and a range of Australian educational institutions.