By
Darrol Foote Rotary
Club of Unley, S.A.
Reprinted from Rotary Down Under, May 2004
Home
& Away Meetings Mean
Unley Learns of Other Cultures
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| Above:
Rotary Club of Unley, S.A. Past President Bob Laws chatting with
the club's Rotary Youth Exchange student from south Africa, Kat
Logan, in frot of an ornate altar in the Hindu Society of South
Australia's Sri-Ganesha Temple. |
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Above:
President John Russell of the Rotary Club of Unley, S.A. thanks
Sheik Solaiman of the al-Khalil Muslim Mosque in Adelaide, S.A.
for the hospitality extended to the club when it held a meeting
at the mosque. |
The Rotary Club of Unley, S.A. holds its weekly meetings at the Unley
Community Sports Club, but during the year meets at other places of
interest. The club recently met in a Hindu temple and then in a Muslim
mosque.
Unley Rotarians were invited by the Hindu Society of South Australia
to its Sri-Ganesha Temple where the Society's president warmly welcomed
more than 50 members and partners. The formal part of the evening included
prayers for prosperity and peace for the whole world, followed by chanting,
some of which was in English. The Society provided a delicious meal
of various dishes enjoyed by the people of the sub-continent.
Since then the club visited the Al-Khalil Mosque where about 60 Rotarians
and partners were welcomed with the greeting of Salaam Alekum
(peace be unto you) by Sheik Soleiman. The sheik is one of two imams
who provide wisdom and direction in both English and Arabic for the
worshippers and followers in Adelaide, S.A. Members and partners enjoyed
an extensive guided tour of the mosque, the library, seminar/teaching
rooms and the cemetery. The meal was provided by Sheik Solaiman and
his colleagues.
The Rotary Club of Unley regards these "away" meetings as
important in keeping variety in its Rotary programs, in understanding
the differences within our cultures in the community and getting prospective
new members more interested in rotary and the Unley club.
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