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| Events |
| ALYA Trivia Night 2007 |
 The second annual ALYA Trivia night was successfully held on April 4th 2007.
With over fifty-five participants across eight teams, the night was jam-packed
with fun and entertainment. The competitive atmosphere was alight from the start
with the F’houli team returning to defend their win last year. They were up against stiff competition from returning MULSA team NQR who took an early lead in the opening rounds. After much question objection and dispute, MULSA held on from a surging F’houli team to win the night by a mere four points. Congratulations to Mohammad, Mike, Rudy, Paul, Fouad and Lotfi for winning the first prize of six dinners for two at various Lebanese restaurants and to the F’houli for winning second prize collection of various Lebanese DVDs....More |
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| Melbourne University Orientation 2007 – Report |
 Orientation at Melbourne University in 2007 (February 22-23) once again involved the participation of the Melbourne University Lebanese Students Association (MULSA). The MULSA stand looked impressive, displaying posters and brochures of tourist locations in Lebanon, a derbakke, an argheele, a traditional water jug (bree’), traditional Lebanese dance (dabke) costumes, Lebanese flags, DVDs of Lebanon and the MULSA banner.
Lebanese music was also played at the stand throughout both days of orientation, while Jupiter’s Lebanese dabke group performed on the second day and attracted a large crowd. The year promises to be another big one for MULSA, with dozens of students signing up to the club, including many non-Lebanese.......Photos |
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| ALYA Rocks Geelong at 2007 Pako Festa |
 The 2007 Pako Festa held on Saturday February 24th in Geelong was one of the most memorable events that ALYA has been involved in. This was the first occasion that a Lebanese group had participated at the Pako Festa, an event that has been running for 25 years. Although the weather during the morning was wet, dark, gloomy and depressing, it quickly changed into glorious sunshine by 10am and remained perfect for rest of the day. The 30-plus ALYA contingent assembled at 9am at the Migrant Resource Centre in Preston and boarded the bus for the hour drive to Geelong. The ride to Geelong was great fun for everybody, with lots of singing and dancing to the three derbakkes that were being played throughout the trip.
Upon arriving at the festival, the ALYA group from Melbourne were met by a smaller number of ALYA members and friends from Geelong. This was followed by changing into traditional Lebanese costumes before taking part in the parade. Unlike other groups that paraded in complete costume, the ALYA contingent was full of people wearing shreweel with runners, traditional vests over polo tops and traditional dresses with jeans. While other groups marched in an ordered system and well-organised vocals, ALYA truly reflected the Lebanese culture of chaos that is fun to watch and even more enjoyable to be a part of. The simplicity of dancing, singing, clapping and zalgheting to the beat of the derbakke provided a highly entertaining spectacle for the crowd. The parade was moving at a constant pace until ALYA decided to block the road and perform the common dabke dance around the derbakke players. The crowd did not mind the fact that the parade was held up for a few minutes, as the sight of this chain of Lebanese people having a ball was extremely enjoyable and amusing. The parade was followed by lunch at Geelong’s Malaga Restaurant and then a trip to Geelong’s Eastern Beach that included a ride on the Ferris wheel.
At 3pm, ALYA returned to the Pako Festa only to discover that a technical failure had temporarily stopped performances on the main stage. While the problem was being repaired, the MC needed an activity to entertain the crowd. As he was desperately thinking of an activity, along came ALYA member Elias Makdissi to the rescue, the self-proclaimed doctor of ‘playing drum and having fun’. Elias played the derbakke on the main stage and kept the crowd entertained until the technical failure was fixed.
After being charmed by the highly-skilled derbakke performance of Elias, the crowd were then treated to the energetic dance performance of Jupiter’s Lebanese dabke group. By the end of the performance, the crowd had swelled to well over 2000 people. Jupiter’s received a loud applause and were approached by many people who congratulated the group on a brilliant performance, including a number of Lebanese people from Geelong who were proud to witness a Lebanese presence at the Pako Festa for the first time. The bus trip back to Melbourne was also a major highlight.
ALYA’s highly successful and enjoyable trip to the Pako Festa of 2007 promises an even bigger and better event in 2008. ALYA would like to thank Charles Haddad from Haddad Real Estate for sponsoring the trip, George Kanati the bus driver and Eddy and Reine Sejean from Malaga Restaurant for their generous hospitality......Photos |
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| Book Launch of the ‘The Myrtle Tree’ |
 The book launch of the English novel ‘The Myrtle Tree’ was jointly hosted by ALYA and Australians for Lebanon. Written by Jad El-Hage, the novel outlines an enthralling saga of a young family in Lebanon trying to break through the cycle of the devastating civil war. The launch took place on 30th January, 2007, at the rooftop of the Northcote Town Hall. The picturesque view of the Melbourne city skyline at the venue provided a wonderful atmosphere for the 150 people in attendance. The event, whose MC was ALYA President Mounir Kiwan, featured a nay (Lebanese flute) performance by Omar Maaraboun as well as speeches by Darebin Mayor Cr. Marlene Kairouz, Professor Joe Camilleri from La Trobe University and the author himself Jad El-Hage. Additionally, ALYA members Mireille Constantine and Dania Dabliz read excerpts from the book to the audience, with a slideshow of Lebanon prepared by Mounir Kiwan rolling in the background. The event concluded with the audience being treated to complimentary finger food and drinks. The book launch proved to be a huge success with dozens of copies being sold during the evening. ALYA would like to congratulate Jad El-Hage on his this novel and wish him further success with future novels. |
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| ALYA & Auxilia Angels Raise $1000 for Lebanese Boy Requiring Kidney Transplant |
 The ALYA/Auxilia Angels joint BBQ fundraiser was held on the 18th February 2007 at the Melbourne University South Lawn to raise money for Michael Abou Saad, a 12-year old boy in Lebanon desperately requiring a kidney transplant. Despite the scorching 38ºC that Melbourne experienced on the day of the event, a total of 60 people still turned up in support of Michael, raising a total of $1000. The trees in South Lawn provided shade for all who attended and ensured that everyone had a lovely afternoon. Special thanks to Cedars Bakery and Almazet Lebanese restaurant who donated raffle prizes. ALYA would like to congratulate Auxilia Angels for all their hard efforts in supporting the needy children in Lebanon.....Photos |
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ALYA helps raise over $80,000 for the victims of the recent war in Lebanon (More Photos)
 On the night of Monday 30th October, ALYA teamed up with AidLubnan and Australians for Lebanon to host a fundraiser that raised over $80,000 for the victims of the recent war in Lebanon. The event was held in the dazzling Melbourne Town Hall and attended by over 550 people. The crowd were highly entertained by Lebanese cultural performances throughout the night and treated to an extravaganza of delicious Lebanese cuisine, prepared under the auspices of Melbourne celebrity chef Greg Maalouf. ALYA played an instrumental role in ensuring a successful event. The 24 ALYA volunteers received nothing but praise. Their efforts in ushering, selling raffle tickets and collecting donations were conducted with great professionalism. Additionally, the speeches and visual presentations prepared by ALYA members highly impressed the audience. A big thank you to all the ALYA volunteers who contributed to the complete success of the night. |
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IFTAR/DINNER REPORT (More Photos)
 On Friday 13th October, 2006, ALYA assisted MULSA (Melbourne University Lebanese Students Association) in organizing an iftar/dinner at Tiba’s Lebanese restaurant. Approximately 60 people attended what was a very pleasant evening. The Lebanese food served was delicious and all who attended left very satisfied. During the night, MULSA President Mohammad Tabbara delivered a speech about what MULSA had achieved during 2006 and thanked ALYA for supporting the event. This was shortly followed by a raffle draw with prizes that included Lebanon caps, Lebanese flags, DVD’s about Lebanon and a DVD of the 2005 ALYA Lebanese festival. |
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Multicultural Week at Victoria University (More Photos)
 Multicultural Week at Victoria University (Footscray Park Campus) in October was another highly successful event that ALYA made a significant contribution to. The Lebanon tent was very colorful and decorated with many photos of Lebanon’s beautiful scenery as well as photos and information on Lebanese food, famous Lebanese across the world, Lebanese song and dance and Lebanese currency. The tent also featured a derbakke that attracted a lot of enthusiastic people, dabke dance costumes, brochures about Lebanon and the screening of a DVD about Lebanon’s tourist sites. During the week, hundreds of people were attracted to the tent, including two people who made a decision to tour Lebanon after visiting the tent and discovering what Lebanon is really about. The week was topped off with the performance of Jupiter’s dabke dance group at the closing ceremony. This really dazzled the crowd and got them involved in a dabke chain to one final song at the end of the performance. |
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MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY STUDENT ELECTION (More Photos)
 The Melbourne University student elections of 2006 were held from September 4 - September 8. There were 11 different tickets that ran including the 'Stop War Stop Racism' ticket that MULSA (Melbourne University Lebanese Students Association) were a major part of, with MULSA secretary Mike Helal running for student council. The MULSA campaign revolved around the war in Lebanon and raising awareness amongst university students. It included numerous speak outs on campus and displays such as the 'tower of terror' depicting the brutality of the war, the distribution of thousands of flyers, petitions and a large cross-campus protest in the city attended by hundreds of university students.
The election results were recently declared yesterday and proved to be a huge success for MULSA and the Stop War Stop Racism ticket, especially in the student council. A total of 14 student council positions were contested translating into an election quota of 6.5% of the vote. The Stop War Stop Racism ticket polled a massive 13.2% of the primary vote, much higher than what was expected by a lot of campaigners. The ticket won 2 of the 14 student council positions after the distribution of preferences, polling the 4th highest number of votes amongst the 11 tickets running. Mike was the 4th of the 14 students elected and was able to poll the highest number of votes below the line amongst the 47 candidates running at the Parkville campus.
Congratulations to Mike and to all the campaigners and a big thank you to all who supported the campaign. It is an amazing achievement when 13.2% of voters on campus vote against the war in Lebanon before voting for major parties on campus such as Labor, Liberal, the Greens and other independent groups. |
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PROTEST AGAINST WAR IN LEBANON (More Photos)
 On Thursday August 17, 2006, the Melbourne University Lebanese Students Association (MULSA), the Australian Lebanese Students Association at La Trobe University (ALSA) and the Australian Lebanese Youth Association (ALYA) organized a joint protest in the city condemning the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and calling for the ceasefire agreement reached on August 14 to be maintained permanently and implemented fully. The protest was also attended and supported by the Australians for Lebanon group (AFL). The hundreds of university students who attended the protest also called for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, an end to the air, sea and land blockade of Lebanon, as well as calling upon the Australian government to increase its humanitarian aid to the affected population.
At 1pm, students from Melbourne University, lead by MULSA, assembled for a speak out on campus and marched over to the state library, arriving there at 2pm. At the state library they were met by members of ALYA and students from La Trobe University who were lead by ALSA, as well as many students from RMIT University, Monash University and other campuses. After hearing a few speakers at the state library, the students marched towards the Bourke Street intersection with Swanston Street to listen to a few more speakers, stopping traffic on this busy intersection for about 30 minutes. Many chants were also shouted out by the protestors such as 'Eh Yalla! Israel Tla3e Barra!" Hundreds of onlookers in the city stopped to listen to the speakers, many deciding to take part in the protest. The students then proceeded to Flinders Street and staged a 'die in' on the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street to commemorate the hundreds of Lebanese civilians that were killed by the Israeli attacks. Draped in Lebanese flags stained in red to represent blood, the protestors also blocked off this very busy intersection for 30 minutes to listen to a further couple of speakers.
Besides the anti-war calls of the protestors, ALYA, MULSA and ALSA managed to raise a great deal of money for the affected Lebanese population. The 'Aid Lubnan' tins were circulated around the protest and a large number of people donated generously. Congratulations to all who were involved in such a successful event. A big thank you to everyone who attended and supported human rights in Lebanon. |
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LEBANESE CONSULATE ESSAY CONTEST (More Photos)
 The Lebanese essay contest organized by the Melbourne Lebanese consulate and supported by ALYA was a highly successful event. A total of 14 entries were submitted for two major prizes. Both the winner and runner-up would be awarded with a free return trip to Lebanon as well as a short hotel stay and a bus tour around the country. The competition ran during a period when many young Lebanese were faced with assignments and exams. Despite this, the submission of 14 entries was great and provided very strong competition. It’s worth mentioning that 9 of the 14 entrants were members of either ALYA or ALYA-affiliated groups such as MULSA (Melbourne University Lebanese Students Association) and ALSA (Australian Lebanese Students Association).
On Friday June 23, a cocktail party was held to celebrate the event as well as to announce the winners. The celebration was successful in all departments, with a large turnout, first-class catering and a list of high-calibre guest speakers that included Carlton premiership player Mil Hanna. First prize was awarded to ALYA member Lynette Sejean, while second prize went to MULSA member Nadim Haddad. Congratulations to Lynette and Nadim who have both been great ambassadors to Lebanon. Further congratulations to the remaining 12 entrants whose essays were also of a high standard.
The event would not have been so successful without the major contributions of the Lebanese consul to Melbourne, His Excellency Dr. John Makaron. Dr. Makaron played a lead role in the organisation of the event and must be congratulated for providing the Lebanese Australian youth with such a great opportunity. Further thanks to Mr. Mohammad Soubra and Mr. Fadi Zouki who were the major sponsors of the event. Finally, a special thanks also goes out to Sheikh Fehmi Naji El-Imam and Mr. Trevor Batrouney who judged the entries and graced us with their presence at the celebration. |
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TRIVIA NIGHT (More Photos)
 The burble of the sheeshas was heavily outweighed by the screams of the crowded teams as they hurriedly answered questions and participated in the first ALYA held Trivia Night on Wednesday 17th of May, 2006 at Ya Leil ya 3ein Sheshas on Lygon St, Carlton. With over fifty people in attendance, the event proved to be a great night out and a frenzied venture into the perils of Trivia questions. Eight teams in all participated in five rounds that included questions about Geography, History & Politics, Sport, Australiana, Entertainment and of course; Lebanon.
In what seemed to be typically Lebanese fashion, most of the teams arrived late but the night was soon underway with the team from 3al Hawa Arabic Radio Program in the lead after three rounds. Furthermore, their team member Joel had already won the Ouf competition and it seemed the team would be unstoppable. However, their downfall became the Sports round in which they were taken over by the F’houli team lead by Tony. The F’houli team managed to hold on through the last round and win just ahead of 3al Hawa and the NQR team. Congratulations to Tony, Charbel, Wayne, Angelo and Bernard on winning the $300 First Prize.
ALYA would like to Thank Ya Leil ya 3ein Sheeshas for donating their venue for the night. Many thanks also to the Auxilia Angels, 3al Hawa, MULSA and the UALM for attending on the night as well to Mike Helal, Elie Khalil and Mounir Kiwan for their fantastic organisation on the night. Thanks also to Executive Committee members Omar Seoud and Zeina Zogheib for their attendance on the night.
1st Prize - $300 – The F’houli
2nd Prize – Lebanon Caps – NQR (MULSA team)
3rd Prize – Maps and Lebanon Brochures – 3al Hawa
Other Teams in Attendence:
Auxilia Angels, The Rolling Stones, Team A1 Bakery, Team Gha’mi & Team Sheilas |
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MOVIE NIGHT (More Photos)
 The MULSA movie night held in April at Melbourne University was a highly successful event, attracting an audience of approximately 55 people. The movie that was screened, ‘Bosta’, is a road musical that traces the route of a dabke dance group who tour around Lebanon to perform. It also deals with many other aspects of Lebanese culture. A large portion of the crowd was non-Lebanese and was assisted with English subtitles. Many were highly entertained by the cultural aspects of the movie and are looking forward to further screenings of movies about Lebanon. |
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MELBOURNE UNI ORIENTATION - 2006 (More Photos)
 After many years in the waiting, Melbourne University finally experienced the appearance of a Lebanese club on campus (MULSA - Melbourne University Lebanese Students Association). Such a presence was exhibited through MULSA's participation and valuable contribution to the orientation days that were held on the 23rd & 24th of February, 2006.
The MULSA stand featured a spectacular banner, a laptop that was playing tourism DVDs of Lebanon throughout the orientation period, a derbakke, a oud, a water bree', Lebanese flags and Lebanese sweets for sale. Many interested students approached the table to watch the DVD footage of Lebanon while the Lebanese sweets were a complete hit. A few people also tried drinking from the bree' and many enjoyed to opportunity to play the derbakke and the oud. The most exciting aspect of the stall was the fact that over 50 people signed to become members of the club, the overwhelming majority of whom were not Lebanese.
A further contribution of MULSA to orientation was the performance by Jupiter's Lebanese dabke dance group. In traditional dance costume and in the intense heat that was Friday afternoon, Jupiter dancers Fouad, Charbel and Elie managed to entertain the crowd and attract a sizable audience. The performance culminated in the common dabke where other members of MULSA and members of ALYA and friends joined in to form a dabke chain that really impressed the crowd. A few members from the general crowd also joined in. The feedback was extremely positive. Many interested onlookers expressed extreme interest in undertaking dabke classes while others were amazed by the music and enquired about ways of obtaining the songs. The CD that Jupiter's danced to was even given away.
MULSA's contribution to Melbourne Uni orientation was extremely successful. Many many thanks to MULSA president Mohammad Tabbara and public relations officer Elie Khalil for their huge efforts in helping organising MULSA's participation. Special thanks also to Eddie Haikal (MULSA vice-president) for his contribution. The success of the event heavily depended on the contribution of all who managed to attend and support MULSA.
A special mention also to Melbourne University graduates Mounir Kiwan. Although Mounir doesn't currently attend Melbourne Uni, he was present with MULSA throughout the entire orientation period, assisted with the setup and helped run the stand. |
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2005 AUSTRALIAN LEBANESE FESTIVAL (More Photos)
 The heart of Melbourne came alive in a sea of red, white and green as the inaugural Australian Lebanese Festival presented by ALYA opened Melbourne to the pleasures and comforts of Lebanese culture, lifestyle and charm. Raising the Lebanese flags alongside Australia’s flag at Federation Square was a moment that the entirety of ALYA’s working team was waiting for. To see the cedar trees blowing in the wind next to the union jack and Southern Cross of the Australian flags in the heart of multi-cultural Melbourne is a memory that will stick with all who ventured down to the festival. It was the first time that the Lebanese had decided to bring their unique style and party atmosphere to be displayed to all of Melbourne. ALYA was successful in bringing the Lebanese from the suburbs and into the limelight as an integral part of Melbourne’s unique cosmopolitan lifestyle. This was emphasized with the many video link messages by Melbourne’s most prominent personalities including Lord Major John So and State Opposition Leader Robert Doyle amongst others, that were projected on the Federation Square large screen throughout the day.
After a week of meager forecasts, Saturday 26th of November held up and became a day of sun, fun and excitement. Federation Square filled with large crowds of Lebanese and non-Lebanese eager to begin their celebration of all things Lebanese. The stage was set-up beautifully with suspended Lebanese and Australian banners, sponsorship logos, led by Hugo Lounge and the elaborate set-up of the band that would become the key to the day’s excitement. After being warmed up all day with one-man shows and belly dancing and dabke groups, the crowd really came alive with the performances of George Touma, Louis Karttoura and Ahmed Abou-Eid who never wavered in their passion singing for Lebanon and the Lebanese. Louis and Ahmed sang well into the night to an adoring crowd that swelled as the sun went down. The concert atmosphere was then evident with a large grouping of teens and young adults dancing in front of the stage well into the night.
During the day, ALYA’s own Jupiters Lebanese Dabke group wowed the crowd with two performances that included a rendition of traditional Dabket Lubnan and newer, modern style dances. Their interpretation of ‘Tannoura’ was a crowd favourite and will be remembered indefinitely for its incorporation of modern and traditional Lebanese dance. Their performance was only matched by that of a young blind Lebanese boy who played the Darbaké like he was a twenty-year professional, the hearts of those in the crowd went out to him as he flawlessly played with enthusiasm and passion. Special mention must also go to the band led by Audi and his own Dabke group that entertained with well rehearsed professionalism and also to Hip to Hip Belly Dancing group that amazing performed with up to six belly dancers on stage at once.
Another great attraction of the day was the various and well prepared stalls and tents. ALYA’s own culture and history tent attracted much attention during the day with the portrayal of Lebanon’s history to Independence, a board of famous Lebanese emigrants and artifacts of a typical Lebanese lifestyle. The ALYA information tent also fared well with its promotion of tourism to Lebanon, information about Lebanon and books and pamphlets exposing the public to the beauty that is the nation of Lebanon. Special thanks must go to the ALYA team for comprehensively organising such a fantastic display.
Closer to the stage, the Hugo Lounge and Sahara Nights sponsored tents maintained a party atmosphere through-out the day. Sahara tent Argili pipe smoking attracted a crowd through-out the day and was always full with those who wanted to enjoy an Argili and a nice sit down with friends. The joy of outdoor Argili smoking in the heart of Melbourne’s Federation Square was evident in the smiles on the faces of those in the Sahara tent. Special thanks to the major sponsor Hugo Lounge and also to Sahara Nights for a fantastic display of a traditional Lebanese pastime.
Finally, down by the river, the food stalls blended much loved Sajj, Falafel, Kebab and Mankoush into a culinary delight of Lebanese cuisine and tastes. Special thanks to all those involved in the food preparation especially A1 Bakery, the woman of the Sajj, Falafel Moody, Kebab House and Balance Finance. Jumping castles and face-painting also kept the children entertained. While over by the road, the business stalls were full with wonders and attractions, from children’s toys to mobile phones and travel tickets. Special thanks again to sponsors and participants including Cedarjet Travel and others for their attendance in the festival. Congratulations also to Bashar for winning the Cedarjet raffle first prize of a ticket to Lebanon; enjoy!
The crowds continued to grow over the course of the day and all who attended enjoyed the display of Lebanon and the Lebanese in Federation Square. Feedback from the event has been encouraging and positive and ALYA is proud to be associated with the excitement and prestige that comes with presenting the Lebanese culture to a greater Melbourne audience. ALYA would like to thank all involved but specifically major sponsor Hugo Lounge; without their support the festival would not have been able to go ahead. Further appreciation is shown for associate sponsors; specifically, A1 Bakery, NSM Foods, Sahara Nights and also to Cedarjet Travel for their kind raffle donation. All ALYA members must also be congratulated on their hard work and effort without which the festival would not have been a reality. A list of those specific ALYA members who contributed to the day can be seen below. Thanks to all, a fantastic day out, viva Lebanon! |
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LEBANON DAY AT LA TROBE UNIVERSITY (More Photos)
 Walking into the Agora, you could easily have mistaken yourself for being on the grounds of AUB, LU or any of Beirut’s other major universities. Lebanese flags adorned every corner of the student square, along walls, on trees, posts, railings and even suspended from string over the grass centre of the square. Students filled the square to have their lunch and watch the performance that was to become the first ALSA (Australian Lebanese Student’s Association) presented Latrobe University Lebanon Day on October 13. What eventuated was the most exciting cultural event the University has seen with Lebanese vibrancy entertaining the hundreds of people in the crowd, with an array of traditional foods, argheeli (traditional Lebanese flavoured pipe) and musical entertainment.
A tabel (traditional Lebanese drum) player arrived to start the festivities and quickly made his way through the crowd, announcing with his drumming that Lebanon had come to Latrobe University. ALSA members were also quickly in tow serving delightful Lebanese sweets to the crowd. Centre stage, the crowd was captivated with traditional Lebanese music and folk dancing as Jupiter’s Lebanese Dabke group made their second successful public appearance and wowed the crowd with their blend of traditional and modern Dabke moves. The group performed a range of songs as students continued to fill the Agora over the lunch break before the performance of the beautiful belly-dancer mesmerized the audience. Soon, the performers became the crowd itself as a line of Dabke emerged and snaked its way around the Agora led by the antics and enthusiasm of the tabel player, ALSA members and Jupiter’s.
With entertainment loud and exciting, students took to the traditional Lebanese argheeli stand with eagerness. Twenty argheeli pipes were presented and were quickly used by the students sitting on the Agora grass centre. Traditional Lebanese foods such as Hummus and Tabouli were also a crowd favourite with a long queue from the food stand stretching around the Agora eager to taste the homemade cuisine. On the other side of the square, the cultural desk presented the scenic wonders of Lebanon on posters and in pamphlets. All in all, it was a fantastic day and a great success. Many thanks to ALSA and its committee members for organising the event. |
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