69th anniversary of the declaration of human rights: An Australian celebration
Paulo Casaca, Director of ARCHumankind, visited Australia from December the 3rd to December 11th. His stay comprised a three-day presence in Canberra, while the remaining days were spent in Sydney and Newcastle (New South Wales).
1. Contacts in Canberra
- December 5, 2017 – Human Rights Sub-Committee of Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
Paulo Casaca was invited to take the floor in the Human Rights Sub-Committee meeting moderated by Mr Kevin Andrews MHR, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee, and Dr Anne Aly, Deputy-Chair. The hearing was also attended by Mr Mohammad Sadeghpour, Ms Shayesteh Sadeghpour, Dr Ali Zahedi, Mr Morteza Faghani, Mr
Javad Sadegh, Rev Brian Medway, Ms Rachel Horne and Mr Peter Murphy.
b) December 5, 2017 – Meeting with Senators invited by Senator John Williams.
Senator Williams, a senior National Party senator, chaired a meeting on Iran open to members of both houses. The following Senators were present at the meeting:
Greens – Senator Andrew Bartlett (Queensland), Senator Janet Rice (Victoria), Senator Lee Rhiannon (New South Wales)
Liberal party – Senator Eric Abetz (Tasmania)
Labor Party – Senator Jenny McAlister (New South Wales)
c) December 6, 2017 – Meeting with Dr Anne Aly, Labor MP
Paulo Casaca, accompanied by Mr Sadeghpour and Mr Murphy, met with Dr Anne Aly in her office to continue the dialogue which they had started during their encounter at the Human Rights Sub-Committee on the previous day.
d) December 6, 2017 – Meeting with Senator Andrew Bartlett
The meeting between Paulo Casaca and Senator Bartlett, which was also attended by Mr Sadeghpour and Mr Murphy, was opened by a discussion about the most suitable approach to take towards Iran.
e) December 7, 2017 – Meeting with Ross Hart MHR
Paulo Casaca, with Mr Sadeghpour and Mr Murphy, met with Ross Hart, Labor MP from a northern Tasmanian constituency.
f) December 7, 2017 – Meeting with Senator Claire Moore
Paulo Casaca, together with Mr Sadeghpour and Mr Murphy, met with Senator Moore of the Labor Party in her office.
g) December 7, 2017 – Meeting with Senator Lee Rhiannon
The meeting between Senator Rhiannon, Australian Greens, and Paulo Casaca, accompanied by Mr Sadeghpour and Mr Murphy, focused on the view inside the Green Party about the PMOI. The possibility of founding of a ‘Friends Group’ was likewise discussed.
2. Meetings in New South Wales
- December 8, 2017 – Meeting with Iranian Community at Edmund Rice Centre, Sydney
In the evening, Mr Casaca spoke to a congregation of about 60 Iranian community members who had gathered at the Edmund Rice Centre in Sydney; the panel of speakers comprised, besides Paulo Casaca, Dr Meredith Burgmann, Phil Glendenning and Peter Murphy.
b) December 9, 2017 – Picnic with community members
Mr Casaca took part in a picnic organised by Iranian community members in the Sydney Olympic Park. A brief homage to the ‘Proclamation of Human Rights’ by Cyrus the Great was held near his statue in the park.
- December 10, 2017 – Meeting in Newcastle with Ms Sonia Hornery MLA, and Ms Sharon Claydon MHR
Paulo Casaca travelled, together with Mr Sadeghpour and Mr
Murphy, to Newcastle, where he met with Federal Labor MP
Sharon Claydon. The meeting was hosted by New South Wales
Labor MP Sonia Hornery.
d) December 11 – Interview on ABC Radio National Breakfast
Paulo Casaca and Mr Murphy paid a visit to Mr Hamish McDonald, Summer Breakfast Presenter at the Australian public broadcaster ABC Radio, who interviewed Mr Casaca in the context of Australia’s upcoming seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council about his take on how to urge Iran to deal with human rights violations.
Follow this link to listen to the broadcast:
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/pressure-iran-on-human-rights-record/9248884
e) December 11, 2017 – Reception by Ms Shayesteh and Mr Mohammad Sadeghpour
Concluding his journey, a farewell lunch was offered to Mr Casaca by Ms Shayesteh and Mr Mohammad Sadeghpour.
