Baskets of peace
The Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have joined forces with the Sikh Students Association for a basketball game in the name of peace and understanding.
Basketball buddies
The event took part of the national Peace Week campaign, run annually by AUJS to support peace, harmony & co-existence around the world, begun on from August 5.
“We wanted to encourage unity among students from different faiths and cultural backgrounds. This event was a chance to do this as well as to have a great time, and meet some new people,” said Harpreet Singh, President of the Sikh Students Association at UNSW.
AUJS President at UNSW Sabina Baunin commented, “The event was a fun manifestation of the multiculturalism that already thrives on campus. The mixed teams on the day provided a wonderful opportunity for unity in the name of friendly competition”.
Campuses around Australia & New Zealand in AUJS’ vast network will run a series of diverse, wide-ranging events in collaboration with non-Jewish student groups to promote positive values of tolerance and to demonstrate support for peace.
AUJS National Political Affairs Director Dean Sherr said the campaign was designed to try and break down barriers on campus and try to create a more positive atmosphere for students of all faiths and cultural backgrounds.
“AUJS has done its best to focus on positive activism this year and Peace Week is no exception”, said Sherr. “The enthusiasm around Australia & New Zealand is a testament to our enduring desire for peace and justice in Israel and around the world.”
Activities of co-operation will draw inspiration from AUJS Queensland, who took a leaf out of the AFL International Cup last year and put together a ‘Peace Team’ of Jewish & Muslim students to compete in the University of Queensland World Cup, a melting pot of cultural and international societies. AUJS Queensland President David McNamee, who arranged the team with fellow AUJS QLD executives Jamie Rother & Raphael Mengem, said the initiative was a “tremendous success… Promoting peace, unity, diversity and cross society interaction.”
AUJS NSW Political Officer Samantha Freiman, who was also at the basketball event said, “AUJS is working to set a practical example of inter-society cooperation, while promoting Peace Week awareness, in order to drive momentum for an ultimate goal of peace from the ground up.”
