Who Makes you proud? Our population is made up of nationalities from around the world ... Each year Antipodeans celebrate the achievement and contribution of creative Australians through the Australia Day Awards. Australia Day, that holiest of days for Aussies, is one huge celebration of everything Australian. Australia Day, in 2012, is an occasion on which many people might reflect how fortunate they are to live in a country so distant from most of the problems apparent elsewhere in the world.
Mr Bawa Singh Jagdev, OAM, and Mrs Vera Hatton, OAM, can now add the Medal of the Order of Australia to their impressive resumes after being recognised in the Australia Day honours for their services to the Community. They join the total of 439 recipients announced today by Governor-General, Quentin Bryce who noted:
I want to give my strong support to the awards made through the Australian honours system. They elevate the concept of giving to others. The honours announced today recognise community values and celebrate what is important and unifying in Australian life.
Commit to making a difference as a regular human being, because we have that power.
Media Coverage - Six Degree of Separation
I. Global - Sikh Chic - Bawa Jagdev
II. Local - Southern Courier - Bawa Jagdev
III. Multicultural SBS - Bawa Jagdev
A migrant who arrived in Australia from Keya, East Africa, with his wife and two children more than 30 years ago for a big adventure has received a today’s Australia Day honours. Mr Jagdev may have been born and bred in Punjab, under the Himalayan Mountains, but since 1975 he calls Sydney his home and uses the Southern Cross as his compass. Mr Jagdev has spent his life in Australia working to improve outcomes for others. It is this selflessness that has been recognised with the Order of Australia.
Mr Jagdev is the first turbaned Sikh to receive such high honour. One might describe Mr Jagdev as someone who knows how to make a difference, given his ability to motivate others. The simplicity and beauty of Sikhism left a lasting impact on Mr Jagdev. Sikhism is about compassion, forgiveness and unshorn hair and kirpan are an inalienable part of Sikh culture. For Mr Jagdev the OAM comes as an acknowledgement of his passion for community as there were a lot of barriers for new immigrant cultures that needed to be broken down. He was instrumental in establishing the first religious place of worship for the Sikh Community along with weekend language schools. Other significant work undertaken by Mr Jagdev for his community includes the provision of free meals for the community, the establishment of a free meditation area and the organisation of many cultural and sporting events, not only for members of the Sikh background but also those of Muslim, Hindu and Christian backgrounds. Today, most Australians see a Sikh as an Aussie, not as a foreigner. Today’s award tops off the fairy tale for him ;
We come from a very privileged nation. For centuries (around two centuries to be precise) we have been known as the ‘Lucky Country’. I don’t think there is a more apt description for our wonderful land Down Under. Blessed with perfect climates, with open spaces, with paradisiacal topography, with freedom, democracy and free speech – Australia sets the bar for many people the world over. One of the most multi-cultural societies on the face of the planet
The Sikh presence at the parade has been possible due to the efforts of the Sikh Council of Australia (SCA), and in particular its officers Ajmer Singh Gill, Vickram Singh Grewal and Bawa Singh Jagdev. They have lobbied hard to have the contribution of the Sikhs in both World Wars officially recognised ANZAC- Sikh of Sikhs
Australia Day - Celebrate what's great! Top Australians awarded highest accolades Rush …In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair!
The Australian of the Year 2012, Geoffrey Rush, has now celebrated 40 years as an Australian actor, achieving the rare international distinction of the ‘Triple Crown’ - an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy. He also has three Australian Film Institute honours, three British Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, four Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, and last year was inducted into the ranks of Australia’s elite with a Helpmann Award.
The director Neil Armfield, a long-time collaborator on acclaimed theatre productions such as Exit the King and Diary of a Madman, said the award was well deserved. ''He's put such incredible work into his profession,'' he said. ''He's never sought rewards, he's always gone for the most interesting jobs and it's paid off brilliantly with this incredible career.''
• Starring role for Rush, the clown prince of acting Australia Day 2012 Honours List ; In the nine decades since her birth on the island of Murrungga, Laurie Baymarrwangga has seen the arrival of missionaries, exploitation by Japanese and European fishermen, war and tumultuous change Laurie Baymarrwangga [The Governor-General is pleased to announce the following appointments and awards: Australia Day 2012 Honours List; The Biographical notes for each recipient in the Australia Day 2012 Honours List. PDF - Australia Day is a reflection of our nation's identity]
• · History - The tradition of having Australia Day as a national holiday on 26 January is a recent one. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark that date. Not until 1994 did they begin to celebrate Australia Day consistently as a public holiday on that date Australia Day - Celebrate what's great! ; Google Draws hundreds of Ausie Stories Together
• · · AUSTRALIA Day has become the quintessential day to celebrate being Australian. How we celebrate can take many forms - attending a citizenship ceremony, seeing a concert, watching a regatta, playing cricket in the park, enjoying a barbecue with friends and family or watching the fireworks. What is important is that we do celebrate our successes as a nation and that each of us, in whatever way we want to. Join in that celebration ; We love the fact that we can count bogans, westies, toffs, posh bastards, concrete cowboys and yobos amongst our mates. Bondi Icons
• · · · 2012 Australia Day Address: Professor says racism still rife in Australia Address Taps into mysterious human disease; If a Chinese person were to fall on the wrong side of the law, it would be to the detriment of the entire Chinese community. Dr Charlie Teo ; Dr Charlie Teo says the racism problem is very real.
• · · · · Exploding the myths about our country No bigger occasion for nationAs Australia Day approaches, the great Aussie annual introspection starts. ; Clinton wishes us a happy Australia Day
• · · · · · The ultimate Aussie dish; Maggie's Australia Day pavlova ; Remarkable and truly inspirational runner, Centenarian Sikh runner Fauja Singh is an inspiration for others. While running marathon races in London, New York and Toronto, he raised money for various charities promoting Sikh culture around the world. He has also raised money for a charity dedicated to the care for premature babies. "Turbaned Tornado
The Sikh presence at the parade has been possible due to the efforts of the Sikh Council of Australia (SCA), and in particular its officers Ajmer Singh Gill, Vickram Singh Grewal and Bawa Singh Jagdev. They have lobbied hard to have the contribution of the Sikhs in both World Wars officially recognised ANZAC- Sikh of Sikhs
Australia Day - Celebrate what's great! Top Australians awarded highest accolades Rush …In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair!
The Australian of the Year 2012, Geoffrey Rush, has now celebrated 40 years as an Australian actor, achieving the rare international distinction of the ‘Triple Crown’ - an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy. He also has three Australian Film Institute honours, three British Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, four Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, and last year was inducted into the ranks of Australia’s elite with a Helpmann Award.
GEOFFREY RUSH'S trophy room, one might assume, would be a fairly impressive and comprehensive sight - and now the abundantly talented thespian must make room for one more: Australian of the Year 2012. We are natural at acting the goat, taking the mickey, playing the clown
The director Neil Armfield, a long-time collaborator on acclaimed theatre productions such as Exit the King and Diary of a Madman, said the award was well deserved. ''He's put such incredible work into his profession,'' he said. ''He's never sought rewards, he's always gone for the most interesting jobs and it's paid off brilliantly with this incredible career.''
• Starring role for Rush, the clown prince of acting Australia Day 2012 Honours List ; In the nine decades since her birth on the island of Murrungga, Laurie Baymarrwangga has seen the arrival of missionaries, exploitation by Japanese and European fishermen, war and tumultuous change Laurie Baymarrwangga [The Governor-General is pleased to announce the following appointments and awards: Australia Day 2012 Honours List; The Biographical notes for each recipient in the Australia Day 2012 Honours List. PDF - Australia Day is a reflection of our nation's identity]
• · History - The tradition of having Australia Day as a national holiday on 26 January is a recent one. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark that date. Not until 1994 did they begin to celebrate Australia Day consistently as a public holiday on that date Australia Day - Celebrate what's great! ; Google Draws hundreds of Ausie Stories Together
• · · AUSTRALIA Day has become the quintessential day to celebrate being Australian. How we celebrate can take many forms - attending a citizenship ceremony, seeing a concert, watching a regatta, playing cricket in the park, enjoying a barbecue with friends and family or watching the fireworks. What is important is that we do celebrate our successes as a nation and that each of us, in whatever way we want to. Join in that celebration ; We love the fact that we can count bogans, westies, toffs, posh bastards, concrete cowboys and yobos amongst our mates. Bondi Icons
• · · · 2012 Australia Day Address: Professor says racism still rife in Australia Address Taps into mysterious human disease; If a Chinese person were to fall on the wrong side of the law, it would be to the detriment of the entire Chinese community. Dr Charlie Teo ; Dr Charlie Teo says the racism problem is very real.
• · · · · Exploding the myths about our country No bigger occasion for nationAs Australia Day approaches, the great Aussie annual introspection starts. ; Clinton wishes us a happy Australia Day
• · · · · · The ultimate Aussie dish; Maggie's Australia Day pavlova ; Remarkable and truly inspirational runner, Centenarian Sikh runner Fauja Singh is an inspiration for others. While running marathon races in London, New York and Toronto, he raised money for various charities promoting Sikh culture around the world. He has also raised money for a charity dedicated to the care for premature babies. "Turbaned Tornado