Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Hon.Kate Lundy & Hon.Catherine King release of a National Community Education kit about organ and tissue donation
RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL LEADERS UNITE FOR LAUNCH OF ‘DONATELIFE…THE GREATEST GIFT’ COMMUNITY EDUCATION KIT
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Kate Lundy and Parliamentary Secretary for
Health and Ageing Catherine King today announced the release of a national
community education kit about organ and tissue donation for Australians of
diverse faith, cultural and language groups.
The
‘DonateLife…the greatest gift’ education kit is the culmination of consultations
with and assistance from religious and cultural leaders including from the
Buddhist, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish faiths.
Speaking at the Sydney launch, Ms King said, “Faith and cultural leaders today
united in their support to assist their communities in understanding that organ
and tissue donation is considered to be an act of compassion and generosity.
“In
launching the ‘DonateLife… the greatest gift’ community education kit, we now
provide to the leaders of their communities, who have shown such enthusiasm for
promoting awareness of organ and tissue donation, the tools to begin to
integrate this important issue into their communities.”
“The
collection of DonateLife Statements of Support, signed by religious and cultural
leaders, enables Australians to understand their faith or culture’s perspective
on organ and tissue donation and why it is considered an act of compassion and
generosity”.
The
‘DonateLife…the greatest gift’ community education kit, developed in
consultation with religious and cultural leaders, enables Australians of diverse
faith and cultural backgrounds to have access to culturally-appropriate
information that addresses particular concerns or questions they may have about
organ and tissue donation.
The ‘DonateLife…the greatest gift’ community education
kit is now being distributed to over 500 religious and community organisations.
In addition to the signed Statements of Support, the community education kit
includes an eight minute video featuring key religious and cultural leaders, as
well as faith-specific and, where appropriate, in-language brochures and
posters.
Ms King said, “This campaign is an initiative of the Federal Government's Organ and Tissue Authority. Organ and tissue donation and transplantation is an issue that affects people from all walks of life. Having access to culturally appropriate information is key to ensuring all Australians, regardless of their religious or ethnic background, are well informed about organ and tissue donation.”
Minister
for Multicultural Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy, welcomed the launch of the
religious and cultural community education kit and said, “Australia is a vibrant
multicultural nation and this campaign will help people from diverse backgrounds
make an informed decision about organ donation.”
“I commend the religious and cultural leaders who have come together to save
lives.”
Ms King said, “The launch of this campaign marks the start of our long term engagement with Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. I look forward to continuing our dialogue with other faith and community groups.”
RELIGIOUS LEADERS SUPPORT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION
Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing Catherine King launched a community education campaign kit designed to engage with Australians of different religious and cultural backgrounds about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Ms King launched the “DonateLife…the greatest gift” campaign kit, which was developed by the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) in close consultation with religious and community leaders.
The campaign kit includes a video featuring key religious and cultural leaders, faith-specific and, where appropriate, in-language brochures and posters, and a collection of DonateLifeStatements of Support signed by religious and cultural leaders.
“This important community education campaign aims to ensure that Australians from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds have access to culturally appropriate information about organ and tissue donation. Knowing your faith or culture’s position is very important for families when deciding about organ and tissue donation.
“It is important for those that have decided to become organ and tissue donors to discuss their donation wishes with their family, as in Australia the family of all potential organ and tissue donors will be asked to confirm their donation wishes.”
The Organ and Tissue Authority has been working with a number of different faith and cultural groups to develop resources for communities that are culturally appropriate and help to address potential barriers to decision-making and family discussion about organ and tissue donation.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy, welcomed the launch of the campaign and said, “Australia is a vibrant multicultural nation and this campaign will help people from diverse backgrounds make an informed decision about organ donation.”
“I commend the religious and cultural leaders who have come together to save lives.”
The initial focus of the ‘DonateLife…the greatest gift’ campaign is on engaging with people from Islamic, Buddhist, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Catholic and Hindu faiths and where appropriate in Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Spanish and Turkish languages.
Ms King said, “The launch of this campaign marks the start of our long term engagement with all Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. I look forward to continuing our dialogue with other faith and community groups.
“I would like to thank the many faith and community leaders who have generously agreed to participate in this campaign. This will help to make Australians aware that many faiths accept organ and tissue donation as an act that saves lives.
Organ and tissue donation and transplantation is an issue that affects people from all walks of life and their families, both for those that require a transplant or those family members whose loved one may become a donor.
Ms King said, “Religious and cultural leaders from across Australia have signed DonateLife Statements of Support acknowledging organ and tissue donation as an act of compassion and generosity.”
‘DonateLife…the greatest gift’ campaign resource kits will be distributed to over 500 religious and community organisations during DonateLife Week to seek local community support to promote family discussion about organ and tissue donation.
To view the ‘DonateLife…the greatest gift’ campaign kit and DonateLife Statements of Support visit www.donatelife.gov.au
DonateLife Statements of Support have been signed by:
· Peter Wertheim – Executive Council of Jewry (Executive Director)
· Vic Alhadeff – NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (Chief Executive Officer)
· Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence – Great Synagogue (Senior Rabbi)
· Rabbi Jeffrey B Kamins – Emanuel Synagogue (Senior Rabbi)
· Abd Malak - Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations (APRO) (Chair)
· Brian White – Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils (NSW delegate and President of the Buddhist Council of NSW)
· Hafez Kassem – Muslims Australia (President)
· Dr Mohammed Anas – Muslims Australia (Manager Islamic Affairs and Halal Services)
· Professor Nihal Agar – the Hindu Council of Australia (Chair)
· Samir Vyas – Sai Temple (Priest)
· Soma Rabi –Sydney Shakti Temple (Priest)
· Rabbi Moshe D Gutnick – Sydney Beth Din (Senior Dayan The Sydney Beth Din, President Organisation of Rabbis Australia, Rabbinic Administrator – The Kashrut of Australia and NZ)
· Rabbi Ulman – Sydney Beth Din (Senior Dayan (Rabbinical Judge) on the Sydney Beth Din, President of the Rabbinical Council of NSW, Spiritual Leader of the Sydney Russian Jewish Community of Sydney)
· Rabbi Meir S Kluwgant – Rabbinical Council of Victoria (President)
· Venerable ThicPhuocDat – United Congregation of Australia (Vice Abbot of Phuoc Hue Buddhist Temple)
· His Emminence Archbishop Stylianos – Greek Orthodox Church in Australia (Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia)
· Dr Ibrahim Abu – Australian National Imams Council (Grand Mufti)
· Most Reverend Denis J Hart – Australian Catholics Bishops Conference (Archbishop of Melbourne, President)
· Dr Danforn Lim – Australian Chinese Medical Association (President)
· Daphne Lowe Kelley – Chinese Community Council of Australia, Inc (Hon. Secretary)
· Dr Vin Binh Lieu – Vietnamese Australian Medical Association (President)
· Dr Thang Ha – Vietnamese Community in Australia – NSW
