Page 232 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 February 2010
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I bring this motion on today because I believe the Canberra Islamic library is a valuable resource for our community that should be recognised and supported. It counteracts ignorance by providing a safe and non-intrusive environment for people to investigate Islamic history, culture and laws. The Canberra Islamic library encourages tolerance and respect. I would like to take this opportunity today to talk a little about its history, plans for the future and why this resource should be supported by this Assembly.
I believe this motion is timely in light of the Multicultural Festival that has just passed, the failure of Nicholls mosque in receiving approval, and the shortcomings with the proposed Islamic school. Canberra is a place for everyone and I believe it is important we show the Islamic community we are supportive of initiatives that encourage learning and understanding of Islam in our broader community.
I would like to make it clear that this is not about favouring one religion over another. It is about (a) recognising that we have a resource that is providing a great service to the Canberra community and potentially the rest of Australia and (b) that this particular community needs a helping hand so the library can properly function.
Before I go on, I would like to acknowledge that we have Mr Ahmed Youssef and Mr Asmi Wood in the chamber gallery, who are instrumental in the library and are part of the Canberra Islamic Centre, and to thank them for coming here today.
The construction of the Canberra Islamic Centre began in 1998 and was officially opened in 2004 in Monash, Tuggeranong. It is a centre with many facilities, including a central prayer room, function hall, recording studio, industrial kitchen and garden area. The construction of the library will be a part of the CIC. I would like to note that the CIC has predominantly been built around community donations.
The CIC has received support from the ACT government and from many other quarters. Former Governor-General Sir William Deane was particularly supportive and officially launched the model of the CIC at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra in 1997, stating that it was a great contribution to Australia.
The Canberra Islamic Centre showcases artistic and historical exhibitions regularly for schoolchildren and the Islamic community. It has also been home to weddings, funerals and annual religious events. It is a meeting place for thousands of Muslims across Canberra and it has provided a wonderful service to the south of Tuggeranong.
The library has been a central theme of the CIC. The founding members had envisioned the library, once built, to be a significant service for not only Canberra but the rest of Australia. The library has a collection of between 25,000 and 30,000 books and other resources, some of which have been already catalogued by volunteer librarians. Many of these books have been donated by the Islamic and non-Islamic community, including Lourie Fitzgerald, a Catholic priest who in his will donated up to 2,000 books to the Canberra Islamic library. Because the construction of the library has not begun, all the resources—books, videos and recordings—are currently being stored in the prayer room of the CIC.
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