Tuesday, 12 August 2025

 John MULLAHY (Glen Waverley) (1:09:55): It was a pleasure to attend an Eid reunion organised by the Bangladeshi Senior Citizens Club Victoria. It was a vibrant and well-attended gathering filled with laughter and delicious food. Thank you to President Rabby Lutfur for his leadership and for welcoming me so warmly. In July I also enjoyed the winter cake festival, another lively and memorable event showcasing community spirit and cultural pride organised by the Australia Bangladesh Association. My thanks to president Reza Siddique for hosting such a warm and inclusive celebration. Events like these are a wonderful reminder of the strength of our multicultural community, where traditions like those of the Bangladeshi community are honoured and shared.

I recently attended the inaugural Ram Navami celebration hosted by the Hindu Cultural & Community Network, led by Glen Waverley local Radhesh Pandey. I later welcomed them to my office to discuss priorities, including Hindi language education, securing a regular meeting venue and understanding funding application processes. It is inspiring to see a new organisation working to strengthen cultural connections, and I wish them every success as they go from strength to strength.

Over the weekend I attended the 354th Aradhana Mahotsava of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy, organised by Sri Venkata Krishna Brundavana. This auspicious occasion provided an opportunity for devotees to honour the revered Hindu saint and featured various religious and cultural programs. It was wonderful to share aarti and prasad with the community. I sincerely thank Ramesh Rao, Ashwin Bindu and the whole committee for their kind invitation and their efforts in putting on another special event.