Simply Human Unsung Heroes Launch

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WE have seen superheroes in capes or iron suits, we have watched them fight evil, and we have seen them fly like birds as fast as a plane or run with incredible speed on the road. We have watched them save the day. These are among the most iconic acts of every popular superhero we have seen onscreen. Lately we have seen how Deadpool was able to find his purpose after a terrible accident. We have seen how Batman was able to overcome his hatred over Superman. We have also seen how Captain America and Iron Man broke their friendship and fought against each other. Yet, we could watch every movie about them and cannot help but notice the similarity they share.

Every superhero movie, regardless how well executed, will stay fictitious. All these superheroes when they shed their costumes and props behind the camera, come out as Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Wade Washes, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Evans and Robert Downy Jr. They play their act well and get adored by the fans.

While superhero films stay in the realm of fiction, we can’t stop believing in the superheroes we have in our reality. Who may these persons be? Are they wearing capes? Do they crawl on walls? Do they fly above skyscrapers in highly mechanized iron suits? As far as these ideas kindle imagination, we’d like to believe that superheroes exist in our daily lives. If we don’t recognize them, perhaps we must learn to look closely to discover that they are just in our midst.

Real life superheroes don’t have to wear capes. Instead, they wear stethoscopes in hospitals, suits in courts, and bulletproof vests on the field. They may not be filthy rich, but they do earn a living by teaching in schools and lending books in a library. They may not carry armours but they may carry sacks of rice after a day’s fruitage to transport them to a local market so that the people in the community can get something to eat. They may be the ones who prefer to wear aprons instead while cooking the favourite dish of their sons and daughters.

Nurses, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, firemen, farmers, teachers, mothers, fathers, policemen, engineers, journalists, thespians, writers and many others are among the real life superheroes which we should be grateful to have in this world. These are among the countless professions that are practised by competent and brave individuals who actually make our world a better place to live in.

On Saturday, 4th November 2017, it was the official launch and fundraising dinner of “Simply Human Inc. – SuperHeroes without Capes”. The event was in support with Schoolgoers and recognised a few such real life superheroes.

The event kicked off with paying homage to the traditional owners of the land by the Founder & President of Simply Human Inc – Ms Prerna Pahwa. Prerna then introduced  & announced the team members of Simply Human Inc to the public – Ms Harprit Kaur (Secretary), Mr Anjaneya Reddy Basupalli (Treasurer), Ms Kritika Bansal (Joint Secretary), Mr Deepak Bhandari (PRO), Mrs Samika Bhandari (Women Welfare Advisor), Mr Allan John (Head of Digital Marketing & Communications), Ms Hansha Pahwa (Campaign & Strategy Advisor), Mr Ash Nugent (Mentor & Advisor), Mr Ujwal Poudel (Youth Brand Ambassador), Mr Romit Shah (Brand Ambassador), Mr Ash Raina (Brand Ambassador), Mrs Alpana Shah (Brand Ambassador), Ms Hridaya Buddhavarapu (Brand Ambassador), Mr Bipin Karki (Youth Representative Nepalese Community), Ms Khushboo Malhotra (Student Counsellor), Ms Jessica Saranah (Student Counsellor).

Raffle prizes were donated by Mr Duncan Pegg – MP for Stretton, Cr  Charles Strunk – Forrest Lake Ward, Cr Kim Marx – Runcorn Ward and Dundee Kim – Director of Dundee Kim Boxing & Fitness.  Special gift hamper was donated by Cr Charles Strunk, to the youngest cancer fighter Anmol – who is a 5 year old battling against lymphoma cancer.

There were inspirational speakers, the event came together beautifully and as expected a wonderful display of human kindness and selfless contributions. Nonetheless, it was also mentioned that the event would not have been possible without the generosity of Skills Institute Australia, InTech Institute of Technology, Expert Education & Visa Services Brisbane, ASC Services, Galaxy Impex Group, Mars Hybrid TV, Expert Telechoice, The Royal Punjab Restaurant, Swades Foods, Oceania Immigration Advisory, Brisbane Indian Times, Australian Indian Radio, Knowledge Partner Professionals, Mr. Parnam Singh Heir and audiences who turned up in huge numbers.

The night was to celebrate unsung heroes and we had the opportunity to hear from the most inspiring ‘Unsung Heroes’ of our community. They graced the occasion by sharing a few words with us. Simply Human Inc., as an organisation took the opportunity to felicitate these gems on the night. We had Keynote speakers from different walks of life who have fought their own battles, overcame their weaknesses with sheer determination and courage, and are now making this side of our world a better place to live.

• Belinda Adams, an advocate for those affected by brain injury and volunteers for Synpase (formerly Brain Injury Association of QLD), a not for profit, providing vital information and services for those affected by brain injury. In 2014 in recognition of her work Synapse made Belinda an official ambassador for the cause.
• Christine Mudavanhu, an entrepreneur, advocate, public speaker and mentor. She is the founder of “Pick Up Australia”, a premium, supported transport service for people with disability. She has designed and delivered policy and program responses that support key human services areas of homelessness, domestic and family violence, procurement of social services and the reduction of red tape for social services.
• Eleni Seitis, has set up the organisation “Oasis Children and Community Foundation. She works towards helping and provide therapy to children with special needs.  She is a true inspiration to the community who herself despite being born 90% legally blind is working towards helping others.
• Janelle Miles, a long term reporter/journalist in the Queensland community, she has worked at the Courier Mail for 11 years mostly reporting on science, sports and health. She also writes news stories and has won series of awards for her reporting.
• Sergeant Jim Bellows, the recipient of both the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and the Australian Police Medal for ‘Services to Multicultural Communities’. He has also been recognised at the “Queensland of the Year” awards twice. He has consistently demonstrated his capability to build opportunities and celebrates diversity, not just as a police officer but more broadly as an Ambassador of the Queensland Government.
• Dundee Kim, director of Dundee Kim Boxing & fitness, and strengthening & conditioning coach of the world boxing champion Jeff Horn. He also trains autistic kids to help them gain focus and strength.

All these Superheroes without capes were the keynote speakers for the evening and were honoured with ‘Unsung Hero Award 2017’ by Simply Human Inc. They shared their inspirational and heart touching life stories; which left the audiences teary eyed.

The honourable guests and community leaders studded the evening with their humble presence and generous contribution.

We also had the Directors of Schoolgoers, Ash Nugent and Daksha on the night, who have founded the charity “Schoolgoers” aiming at providing education to the most unprivileged and remote regions in India. The fundraising event was to support Schoolgoers. Ash, the Founder & Director of Schoolgoers along with Daksha gave a brief overview of their mission on the night.

The evening was decorated by “Dream Style Decorators” who did complete justice to the venue. The event was voluntarily hosted by Himmy Kumar and he truly kept all the audience glued to their seats with his great sense of humour and built the moment for every performer and speech on the night. Another display of community support was with the wonderful performers we had on the night like the Brisbane’s famous Belly dancer, Nerrisa; Mr Gurdeep Singh Nijjar’s crew of Punjabi Folk & Bhangra dance – ‘Sher-e-Punjab’; kids who stunned the crowd with Jazz and contemporary dancing from ‘Seriously Dance’ dance school, Kids who performed on Bollywood tunes from ‘Let’s Bollywood’ dance school and above all, our very own & loved Lee Herron, who made everyone awestruck with his beautiful voice of Elvis Presley.

Food as usual was an integral part of the event and a mouth-watering three course delicious Indian dinner was provided by our official caterer and food sponsor, Curry Box (Camp Hill). Couple of entrees and dessert items were sponsored by Mahendra Indian Restaurant (Acacia Ridge). Everyone had a happy belly after the yummy Indian curries and desserts.

The event overall ended with good vibes, inspiring words and memorable night. The official launch of ‘Simply Human Inc. – Superheroes Without Capes’ and fundraising event in support of ‘Schoolgoers’ was a huge success.

Simply Human Inc’s team members believe that there is a superhero inside everyone, you just need to recognise your super powers and help anyone in need. Simply Human Inc’s aim is to not focus on numbers, we believe in taking one step at a time, helping one person at a time, the pure intention is to just make a difference. The team of Simply Human Inc; the league of superheroes without capes is ready to provide continued support to cancer/leukaemia fighters & be the guiding light of the youth and international students.

To know more, be a part of the change and join the league, contact Simply Human team at www.SimplyHuman.org.au, who always look forward for like-minded people to be a part of their journey.

Life’s difficulties are opportunities to be a super hero; Embrace your inner Superhero and stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone.

Cricket is helping this team of Srilankan asylum seekers forget the bruises of war and develop a strong sense of community in Brisbane Region.

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A shared love of cricket is helping a team of Sri Lankan asylum seekers break down barriers and build relationships in Australia, even among some of the most fervent supporters of the country’s hard-line immigration policies.

This Brisbane based team named ‘Brisbane Cool Boys’ consisting of asylum seekers from Srilanka. The team has got everyone’s attention with their recent victory at the Last Mans Stand (LMS) tournament. They are placed No.1 in Brisbane, No. 4 in Australia and 14^th worldwide. Sure, their performance has turned heads and support from the local cricket community.
Dinesh, the Captain of the team, frequently refers the team to be from ‘Tamil Eelam’ and aims to develop this team further. His goal is to build this team Tamil Eelam National Team and brand to get it affiliated with various international cricket organizations like LMS.

The term, with ‘Eelam’ meaning ‘Home’ in Tamil language, is largely associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The LTTE, commonly known as the Tamil Tigers, were fighting for an independent state from 1983, and were finally defeated in 2009. According to UN reports, the then current Sri Lankan Government was purposefully targeting civilians, humanitarian aid objects and critics of the Government both within and outside the conflict zone. About 100,000 people are believed to have lost their lives in the conflict.

Though numbers of civilian casualties remain disputed, with figures ranging from 9,000 to 40,000 put forwards by the Sri Lankan Government and the UN respectively. However, evidence reveals that the abuse of Tamils by Sri Lankan authorities did not end with the war and continues today. U.N. rights watchdog called on Sri Lanka on Wednesday to investigate “routine torture” of detainees by security forces and rebuked its government for failing to prosecute war crimes committed during the country’s 26-year civil war. United Nations Committee against Torture cited continuing reports of abductions of people disappearing into “white vans”, deaths in custody, poor conditions of detention and the use of forced confessions in court for anyone the government feels might have links with the vanquished separatist movement.

Dinesh says that cricket seems to be the medicine for the wounds of war. He says that when their team sets foot on the ground, they get the sense of community and tend to forget what happened back in Srilanka.

Though they are far away from the war-ravaged country, Cricket seems to the only hope for them to help forget the scars of war.

Eighteenth of November will go down in history as a proud day for Indian Community, it was on this day that the Unveiling and Dedication of War memorial to Australians of Indian Heritage took place. The monument sits next to the memorial to Australians of Chinese Heritage at Sunnybank Sub Branch RSL, Gager Street, Sunnybank.

War Memorial to Australians of Indian Heritage unveiled

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VIP guests included, Major General Paul McLachlan, AM, CSC the High Commissioner for India, His Excellency, Dr A.M. Gondane, the High Commissioner for Fiji, His Excellency, Mr Yogesh Punja, the Federal Member for Bonner Mr Ross Vasta MP, representing the Federal Government, Members of the State Parliament and Brisbane City Councillors.

Mr Surendra Prasad OAM chairperson of AIHWMC said that the idea came about from a newspaper article that stated the contribution of Australians of Indian Heritage involved in World War that had gone unrecognised.  In 2015 a committee named the Australians of Indian Heritage War Memorial Committee (AIHWMC) was formed and they have been meeting at least once a month to plan the building of this monument.

Mr Prasad said “The estimated cost to build our monument was in excess of $30,000 and we raised funds through various sources. An amount of $15,000 was raised from the first fundraising dinner on 28th May 2016. After lobbying with the Federal Government and with the help of Mr Nick Monsour and Mr Ross Vasta MP Federal Member for Bonner, a financial commitment of $30,000 was obtained from the Federal Government.  We sincerely thank the Government for their kind contribution in terms of funding towards the memorial and we thank Mr Nic Monsour for his efforts in obtaining this grant.”

Griffith University, Gold Coast, was requested to design the memorial. Dr Ruwan Fernando from the Griffith University School of Architecture was directly involved in the creation of the memorial. He ran a class as a four-week project with the first year students. A group of 90 students participated in the preliminary design competition. The focus for their mode of design was a model building and three-dimensional design. The students were encouraged to research cultural aspects, including art and customs and incorporate this into their interpretation of a memorial.  Eleven were selected as finalists to develop the design further. A panel of five judges was appointed to evaluate the design entries. At a gala dinner on 12, November, 2016, the winning design of Bianca Archer was announced.

Mr Prasad thanked RSL Sunnybank President, Hugh Polson, Vice President, Harry Claassen, the committee and Sub-branch members for their kind support.  And he acknowledged Capt Chetan Chandegave, Defence adviser to Australia – Indian High Commission for his support.

In conclusion Mr. Prasad said “In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that this monument will be the first step towards creating a shared public memorial. This monument will serve as a reminder and tribute to all Australians of Indian Heritage who served in our armed forces. It will be the first in Queensland and should be a place you can be proud to take your visitors and family to show them the contribution and sacrifices made in the wars. You all are part of this memorial and we need your continuing support.

After 100 years, this day will be remembered in Queensland’s history, as the day soldiers of Indian Heritage were finally acknowledged”.

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Australian Film Industry is an excellent platform that provides valuable opportunities for Independent film makers to successfully compete in a global marketplace. We have recently seen many great Australian Films of diverse genres successfully hitting the silver screen all around the world. Horror movies have always captivated the audience and have a huge fan base, of which psychological horror/thriller is one particular genre that is making the hottest trend, popular among movie goers.

One talented Independent Filmmaker from Australia, making his directorial debut is Ilanthirayan “Alan” Arumugam, coming up with his psychological horror-thriller film “AIYAI – A Wrathful Soul”. Alan has a long experience of working as an outdoor production coordinator in Bollywood and International film industries.  We had an opportunity to speak with Alan and he was happy to give us more insight about his upcoming film AIYAI and his production company YSA Screen Media.

YSA Screen Media is joining hands with Malaysian based Production Company Maraz Digital for this project. Executive Producer, Mr. Maraz is proudly introducing K. Karishma, a Malaysian Indian female artist to play a supporting role in this International English Film.

Talking about the Film, Director Alan explains, “This is the first time an International English film is getting a Tamil title.   ‘AIYAI’ is a Tamil word that describes homeless clans of people that lived in a parallel world to the normal population.  The word is similar to the more predominantly used English terms like Karma and Avatar, which originate from Sanskrit.  The story revolves around an Indian student living in Australia who becomes plagued by mysterious events.  He gets visions he is unable to explain and is soon lured into spiralling plot of a vengeful spirit.  Kabir Singh and Pennyanne Lace play the lead role in the film. The supporting roles will be played by proficient International Artists. Alan further explains that the film will be shot at various locations of Queensland, one of them being Australia’s biggest cemetery.

When asked what new he will bring in this genre, Alan confidently says “The difference in this film is its believable and captivating script that progresses in layers and carries the viewers along the character arc.  While watching the film the audience will feel as if they are one of the characters in the film and the events are happening around them as the story progresses.  I am happy to have a great and passionate team who are working hard to make this a great production.”

We asked when and where the movie will be released, Alan explains “We have already shot the pilot teaser to give a feel, mood and the look of the film. Currently we are in the pre-production phase. We are hoping to start shooting in early 2018 and finish the whole schedule within 40 days.  The film will be released in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada as well as rest of the world. We already have distributors on board with intent to release in Malaysia, Singapore and India. This movie will be a great experience for the Indian and Asian audience.”

On his strength and future plans, Alan explains that “We already have three exciting full-length English feature films under development phase and many more to come. Along with my supporting family, my biggest asset and strength is my team. We understand each other’s passion and are working very hard to make our collaborative dreams come true.  Australia is a diverse country and at YSA Screen media our mission is to produce films that will break regional boundaries. We would like to reach out to audiences across diverse, cultural backgrounds.”

You can follow the progress of AIYAI – A Wrathful Soul.

• IMDB:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt7209472/?ref_=nv_sr_8
• AIYAI Facebook : Facebook

Born: 22 April, 1924 – Born to Eternal Life: 9 November, 2017

Babu Ram Narain Singh was born in Nasinu, Fiji and died at Royal Brisbane Hospital 9 November 2017. He was cremated at Albany Creek Crematorium in Brisbane on 15 November, 2017.

Mr Singh was born into a family of 3 sisters and 3 brothers and he was the second youngest in the family. All his siblings are deceased – except his youngest brother, Dr Jag Narain Singh, a retired medical professional, who lives in Perth, WA. His parents, late Babu Khalak Dhari Singh and late Mrs Ram Kali Singh were both born in India and came to Fiji under the Indenture System (Girmit).

Mr Singh was charismatic person and a perfect gentleman who leaves behind a legacy of simpleness, hard-work, love and giving. We pray to the Almighty for his celestial Soul to Rest in Peace. He will always be remembered by his wife Mrs Nancy Singh along with all his children, grand-children and other families.

Mr Singh has been a pioneer of the Fiji Indian community settled in Brisbane, a highly respected and humble gentleman, a pillar of strength for the community, he will be surely missed but always remembered for his contributions to the community. How can one ever forget the ever smiling face?

No matter where you come from, the end of the year is a time for connecting and celebrating with family and friends, wherever they are.

Telstra is making it easier and more affordable to connect with loved ones overseas, with unlimited standard international calls and text from Australia now included on the Go Mobile Plus BYO $79 and above (min cost $948 for 12 months) and Go Mobile Plus $99 (min cost $2,376 for 24 months) and above plans. And, until 6 February 2018, on selected lower end plans.*

The move comes as Telstra sees international calls from mobiles continue to rise, with customers from other backgrounds making millions of calls overseas calls each month. Between July and October this year, 4.8 million calls were made to India.

Telstra Country Wide Area General Manager, Tricia Wilson, said the increase in international calls reflected how improved mobile networks allow customers to connect with family and friends overseas while on the go.

“Family bonds are not constrained by borders, and technology is playing a huge role in helping people stay in touch with loved ones spread across multiple continents.”

“Customers are no longer waiting to get home to make an international call, but reaching for the mobile to share news where and when it happens, so it’s important to have an easy and affordable way to stay in touch,” Ms Wilson said.

For a limited time, new and existing customers can make unlimited standard international calls and texts from Australia to selected overseas destinations at no extra cost on Telstra’s Go Mobile Plus and Go Mobile Plus BYO 24 month plans.

“Telstra’s Go Mobile Plus Plans include a generous data allowance to use on Australia’s largest and most reliable mobile network, in addition to a range of extras exclusively available to Telstra mobile customers,” Ms Wilson said.

Plans include standard calls and text from Australia to some of the most popular countries Australians call including India, China, Hong Kong, USA, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, in addition to:

• Accessing free Telstra Air® Wi-Fi data at over one million Telstra Air hotspots in Australia, and over 20 million Fon Spots overseas; and
• Data free music streaming of Apple Music.

To celebrate this limited offer, two Telstra branded payphones in Harris Park offered free standard calls to popular international calling destinations. Callers walked down the pink carpet to connect with family and friends in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and went into the running to win a Samsung Galaxy S8.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Only voice calls and text messages to standard international numbers in selected destinations, whilst in Australia, are eligible. No other usage types (e.g. MMS, video calls and all use overseas) are eligible. Not available to Business Customers.

Apple Music: Data-free on the Telstra Mobile Network. Excludes video streaming and non-music content. You will automatically roll onto a paid subscription when your trial ends unless you cancel earlier. Subscription charges apply. For use in Australia. Data-free on the Telstra Mobile Network. Compatible device required. Full offer terms at telstra.com/applemusic Apple is a trademark of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple Music is a trademark of Apple Inc. The spectrum device and ™ are trade marks and ® are registered trade marks of Telstra Corporation Limited ABN 33 051 775 556.

*This offer is only available in the following Telstra branded stores:

 Melbourne:  406 Collins Street, Queen Street, Elizabeth Street, Exhibitions Street, Melbourne Central, Melbourne Discovery, Point Cook, Werribee Plaza, Carlton, Epping, Doncaster, The Pines, Victoria Gardens, Camberwell, Box Hill, The Glen, Dandenong and Fountain Gate.

Sydney:  Elizabeth Street, George Street Nth, Market Street, World Square, Sydney Discovery, Chatswood, Chatswood Chase, Macquarie Centre, Burwood, Rhodes, Seven Hills, Blacktown, Parramatta, Winston Hills, Castle Towers, Rouse Hill, Merrylands, Wetherill Pare, Liverpool, Carnes Hill, Campsie, Bankstown and Hurstville.

 Brisbane: Sunnybank, Mt Gravatt and Australia Fair.

Adelaide: Gouger Street, Rundle Mall, City Cross and Arndale.

Perth: William Street

 ABOUT THE TELSTRA MOBILE NETWORK

The Telstra Mobile Network is the largest mobile network in Australia, covering more than 2.4 million square kilometres. The Telstra mobile network reaches 99.4% of the Australian population.

India and Wales will open the women’s hockey competition at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre on Thursday 5 April, with spectators set to witness some lively action following India’s incredible Asia Cup triumph – which gained them a top 10 place in the FIH World rankings.

While the Indian men’s team will be expected to advance out of Pool B with England, it won’t be a fait accompli by any means with Pakistan, Wales and Malaysia all improving and looking to cause a massive boil over.

“The Commonwealth Games is getting harder and harder to win, England are better, New Zealand and India are much better,” Australian captain Mark Knowles said.

The blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan could be one of the highlights of the Commonwealth Games.

“Pakistan v India is huge, hopefully we can get out and watch that game,” Knowles said.

“We went to watch them play in Dehli in 2010, that is one people should get out to watch, that is colour, that is flair, that is excitement. It is two sport mad nations going at each other. That will be very exciting.

“Then you add into that group England, they are an absolute power in hockey in both men and women’s.

“We would anticipate highly in a crossover semifinal, if we are where we want to be, that we would play either England or India for a place in the gold medal match.”

https://gc2018.culturalpulse.com.au/tickets/

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

for DAMAGING WINDS and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in Southeast Coast and parts of Wide Bay and Burnett and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.

Issued at 2:24 pm Wednesday, 3 January 2018.

Weather Situation:

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Gympie, Ipswich and Boonah.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

The next warning is due to be issued by 5:25 pm.

If severe thunderstorms develop in the Southeast Queensland area (east of Dalby from Rainbow Beach to Stanthorpe), a more detailed Severe Thunderstorm Warning will be issued to people in this area.

Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau’s website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 219. The Bureau and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.

Gandhi Salt March Limited (GSML) was established in 2016 to provide the governance vehicle specifically to deliver the Power of Peace Festival – A  Celebration of the Global Mahatma Gandhi and its associated events. Registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as not for profit organisation, GSML is partnership focused, engaging with government and private sector organisations, and various community groups to deliver a relevant and engaging festival and related events with long term benefits to the wider community, including developing a sense of belonging in the community and strengthening potential trade and business networks.”

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Badminton is one of the fastest racket sports in the world and at GC2018, the sport is set to entertain the crowds at Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre.
The Commonwealth’s best athletes will come head to head in a test of speed, agility and precision.
With the Badminton mixed teams draw announced today, here’s everything you need to know about the speedy sport, before the Games begins.

By Rama Gaind

Canberra is the best!

THE nation’s capital is the only Australian city to be featured in the top 10 of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018 publication.

Leading global travel authority Lonely Planet has announced Canberra as the third best city in the world to travel to in 2018.

It’s the highest ranking an Australian city has ever received (as well as the only Australian city to make the list this year), there’s never been a better time to visit.

Sitting at number three – after Seville, Spain and Detroit, USA – Australia’s national capital has been described as being ‘unfairly overlooked’.

According to Lonely Planet’s Chris Zeiher, Australia’s national capital has been “criminally overlooked”.

“Canberra packs a big punch for such a small city,” Chris said. “National treasures are found round almost every corner and exciting new boutique precincts have emerged, bulging with gastronomic highlights and cultural must-dos.”

“This is the first year that Canberra’s picturesque Manuka Oval will host an International Test cricket match, providing sporting fans the perfect excuse to visit Australia’s federal capital. Later in 2018 the Australian War Memorial will take centre stage as it hosts the 100th anniversary of the WWI Armistice.”

“Revitalised precincts such as NewActon and Braddon best illustrate Canberra’s new lease of life,” Chris said. “The deliciously decorated Hotel Hotel in NewActon is the epitome of new Canberra style, with materials such as reclaimed wood evoking the Australian landscape. NewActon is also home to A Baker, where the five-course ‘Just Feed Me’ and ‘Just Wine Me’ selections offer a perfect array of locally sourced produce and wine. Meanwhile, a brilliant blend of pop-up shops and lively cafes are sprinkled along Lonsdale Street in boutique Braddon.”

 Best in Travel 2018 is Lonely Planet’s 13th annual agenda-setting collection of the world’s hottest destinations, experiences and trends for the year ahead.

The best-selling inspirational travel yearbook highlights the top 10 cities, countries and regions that Lonely Planet’s experts recommend travellers should experience in 2018.

Top 10 cities in 2018 are:

1. Seville, Spain
2. Detroit, USA
3. Canberra
4. Hamburg, Gemany
5. Kaohsiung, Taiwan
6. Antwerp, Belgium
7. Matera, Italy
8. San Juan, Puerto Rico
9. Guanajuato, Mexico
10. Oslo, Norway

Canberra can now also be found on Lonely Planet’s Guides app – a trustworthy, free-of-charge travel companion that helps travellers find sights, cafes, shops and accommodation at the touch of a button.

…And there’s more

Australian destinations and attractions are also featured on five of the book’s other top lists for 2018, including:

• Best New Places to Stay
• 3) Thousand Lakes Lodge, Tasmania
• Best Culture Trips for Families
• 9) Brisbane, Australia
• Destination Races
• 10) Australian Outback Marathon, Northern Territory
• Top-Five Travel Trend: Exploratory Cruises
• The Kimberley, Western Australia
• Top-Five Travel Trend: Cross-Generational Travel
• Great Ocean Road, Victoria

So, if you’ve been to Canberra recently, thanks for helping to spread the word about everything there is to do in the nation’s capital. However, if it’s been a while between visits, then now is the time to start planning your trip. There is so much to do here … and you’ll leave with enduring memories!

Pravinita Singh-Pillay - 20 years completed as a Lawyer in Australia

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PRAVINITA Singh-Pillay completes twenty years of officially being a Lawyer in Australia.

Born in Fiji, she commenced her tertiary education in Law and Commerce in Australia in 1992. Since admission in 1997, Prav has worked for:

• The Director of Public Prosecutions in Brisbane;
• A general practice firm in regional Queensland;
• An Employment Law firm in California, USA;
• A boutique family law firm on the Gold Coast; and
• Since July 2014 in her own firm – Cornerstone Law Offices.

Prav is also a Nationally Accredited Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner.

• Prav’s experiences are in the areas of Family Law, Criminal Defence, Civil Litigation, Debt Recovery, Wills & Estates, Conveyancing, and Employment Law.
• At Cornerstone Law Offices, Prav’s practice extends to representing clients in all aspects of Family Law including property matters, de facto relationships, same sex-relationships, spousal maintenance, divorce, domestic violence matters, financial agreements (pre & post nuptial), children’s matters, relocation & recovery, paternity & child support.
• Prav’s legal services also extends to Wills, Powers of Attorney, Estate Administration, Conveyancing, and Debt Recovery.
• Prav has a keen interest in advocacy. Over the years, she has represented clients in numerous mentions, hearings and trials in the Family Court, Federal Magistrates Court, Federal Circuit Court, State Magistrates Court, and Children’s Court. She has represented clients and instructed Counsel in many bench and jury trials in the Superior Courts as well as in hearings in the Appeal Courts.
• In the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Prav represents clients herself at mentions, directions hearings, call overs, and uncomplicated interim hearings. Counsel is retained for complex matters and at trial.

She is from the first group of Griffith Uni law graduates with a double degree program which celebrated its twenty-fifth year.

Prav holds many professional memberships and is actively involved in a number of community organisations as her passion is to give back to the community. She is currently serving as the Secretary of GOPIO Queensland and hosts an information session on Australian Indian Radio – Let’s Talk Legal with Cornerstone Law Offices.

Simply Human Unsung Heroes Launch

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WE have seen superheroes in capes or iron suits, we have watched them fight evil, and we have seen them fly like birds as fast as a plane or run with incredible speed on the road. We have watched them save the day. These are among the most iconic acts of every popular superhero we have seen onscreen. Lately we have seen how Deadpool was able to find his purpose after a terrible accident. We have seen how Batman was able to overcome his hatred over Superman. We have also seen how Captain America and Iron Man broke their friendship and fought against each other. Yet, we could watch every movie about them and cannot help but notice the similarity they share.

Every superhero movie, regardless how well executed, will stay fictitious. All these superheroes when they shed their costumes and props behind the camera, come out as Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Wade Washes, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Evans and Robert Downy Jr. They play their act well and get adored by the fans.

While superhero films stay in the realm of fiction, we can’t stop believing in the superheroes we have in our reality. Who may these persons be? Are they wearing capes? Do they crawl on walls? Do they fly above skyscrapers in highly mechanized iron suits? As far as these ideas kindle imagination, we’d like to believe that superheroes exist in our daily lives. If we don’t recognize them, perhaps we must learn to look closely to discover that they are just in our midst.

Real life superheroes don’t have to wear capes. Instead, they wear stethoscopes in hospitals, suits in courts, and bulletproof vests on the field. They may not be filthy rich, but they do earn a living by teaching in schools and lending books in a library. They may not carry armours but they may carry sacks of rice after a day’s fruitage to transport them to a local market so that the people in the community can get something to eat. They may be the ones who prefer to wear aprons instead while cooking the favourite dish of their sons and daughters.

Nurses, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, firemen, farmers, teachers, mothers, fathers, policemen, engineers, journalists, thespians, writers and many others are among the real life superheroes which we should be grateful to have in this world. These are among the countless professions that are practised by competent and brave individuals who actually make our world a better place to live in.

On Saturday, 4th November 2017, it was the official launch and fundraising dinner of “Simply Human Inc. – SuperHeroes without Capes”. The event was in support with Schoolgoers and recognised a few such real life superheroes.

The event kicked off with paying homage to the traditional owners of the land by the Founder & President of Simply Human Inc – Ms Prerna Pahwa. Prerna then introduced  & announced the team members of Simply Human Inc to the public – Ms Harprit Kaur (Secretary), Mr Anjaneya Reddy Basupalli (Treasurer), Ms Kritika Bansal (Joint Secretary), Mr Deepak Bhandari (PRO), Mrs Samika Bhandari (Women Welfare Advisor), Mr Allan John (Head of Digital Marketing & Communications), Ms Hansha Pahwa (Campaign & Strategy Advisor), Mr Ash Nugent (Mentor & Advisor), Mr Ujwal Poudel (Youth Brand Ambassador), Mr Romit Shah (Brand Ambassador), Mr Ash Raina (Brand Ambassador), Mrs Alpana Shah (Brand Ambassador), Ms Hridaya Buddhavarapu (Brand Ambassador), Mr Bipin Karki (Youth Representative Nepalese Community), Ms Khushboo Malhotra (Student Counsellor), Ms Jessica Saranah (Student Counsellor).

Raffle prizes were donated by Mr Duncan Pegg – MP for Stretton, Cr  Charles Strunk – Forrest Lake Ward, Cr Kim Marx – Runcorn Ward and Dundee Kim – Director of Dundee Kim Boxing & Fitness.  Special gift hamper was donated by Cr Charles Strunk, to the youngest cancer fighter Anmol – who is a 5 year old battling against lymphoma cancer.

There were inspirational speakers, the event came together beautifully and as expected a wonderful display of human kindness and selfless contributions. Nonetheless, it was also mentioned that the event would not have been possible without the generosity of Skills Institute Australia, InTech Institute of Technology, Expert Education & Visa Services Brisbane, ASC Services, Galaxy Impex Group, Mars Hybrid TV, Expert Telechoice, The Royal Punjab Restaurant, Swades Foods, Oceania Immigration Advisory, Brisbane Indian Times, Australian Indian Radio, Knowledge Partner Professionals, Mr. Parnam Singh Heir and audiences who turned up in huge numbers.

The night was to celebrate unsung heroes and we had the opportunity to hear from the most inspiring ‘Unsung Heroes’ of our community. They graced the occasion by sharing a few words with us. Simply Human Inc., as an organisation took the opportunity to felicitate these gems on the night. We had Keynote speakers from different walks of life who have fought their own battles, overcame their weaknesses with sheer determination and courage, and are now making this side of our world a better place to live.

• Belinda Adams, an advocate for those affected by brain injury and volunteers for Synpase (formerly Brain Injury Association of QLD), a not for profit, providing vital information and services for those affected by brain injury. In 2014 in recognition of her work Synapse made Belinda an official ambassador for the cause.
• Christine Mudavanhu, an entrepreneur, advocate, public speaker and mentor. She is the founder of “Pick Up Australia”, a premium, supported transport service for people with disability. She has designed and delivered policy and program responses that support key human services areas of homelessness, domestic and family violence, procurement of social services and the reduction of red tape for social services.
• Eleni Seitis, has set up the organisation “Oasis Children and Community Foundation. She works towards helping and provide therapy to children with special needs.  She is a true inspiration to the community who herself despite being born 90% legally blind is working towards helping others.
• Janelle Miles, a long term reporter/journalist in the Queensland community, she has worked at the Courier Mail for 11 years mostly reporting on science, sports and health. She also writes news stories and has won series of awards for her reporting.
• Sergeant Jim Bellows, the recipient of both the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and the Australian Police Medal for ‘Services to Multicultural Communities’. He has also been recognised at the “Queensland of the Year” awards twice. He has consistently demonstrated his capability to build opportunities and celebrates diversity, not just as a police officer but more broadly as an Ambassador of the Queensland Government.
• Dundee Kim, director of Dundee Kim Boxing & fitness, and strengthening & conditioning coach of the world boxing champion Jeff Horn. He also trains autistic kids to help them gain focus and strength.

All these Superheroes without capes were the keynote speakers for the evening and were honoured with ‘Unsung Hero Award 2017’ by Simply Human Inc. They shared their inspirational and heart touching life stories; which left the audiences teary eyed.

The honourable guests and community leaders studded the evening with their humble presence and generous contribution.

We also had the Directors of Schoolgoers, Ash Nugent and Daksha on the night, who have founded the charity “Schoolgoers” aiming at providing education to the most unprivileged and remote regions in India. The fundraising event was to support Schoolgoers. Ash, the Founder & Director of Schoolgoers along with Daksha gave a brief overview of their mission on the night.

The evening was decorated by “Dream Style Decorators” who did complete justice to the venue. The event was voluntarily hosted by Himmy Kumar and he truly kept all the audience glued to their seats with his great sense of humour and built the moment for every performer and speech on the night. Another display of community support was with the wonderful performers we had on the night like the Brisbane’s famous Belly dancer, Nerrisa; Mr Gurdeep Singh Nijjar’s crew of Punjabi Folk & Bhangra dance – ‘Sher-e-Punjab’; kids who stunned the crowd with Jazz and contemporary dancing from ‘Seriously Dance’ dance school, Kids who performed on Bollywood tunes from ‘Let’s Bollywood’ dance school and above all, our very own & loved Lee Herron, who made everyone awestruck with his beautiful voice of Elvis Presley.

Food as usual was an integral part of the event and a mouth-watering three course delicious Indian dinner was provided by our official caterer and food sponsor, Curry Box (Camp Hill). Couple of entrees and dessert items were sponsored by Mahendra Indian Restaurant (Acacia Ridge). Everyone had a happy belly after the yummy Indian curries and desserts.

The event overall ended with good vibes, inspiring words and memorable night. The official launch of ‘Simply Human Inc. – Superheroes Without Capes’ and fundraising event in support of ‘Schoolgoers’ was a huge success.

Simply Human Inc’s team members believe that there is a superhero inside everyone, you just need to recognise your super powers and help anyone in need. Simply Human Inc’s aim is to not focus on numbers, we believe in taking one step at a time, helping one person at a time, the pure intention is to just make a difference. The team of Simply Human Inc; the league of superheroes without capes is ready to provide continued support to cancer/leukaemia fighters & be the guiding light of the youth and international students.

To know more, be a part of the change and join the league, contact Simply Human team at www.SimplyHuman.org.au, who always look forward for like-minded people to be a part of their journey.

Life’s difficulties are opportunities to be a super hero; Embrace your inner Superhero and stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone.

Cricket is helping this team of Srilankan asylum seekers forget the bruises of war and develop a strong sense of community in Brisbane Region.

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A shared love of cricket is helping a team of Sri Lankan asylum seekers break down barriers and build relationships in Australia, even among some of the most fervent supporters of the country’s hard-line immigration policies.

This Brisbane based team named ‘Brisbane Cool Boys’ consisting of asylum seekers from Srilanka. The team has got everyone’s attention with their recent victory at the Last Mans Stand (LMS) tournament. They are placed No.1 in Brisbane, No. 4 in Australia and 14^th worldwide. Sure, their performance has turned heads and support from the local cricket community.
Dinesh, the Captain of the team, frequently refers the team to be from ‘Tamil Eelam’ and aims to develop this team further. His goal is to build this team Tamil Eelam National Team and brand to get it affiliated with various international cricket organizations like LMS.

The term, with ‘Eelam’ meaning ‘Home’ in Tamil language, is largely associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The LTTE, commonly known as the Tamil Tigers, were fighting for an independent state from 1983, and were finally defeated in 2009. According to UN reports, the then current Sri Lankan Government was purposefully targeting civilians, humanitarian aid objects and critics of the Government both within and outside the conflict zone. About 100,000 people are believed to have lost their lives in the conflict.

Though numbers of civilian casualties remain disputed, with figures ranging from 9,000 to 40,000 put forwards by the Sri Lankan Government and the UN respectively. However, evidence reveals that the abuse of Tamils by Sri Lankan authorities did not end with the war and continues today. U.N. rights watchdog called on Sri Lanka on Wednesday to investigate “routine torture” of detainees by security forces and rebuked its government for failing to prosecute war crimes committed during the country’s 26-year civil war. United Nations Committee against Torture cited continuing reports of abductions of people disappearing into “white vans”, deaths in custody, poor conditions of detention and the use of forced confessions in court for anyone the government feels might have links with the vanquished separatist movement.

Dinesh says that cricket seems to be the medicine for the wounds of war. He says that when their team sets foot on the ground, they get the sense of community and tend to forget what happened back in Srilanka.

Though they are far away from the war-ravaged country, Cricket seems to the only hope for them to help forget the scars of war.