Muslim Leaders Visit

Shepparton News, 25 Jun 2011; By Zach Hope

Shepparton played host to three emerging Indonesian community leaders on Monday as part of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s AustraliaIndonesia Muslim Leaders Exchange program.
Rizkayadi Makassar, Muhammad Kholis Hamdy and B.J. Sujibto are in Australia for a sponsored two-week stint studying Australian diversity and integration and visiting Muslim communities, with Shepparton selected as the only regional centre on the trio’s itinerary.

Mila Sudarsono, travelling with the group as DFAT’s representative, said Shepparton was chosen because of its diverse population and the success it had enjoyed in integrating multiple ethnic groups.

‘‘A lot of it is because of the interesting migration history you have. It’s a melting pot city and they can get an insight into how well different communities have integrated in a regional setting in Australia,’’ Ms Sudarsono said.

‘‘It’s very important they get out of the metropolitan centres and see work at the community level. They’ve really enjoyed their time here . . . It’s something they can take back to Indonesia to see if they can implement there.

‘‘And the drive out (to Shepparton and Dookie) was rather eye-opening too. One of the guys made the comment they felt like they were in a movie scene because before they could have only imagined rural Australia.’’

The trio arrived in town on Sunday and enjoyed afternoon tea at the Shepparton Mosque. On Monday they visited Melbourne University’s Dookie campus, where they witnessed training for future aid workers, before receiving a tour of Mooroopna’s Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative’s facilities in the afternoon.

They spent a week in Melbourne and will now visit Canberra and Sydney before returning to Indonesia.

The AustraliaIndonesia Muslim Leaders Exchange program is in its 10th year and aims to give youth leaders from both countries a snapshot of life, culture and faith practices of the other.