See document Why Australian Multiculturalism works?

Australians were shocked to learn about a large-scale terrorist attack launched from Hamas-governed Gaza territory deep into Israel on 7th October 2023. In addition to a barrage of thousands of missiles sent to Israel. Hamas gunman hit more than 20 sites in southern Israel, killed more than 1,300 mostly civilian Jews and abducted an estimated 150 people. Jews were killed in the streets, in parks, driving their cars or bikes, waiting for the bus or trying to hide in their homes. Some 260 young people were killed while attending a peace music festival. The brutality shown by Hamas is difficult to comprehend – children were beheaded, and women were raped. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is now in a “state of war.”

The next day the Australian National Imans Council refused to condemn Hamas and issued a statement demanding “a cessation of the Israeli offensive on Gaza”. Prominent Sheikh Ibrahim Dadoun celebrated the killings of Israelis at a rally in front of Lakemba Mosque. On 9 October a demonstration of a few hundred Hamas supporters took place in front of the Sydney Town House and marched without required permission to the Opera House with shouts “Shame, shame Australia”, “Gas the Jews” and “Kill the Jews”. Although such calls breached several Australian laws, spread racial hatred and went against the core tenets of Australian multiculturalism very little immediate action was taken by law enforcement authorities or by government. Instead, a Jewish businessman carrying the Israeli flag was arrested by the NSW police ‘to protect the peace’ and Jewish Australians were told to stay home, away from the city, for their safety. Following a few days, government responses became more balanced and demonstrations in support of Hamas were banned.

The pro-Hamas response of elements of the Islamic community and the hesitation of governments in dealing with the situation requires an urgent response from multicultural leadership in Australia. We need again re-focus on building social cohesion and on dealing with the root causes of Islamist violence. At this moment, Islamic extremism impacts only a small section of the Muslim community in Australia. But its influence may grow, and opportunistic acts of violence may be launched, if no appropriate countermeasures are put in place. The Muslim community leaders and the government authorities need to re-ignite their work to secure the future of social cohesion in Australia.

Digital transformation and so-called “artificial intelligence” comprise of ethical
opportunities and risks and can be a powerful instrument for either fostering or violating human rights.
Therefore, it is necessary to identify both opportunities for promoting human rights and human rights risks at an early stage so we are able to benefit sustainably from the opportunities and to master or avoid the risks.

An International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA) needs to be established at the UN as a platform for technical cooperation in the field of digital transformation and DS fostering human rights, safety, security, and peaceful uses of DS as well as a global supervisory and monitoring institution and regulatory authority around digital transformation and DS.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also referenced human-rights-based DS and a coordinated global response towards an institutional solution in his most recent policy brief:

https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/our-common-agenda-policy-brief-gobal-digi-compact-en.pdf

Professor Dr Peter G. Kirchschlaeger, Ethics-Professor and Director of the Institute of Social Ethics ISE at the University of Lucerne, has established the website to promote the idea of IDA – see: www.idaonline.ch

I encourage you to visit the website and learn more about this exciting development. The website includes an option to support IDA. Please share this information with your human rights networks and with your media contacts.

Eugene (in Polish Eugeniusz or for friends Geniek) Bajkowski OAM, my wonderful friend, a great Polish patriot, and highly respected journalist and economist, aged 92,passed away peacefully in Canberra Friday 19th May 2023.
Eugene was born on 1st August 1931 in Harbin, China, where his parents fled following the Bolshevik revolution. He grew up in Shanghai during the period of Japanese occupation.
His family migrated to Australia in 1952 where Eugene studied economics at the University of Sydney, while working as a tram conductor. After holding a range of financial roles, he became a financial journalist with The Bulletin magazine, later becoming its Finance Editor in 1970.
In the early 1970s, Eugene moved to Canberra to take up a position as an economist with the Chamber of Manufacturers, later becoming the senior economist for the Confederation of Australian Industry (now the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry). During this time he advanced the Survey of Industrial Trends in Australia to become one of the nation’s most respected and trusted economic indicators that continues to this day.
At the same time, Eugene launched Australia’s first regular Polish language newspaper, Panorama, from his home in Canberra. Fluent in Polish, Russian and English, Eugene participated in international trade negotiations for Australian commodities exporters and for a time was a tutor in Russian at the Canberra College of Advanced Education.
Eugene was a strong supporter of the Polish Solidarity movement. He travelled to Poland during the turbulent early Solidarity years of the early 1980s and was in Poland when martial law was declared in 1981, filing articles for The Sydney Morning Herald as the world held its breath in anticipation of a potential Russian invasion. He returned to Poland on a number of occasions, including after free elections.
Eugene was a trusted source of local wisdom for Polish diplomats posted to Australia and the creator of the Australia Poland Business Council. Eugene was also awarded several awards by the Republic of Poland, one personally conferred on him by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda during a visit to Sydney in 2018.
In his retirement, until shortly before his passing, Eugene continued to write weekly national affairs and political analysis for both Tygodnik Polski (Polish Weekly) and Express Wieczorny (Evening Express). Eugene also continued as a consulting economist to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, running and ensuring the continuity of the ACCI/ Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends, for which he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (OAM) medal in 2019 for services to business.

But by far the biggest love of his life was his late wife, Jolanta Bajkowski, his two sons Julian and Andrew and his grandchildren Konrad and Thea, who survive him.

Vale Eugeniusz Bajkowski. I cherished your friendship, leadership, and vision very much. Our long lunchtime conversations at Timmy’s in Manuka will be greatly missed.

Hanna and I extend our sincere condolences to Julian, Andrew and their families.

Eugeniusz Bajkowski

with President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda in 2018

The Poland Australia Business Forum (https://pabf.com.au) together with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and the Polish Investment and Trade Agency organised a Unity Gala function at the Sydney Opera House to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and Poland.
The opening address was delivered by HE Hon. Margaret Beazley AC CK, an Australian jurist and current governor of New South Wales who demonstrated her remarkable knowledge of Polish history and culture.
There were plenty of dignitaries in attendance including the PABF President Tym Pieglowski and the PABF committee; Agata Utnicka, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the Republic of Poland; Jakub Wilchelm, Head of Polish Investment and Trade Agency in Australia; Monika Konczyk, Consul General of Poland in Sydney; Hon. Robert Borsak MLC and other parliamentarians; Joseph La Posta, CEO of Multicultural NSW as well as many Australian business and cultural life notables.
The Unity Gala was a celebration of the contribution made by the Polish Heroes to Australian culture, business, and academia.
The Polish Heroes project was created in 2022 by Anna Wojt and Leonie Tillman and consists of a series of podcasts featuring ten highly accomplished individuals in various industries, from arts to academia. All born in Poland,they made Australia their home some years ago. Leonie Tillman moderated a panel discussion with the Heroes.
It was a humbling experience to be named one of the Heroes by the PABF. Other Heroes who participated in the panel discussion were Professor Betina Szkudlarek, Bart Kolodziejczyk OAM, and Marzena Wasikowska.
For a series of Leonie Tillman interviews featuring all ten prominent Polish Australians,visit: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh
For those who are unsure about the meaning of the word, and I quote here from Eva Hussain’s, Hon. Consul of Poland in Melbourne, email, “the word hero comes from the Greek, literally meaning protector or defender but its connotations have changed somewhat over the years. The modern hero is selfless, compassionate and caring. Someone we admire for their courage, outstanding achievements, exceptional strength or noble qualities. Someone who demonstrates an utmost commitment to their morals, regardless of obstacles blocking their way.”

Confersations (video)

Our great friend the Honourable John Kerin AO, aged 85, passed away on Wednesday 29 March 2023.

To many Australians, John was known as a humble chicken farmer who became Australia’s longest-serving Minister for Primary Industry (1983-91), treasurer, and long-time Labor frontbencher. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called him “Australia’s best ever primary industries minister”. John was also associated with Western Sydney University where I worked for the last 15 years. He served as a Deputy Chancellor (2000-03) and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate.

But the purpose of this note is not to record John’s significant contribution to our nation and his distinguished public service. Rather I aim to record John’s humanity, our friendship over the last 30 years or so, and his great warmth, decency, wit, and him as a man with the biggest of hearts.

I first met John in the late 1980s when I worked with his partner Dr June Verrier in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet during the Hawke government era. It was a humbling privilege for a relatively junior public servant to be invited to the home of the Cabinet minister in Canberra. Lively conversations followed – John was very interested in my home country Poland, in the communist and Soviet systems, and in European history and politics. We also talked about our family’s experience of migrating to Australia and the years spent as refugees in West Germany. John was a highly knowledgeable person always able to engage with wit and humor about his early days as a farmer and about Canberra politics. What I particularly valued is that he treated me with respect despite that my point of view not always reflected Labor orthodoxy and, on occasions, may have embraced Liberal viewpoints. We discussed as equals with a view to learning and gaining new information and opinions. There was also plenty of fun and jokes.

Then, June and John invited Hanna and me on several occasions for weekends to their home in Vincentia on the South Cost. In fact, they introduced us to beautiful Jervis Bay and convinced us to buy a holiday home there. Our close neighbouring resulted in our friendship flourishing – many BBQs, diners and other gatherings together, including the great Kevin 07 party. Plenty of great discussions in front of our fireplaces with many VIP friends invited by John and June. Cultured discussions over quality red wine, and sometimes lively arguments, about the state of our changing world, imponderabilia, and highflyers.

The last time we hosted John and June in our Vincentia home was in mid-February 2023. Although John was unwell, we never thought that we see him for the last time.

Vale John Kerin. We loved you very much and you will be greatly missed.

We extend our sincere condolences to June, family and friends.

On Sunday, 13th November 2022, during my visit to Warsaw, Ms. Maria Wieczorkiewicz, a journalist for the Polskie Radio, conducted an interview with me about current developments in the Australian Polish community. One of the topics covered was the need to preserve personal and community documents of significant historical value and how the Polish repositories and academic institutions in Poland could help with the preservation of such heritage documents. The interview was conducted in the Polish language and was broadcasted by Polish Radio a few days later.

If you are interested in listening to the broadcast, open: https://www.polskieradio.pl/399/7978/Artykul/3077139,sukcesy-polakow-w-australii-spotkanie-z-prof-sewerynem-ozdowskim

Uprzejmie informuje, ze mój brat jest autorem ksiazki, która zostana wydana na poczatku 2020 roku. Ta ciekawa publikacja nie wszystkim jest znana. Mysle ze przyczyna tego mogl byc COVID-19, który zupelnie rozregulowal nasze zycie codzienne. Stanislaw pisze:
“Jestem osoba rodzinnie zwiazana z regionem Ziemi Jarocinskiej. Mój dziadek byl dzierzawca domeny panstwowej w Pawlwicach pod Zerkowem oraz w latach trzydziestych dzierzawca od Ordynacji von Radolin folwarków Roszków, Ciswica i Dabrowa z Kapanica pod Jarocinem (ok.1000 ha). W tym czasie zamieszkiwal z rodzina w Roszkowie.
Seweryn Lucjan Ozdowski oprócz dzialalnosci gospodarczej udzielal sie spolecznie m.in. w “ROLNIKU” (przewodniczacy Rady Nadzorczej w Jarocinie). Byl opiekunem Katolickiego Stowarzyszenia Mlodziezy Meskiej, przewodniczyl Radzie Nadzorczej Cukrowni we Wrzesni i byl delegatem Ministra Skarbu do spraw postepowania ukladowego w sprawach majatków ziemskich w województwie poznanskim. W pazdzierniku 1939 r. zostal przez Niemców aresztowany i byl ich zakladnikiem do czasu wywozu takze calej rodziny z obozu przesiedlenczego w Cerekwicy do Opoczna. Po okupacji i po tzw.reformie rolnej byl krótko kierownikiem Urzadu Ziemskiego w Jarocinie oraz etatowym prezesem Rady Nadzorczej Spóldzielni Rolniczo – Handlowej “ROLNIK” takze w Jarocinie. Tu tez zosta? pochowany w rodzinnym grobowcu na cmentarzu parafialnym.
Z Roszkowem i Ozdowskimi zwiazany jest równiez pochowany w grobowcu jarocinskim lekarz, poeta i dzialacz Stronnictwa Narodowego Czeslaw Ganowicz.
Jarocin to takze miejsce zamieszkania i dzialalnosci drugiego dziadka Stanislawa Chylewskiego, drogisty i wlasciciela hurtowni paliw obok dworca kolejowego, prezesa Zrzeszenia Kupców Chrzescijanskich, takze pozbawionego majatku i wysiedlonego z rodzina do Opoczna, gdzie zmarl w czasie okupacji.
O tych oraz innych przedstawicielach rodziny Ozdowskich wiecej wiadomosci znajdziecie Panstwo w mojej ksiazce.”
Prosze zwrócic uwage na dokumenty zródlowe oraz fotografie zwiazane z przedwojennym Jarocinem, a takze indeksy osób i miejscowosci oraz przedmowe Profesora Uniwersytetu Jagielonskiego Jana Lencznarowicza. Ksiazka zawiera streszczenie w jezyku angielskim.

Kontakt w sprawie nabycia ksiazki: Stanislaw Ozdowski
adres pocztowy: ul. Krancowa 14, 62-002 Suchy Las
tel. stacjonarny: +48/61 822 30 80
tel. komórkowy: 508 242 365
e-mail: stan.ozdowski@gmail.com

It was a pleasure and distinction to be asked to contribute a short video to celebrate the 30 anniversary of the founding Falun Dafa movement in China.

To watch the video see: https://youtu.be/TjJDP1FD3J8

See also: https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2022/5/25/201508.html

I have just returned from the planning Workshop for the 2023 conference on The Rohingya Crisis: What Next?. The Workshop was held in Hotel Europa, in Sarajevo, Bosnia – Herzegovina on 06 – 07 May 2022 and it was sponsored by the Haseane Foundation and the Arcane Commission. The Workshop was attended by some 20 Rohingya human rights experts from all over the world, including Dr Graeme Thom, Dr Hla Myint and myself from Australia. The objectives of the 2023 Conference are (1) to establish a roadmap for political solutions, (2) to stress on implementation of accountabilities for the genocide, and (3) the removal or root causes of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and safe repatriation are the correct objectives.

Lt General (retired) MD Mahfuzar Rahman of Bangladesh and I were invited to deliver keynotes. My address is attached to this note.

The conference participants have also visited Srebrenica where in July 1995 the military and police forces of the Republica Srpska, supported by the Republic of Serbia, killed over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men in a few days. The International Court of Justice in The Hague and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia have both ruled that the crimes in Srebrenica were acts of genocide.

The Workshop has accepted a Declaration of Sarajevo which could be seen at: 07052022 Sarajevo Declaration

2022-05-05 SARAJEVO ROHINGHA WORKSHOP – speaking notes