“This is not a peace. It is an armistice for twenty years”- Marshal Ferdinand Foch It’s difficult to visualise the Inter-war period, an era buffered so greatly by the horrors of the Second World War that came after it. Hindsight sees … Continue readingTREATY OF VERSAILLES – DOOMED TO FAIL
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset … Continue readingTHE GREAT WAR: WHAT WAS SO GREAT ABOUT IT?
BY JACOB YAP – It has always been easy for me to understand why I never truly loved the Philippines. For one, my Australian upbringing has influenced me tremendously. Born in Australia, I never learned the main dialect of Tagalog, which led to many a … Continue readingFILIPINO – A CULTURE TO BE PROUD OF
BY SARAH SAID – In my mind, with perfect clarity, the afternoon reconstructs itself. It was reserved particularly for Olumide Yinka-Kehinde, a then nineteen something Nigerian-Australian economics and computer science major. A friend, above all else. Following one of his many extracurricular obligations, I watched as he ambled through the automatic gates of Campus … Continue readingDEVELOPING AFRICAN CULTURE IN AUSTRALIA
BY ANGELO LIN – “China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will move the world.” Napoleon Bonaparte China is a unitary multi-national country. Throughout its extensive historical development, people from 56 ethnic groups have come together and have opened … Continue readingCULTURE IN THE AUSTRALIA-CHINA SPACE
The most densely bombed place during World War II, a mix of European and Middle Eastern language and culture, fought over for centuries due to its strategic position, only home to around 460,000 people; and the birthplace of my grandparents – Malta. This small island … Continue readingSMALL COUNTRIES SERIES – MALTA
Having a snack there? Or are you enjoying your breakfast, the most important meal of the day? Is it a processed food that came in neat plastic wrapping, or maybe something from the refrigerator and you’re heating it up in the microwave? You might be … Continue readingSOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BUT HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT FOOD?
Faith and belief are powerful forces. It forms the foundation through which one carries themselves and the motivation it provides for people to live their lives. However, a line gets drawn in the sand when one’s blind belief in something becomes skewed and devoid of … Continue readingTHE DANGERS OF DRINKING THE KOOL-AID
BY HAMAH HOSEN – The phrase has been ingrained into most of our lives since we were children, reminding us to continuously be environmentally conscious. On the face of things, it seems pretty simple. To reduce waste, we can stop using plastic bags. To reuse, … Continue readingREDUCE, REUSE… EXPORT? – THE CURRENT RECYCLING CRISIS
If you pose this question to a person on the street, it would be expected that the answer would be a variation on “absolutely nothing.” While some, may answer “industrial development” or “scientific advancement,” it would not be expected that the answer would be “nationalism” … Continue readingWAR: WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?