Anzac Commemoration and the Turkish Perspective

Main Article Content

Muzaffer Orel

Abstract

This presentation was made at the ‘Remembering Conflicts: Gallipoli, Coniston and the Frontiers of Violence’ Conference, held at Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Conference, University of Technology, Sydney, on 28 August, 2014. It is a reflection on the commemoration of ANZAC Day and the involvement of the Turkish Community, and emphasizes mutual respect in the understandings of cultural diversity.

Article Details

Section
Non-refereed Articles
Author Biography

Muzaffer Orel

Muzaffer Orel migrated to Australia in 1971 from Turkey. After working in a number of different factories he was Employment Officer for Leyland Australia. Then completed a Diploma in Education at Sydney University and taught for 15 years in Sydney’s inner city schools.

He has been involved in voluntary community work since 1972; first with the Good Neighbour Council as a contact worker and later as president of the Turkish Welfare Association. During this time he was influential in introducing Community Languages in Primary schools and in arranging for Scripture teachers in schools where there were significant numbers of Turkish-speaking students. He was president of the NSW Council of Turkish Associations which in his time united 32 other associations under its banner.  He chaired the Australian – Turkish Day Organising Committee for 4 years and is a founder member of the Turkish Chapter of the RSL Sub – Branch. He founded the Australian – Turkish Scholarship Fund which transferred funds to the Turkish Education Foundation to help underprivileged but academically successful students in Turkey using funds from a permanent account, named From Australia with Love.