Curious about Ramadan? Everything you wanted to know but hadn't got around to asking is below.

Across the world, Muslims are in the midst of Ramadan. The document below, in question and answer form, gives an insight into what Ramadan is about.

Religions for Peace - New Faiths for Earth Campaign

Religions for Peace is the world's largest and most representative multi-religious coalition dedicated to advancing common action among the world religious communities for peace. Religions for Peace works to transform violent conflict, advance human development, promote just and harmonious societies, and protect the earth. The global Religions for Peace network comprises a World Council of senior religious leaders from all regions of the world; six regional inter-religious bodies and more than ninety national ones; and the Global Women of Faith Network and Global Interfaith Youth Network.

THE WALMARTIZATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE USA AND ABBOTT GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS TO CHANGE AUSTRALIA'S UNIVERSAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

In recent times, Networkers will have heard of the proposals put forward to the Abbott Government which would impact the Australian idea and ideal of a state-run universal education system which is free and secular. I have received to-day the letter which is published below, 24 June 2015, and I believe I can see in this American document the seeds of the proposals before the Abbott Government.

BACKGROUND ON AUSTRALIAN INVOLVEMENT WITH WALMART
Over the years, The Network has published a number of posts relating to Walmart and to the former Woolworths CEO and Walmart Board Member, Roger Corbett.  Corbett, a former CEO of Woolworths, is well known across corporate circles in Australia and sits on a variety of corporate boards.  When Corbett retired from his position at Woolworths, it was expected that his next-in-line, Greg Foran, would fill his shoes.  This did not happen.  Greg Foran was passed over for his own next-in-line.  It was only a short while before Foran resigned from Woolworths. A short while later and Foran surfaced at Walmart head office in Arkansas, USA. A short while later, Foran was in China fixing up some very serious problems there.  Here are links which will give an idea of the changes Foran wants to bring to Walmart.

Walmart is notorious for the fact that a full-time worker can still have to survive on food stamps (American welfare/social security payments).  Foran, on appointment, announced that wages would be increased.  Gender and race discrimination have been part and parcel of working life at Walmart.  If you are black, progression has been difficult. If you are a woman, progression has been difficult. If you are black and female, forget progression!  This appears to be changing too.

Now, in 2015, Woolworths is behind the eight-ball in Australia with Aldi and Coles the forerunners. Things have not been going well for Woolies.  People are being laid off and the CEO (appointed instead of Foran) has stepped down.  Now the question is being asked - Will Greg Foran return to lead Woolworths out of its dire straits?

It is unlikely that the CEO of Walmart has anything to do with the Walton Family Foundation mentioned below. Networkers will note reference to "charter schools".  Here is one definition of such schools.  It is not clear - yet - what is the exact expectation to be crystallised from the proposal to the Abbott Government.  However, it is fair to say that Abbott and/or his supporters are considering changes to the Australian public education system which will take it away from the system that Australians have known and of which they are justifiably proud.  

Making Change At Walmart info@changewalmart.org via bounce.bluestatedigital.com	05:09 (16 hours ago)

Dear Brigid, Apparently, the Waltons aren’t satisfied with owning the largest low-wage employer in the country and being the richest family in the world. They’ve also been working (and by “working” we mean “spending”) overtime to undermine America’s K-12 education system. A new report out today from Cashing in on Kids shows the Walton Family Foundation is spending billions to implement a hardcore ideological agenda of replacing public schools with a privatized system that will be open to exploitation by private corporations. To put it succinctly, the Waltons are hell-bent on the “Walmartization” of public education. In addition to the billions spent by the Walton Family Foundation in pursuit of this agenda, members of the Walton family have funneled millions of dollars to education-related ballot measures and politicians who back their agenda. Stop the Walmartization of America’s public schools. Tell the Waltons to hold charter schools accountable. Sign the petition here. Lest there be any doubt, the Waltons’ meddling in education policy seriously threatens America’s historic commitment to the principle of free and equal access to public education. As the new report reveals, the Walton Family Foundation puts their money behind reforms that undermine the promise of universal public education in three key ways: By diverting taxpayer dollars from public schools to privately operated schools that are not required to admit and educate all students. By supporting efforts to close down public schools in poor neighborhoods and lay off experienced teachers in order to make room for privately-operated schools staffed by recent college graduates with only 5 weeks of teacher training. By blocking legislation to ensure public oversight and accountability of privately-operated schools funded with taxpayer dollars. To add insult to injury, the Waltons (who collect $8.5 million/day in stock dividends from low-wage Walmart) claim their education reform agenda will help lift children out of poverty. Of course, if the Waltons really care about lifting children out of poverty, they can act today – right now – to implement a $15/hour minimum wage at the country’s largest private employer, Walmart. We’re waiting... In the meantime, click here to sign the petition, and share it on social media. Tell the Walmart heirs to hold charter schools accountable. This email was sent to misseaglesnetwork@gmail.com | Unsubscribe

LEGAL NOTICE: UFCW and OUR Walmart have the purpose of helping Walmart employees as individuals or groups in their dealings with Walmart over labor rights and standards and their efforts to have Walmart publicly commit to adhering to labor rights and standards. UFCW and OUR Walmart have no intent to have Walmart recognize or bargain with UFCW or OUR Walmart as the representative of Walmart employees.

Quaker Bonnets and Queensland Bombing - Talisman Saber 2015 at Shoalwater Bay

Not a lot is known, up close and personal, in Australia about the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Australia.  The main cause of this is that there aren't many of them/us. About 3000 people identified as Quakers at the last census.  This came as a bit of surprise - because the most knowledgable Friends (as Quakers prefer to be called), as well as the records of Friends, could only account for somewhat over 1,000.  For those who know about Quakers, there is usually one stand-out factor - they are pacifists and active campaigners for peace.  Please go here to learn more of The Quaker Peace Testimony.  Quakers also keenly maintain their history with women in many places taking to needle and thread in preservation of the Quaker story.  The Editor of The Network can testify personally to the needlework and design skills of Tessa.  The event to which Helen refers is the Shoalwater Bay Peace Convergence 2015 which coincides with and is a protest against Exercise Talisman Saber 2015.

~~~~~~~~~~

Helen Bayes

Shared publicly  -  10:23

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours with my dear Friend Tessa Spratt mending our Quaker bonnets in preparation for the quakergrannies4peace witness at Shoalwater Bay, next month. Tessa's bonnet has a note inside the brim that it was made in 1860 and it is all hand-stitched. Mine is machine chainstitched and probably dates around 1880s. You can be sure they will be worn with joy at actions in Rockhampton and Shoalwater Bay.

2015-06-23

2 photos

The Billy-Lids Song : a project of the Grandmothers Against the Detention of Refugee Children - Melbourne Ports

Great song. See who you can recognise. To me, Margaret Roadnight's voice is instantly recognisable.Thanks to Brigid Walsh for introducing me to this group of Artists.
Posted by Denis Wilson on Tuesday, 23 June 2015

And there is another interesting site for the song here

PAPAL ENCYCLICAL - PRAISE BE TO YOU - ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME

Posted with permission from Advocacy

The latest papal encyclical was released to-day, 19 June 2015 AEST - 18 June in The Vatican.  The encyclical will take time to read closely and carefully, to digest it, and comment thoughtfully upon it.

Advocacy is indebted to Crux in providing the encyclical in a number of formats to make it easily accessible to people.  Advocacy has embedded the encyclical in this post where it can be read on-line or downloaded.  However, it is also available on Crux here in linked chapter by chapter outline for easy access and reading. Linked here is the encyclical as it was posted on The Vatican website.  Crux also contains recent commentary.

Comment

ABC - Australia: Key excerpts from the Pope's encyclical on the environment

The Age - Neil Ormerod: Pope Francis's views on global warming cold comfort for Canberra

The Guardian: The pope's encyclical on climate change - as it happened

The Washington Post: Ten key excerpts 

The Sydney Morning Herald:  

Papal environment encyclical a win for the Greens, challenge for Abbott

Green Left Weekly Activist Calendar 15-06-17

Activist Calendar, June 17

Rally: World Refugee Day Sunday, June 21, 2pm. City Square, cnr Swanston & Collins Sts, City. (Also pop-up protests around Melbourne CBD from 1pm. See Facebook for details.) For more info contact Marie 0409 252 673. Rally: Stop the forced closures Friday, June 26, 3pm. Its that time again for the people of Melbourne from all colours, backgrounds and walks of life to stand up against the forced closures of Aboriginal communities. We have a right to stay on our homelands, we have a right to practise our culture and we have a responsibility to stand up for our brothers and sisters impacted by racist policies, particularly in WA, SA and NT. Flinders Street Station.Organised by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance. Film screening: Freedom or Death Friday, July 3, 6:30pm (meal from 6pm). 2014 documentary that went undercover to record the terrible condiditions faced by asylum seekers in Indonesia, Australia and Nauru. Guest speaker: Mohammad Ali Baqiri, asylum seeker who was locked up on Nauru. $8/$5. Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City (opposite RMIT). Organised by Socialist Alliance. For more info ph 9639 8622. Facebook event

Green Left Weekly Comedy Debate:Abbott is the root of all evil Friday, July 24, 6:30 pm (for 8pm start). Master of ceremonies: Rod Quantock. With the comic talents of:Ali MC, Kirsty Mac, Minister of UnAustralian Affairs, Morven Smith, Evan Thompson; other TBA. bar & meal available from 6:30pm. Brunswick Town Hall, cnr Sydney Rd & Dawson St, Brunswick. Tickets: $50 solidarity, $30 regular, $22 low-waged, $12 unwaged. Bookings essential. Book online athttp://www.trybooking.com/HYDM or phone 9639 8622. A fundraiser for the progressive, non-profit newspaper Green Left Weekly.

This is the regular Melbourne activist calendar compiled by Green Left Weekly. Emailed to subscribers each Wednesday fortnight, it is a one-stop listing of the main left and progressive events in Melbourne and Geelong. Since it began in early 1991, Green Left Weekly has offered an indispensable alternative to the lies of the big-business media and has helped build the various movements for social change. To subscribe to Green Left Weekly, visit our secure online website for rates and payment or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206. You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong we are at the Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4:30pm, Fri 10am-4:30pm); ph 5222 6900. New email address? Not already receiving this calendar regularly? Want to subscribe someone else? Let us know at Greenleft Melbourne.

Wednesday, June 17 Moreland North-East Ward residents' meeting. Sue Bolton holds regular ward meetings to give residents an opportunity to meet their local councillor. People can raise whatever issues they like. 7pm. Coburg Senior Citizens Centre, 21 Harding St, Coburg (beside Coburg Bowling Club). Anyone is welcome, regardless of whether you live in the North-East Ward or not. The North-East ward covers part of Brunswick (north of Albion St & east of Melville Rd), Coburg, North Coburg, Merlynston, Fawkner and part of Pascoe Vale (east of Derby St). Ring Sue on 0417 583 664 if you can’t attend but would like to raise an issue. Film screening: Tofu Man. We are thrilled to take part in Refugee Week 2015, with a one off screening of short film Tofu Man, followed by Samba. All proceeds will be donated to the West Welcome Wagon and the Hobsons Bay Refugee Network. 7pm.Sun Theatre, 8 Ballarat Street, Yarraville. To book visit Sun Theatre. Thursday, June 18 Public meeting: Emerge in Yarra: Refugee Week Q&A Panel.Featuring: Julian Burnside, Abe Nouk; MC: Arnold Zable. Performance by Afrovival! 6pm. Emerge Festival Hub, Reading Room, Fitzroy Town Hall, 201 Napier St, Fitzroy.Entry free. Bookings essential: phone 9205 5174. Saturday, June 20 Festival of Hope: World Refugee Day. Amnesty Refugee Network, in partnership with Moreland City Council, will host the festival to advocate for an inclusive and diverse Australia, encompassing a compassionate and humane refugee policy. During the day you'll find a showcase of refugee-produced and refugee-themed art, goods for sale, activism workshops and multicultural activities, and in the evening a discussion panel, performance art, poetry and music. Entry by donation during the day. Buy ticket for evening activities and music performances (available closer to date). 12-10pm. Brunswick Town Hall, 233 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. For more info contact Shek. Sunday, June 21 Rally: World Refugee Day.  2pm. City Square, cnr Swanston & Collins Sts, City. (Also pop-up protests around Melbourne CBD from 1pm. Find pop-up protest sites at Refugee Advocacy Network.) For more info contact Marie 0409 252 673. Wednesday, June 24 Public meeting: How can we get Labor to oppose offshore detention? Speakers:Ged Kearney, Damien Kingsbury, Aran Mylvaganam and Pamela Curr. 6:30pm.Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South. Organised by Labor for Refugees, Refugee Advocacy Network and the Refugee Action Collective. Thursday, June 25 CSIRO staff mass meeting. Protest against changed work conditions and job losses. 10-11am. Melbourne Town Hall, cnr Collins & Swanston Sts, City. Friday, June 26 Rally: Stop the forced closures. Its that time again for the people of Melbourne from all colours, backgrounds and walks of life to stand up against the forced closures of Aboriginal communities. We have a right to stay on our homelands, we have a right to practise our culture and we have a responsibility to stand up for our brothers and sisters impacted by racist policies, particularly in WA, SA and NT.  3pm. Flinders Street Station. Organised by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance. Book launch: Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland. Author Anne Cadwallader is visiting Australia in June to promote her bestselling book. 4pm. Celtic Club, cnr La Trobe & Queen Sts, City. Event is free and open to the public without prior booking. Saturday, June 27 - Wednesday, July 8 Radioactive Exposure Tour. Run by Friends of the Earth, the Radioactive Exposure Tour is a journey through Australia's nuclear landscape. The tour has exposed thousands of people to the realities of 'radioactive racism' and the environmental and social impacts of uranium mining, radioactive waste and nuclear expansion. This year, we're travelling to NSW in light of recent uranium exploration and continuing on to South Australia. Among other things the tour will visit BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam uranium mine at Roxby Downs. We'll hear first-hand accounts of the British nuclear bomb tests at Maralinga and Emu Field. We will attend the Sustainability Conference in Adelaide. For more info visit Radioactive Tour. Saturday, June 27 Big Red Book Fair. Find thousands of titles, all genres, lots of fiction, non-fiction, second-hand and recently published. From 10am. Please contact us if you have any books you can donate. Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South. For more info ph 9662 3744 or email NIBS. Organised by New International Bookshop. Fundraiser: Punks for West Papua. Featuring: Bastard Squad; Wolfpack; Cabin Fever; Liquor Snatch; M.C.H.D; NMA; Ferocious Chode; Stoned to Death. 3pm. The Brunswick Hotel, 140 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. Monday, June 29 Fundraiser: The Concrete Gang community radio show. Help keep 3CR's Concrete Gang show on air. Live music. Top feed. Live Concrete Gang show. 11am onward.Palace Hotel, 505 City Rd, South Melbourne. $30. Tuesday, June 30 Book launch: The Thalidomide scandal, a long road to justice. Thalidomide was an over-the-counter ‘wonder drug’, marketed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s to treat morning sickness and anxiety. It’s estimated that as many as 10,000 babies worldwide may have been born with deformities because their mothers had taken the drug. Michael Magazanik has written Silent Shock, a book that unpacks the incredible story of one struggle against the drug companies who sought to evade responsibility. 6:15pm. The Wheeler, 176 Little Lonsdale St, City. This is a free event. Bookings are recommended. Wednesday, July 1 Protest: Fight the fines on the jobless! From July 1 the unemployed can be fined for failing to attend a 'job search' appointment with their Employment Service Provider. It's time to fight back! 470 Collins St, City (outside Max Employment). Organised by Australian Unemployment Union. Thursday, July 2 Public meeting: Public images of WW1, Myth & reality. Former war correspondent Jill Jolliffe untangles the truths and misconceptions of WWI. Through material found in the State Library’s collection, she reveals how reporting influenced public perception. 6pm. Red Rotunda, Cowen Gallery, State Library. Free, but book online. Public meeting: Next steps against family violence. Speakers: Rosie Batty, Hugh de Kretser (Human Rights Law Centre), Elizabeth Broderick (Sex Discrimination Commissioner), Kirstie Parker (co-chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples & the National Justice Coalition). Presented by Human Rights Law Centre & Women's Legal Service. 6:15pm. Melbourne City Conference Centre, 333 Swanston St, City. $20/$12. Bookings here. Friday, July 3 Film screening: Freedom or Death. 2014 documentary that went undercover to record the terrible condiditions faced by asylum seekers in Indonesia, Australia and Nauru. Guest speaker: Mohammad Ali Baqiri, asylum seeker who was locked up on Nauru. 6:30pm (meal from 6pm). $8/$5. Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City (opposite RMIT). Organised by Socialist Alliance. For more info ph 9639 8622. Wednesday, July 8 - Thursday, July 9 Independent and Peaceful Australia Network Conference. Brisbane. Come to hear Senator Scott Ludlam, Professor Richard Tanter and Professor Kozue Akibayashi address why our 'Dangerous Allies' are threatening our security and why we need an independent and peaceful national agenda. Then join with others from 50 peace groups around Australia in developing our national network focussed on contributing to this agenda. For details and registration visit IPAN. For further information contact Annette 0431 59 7256. Friday, July 10 Rally: NAIDOC march. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920′s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians. 10am. Aboriginal Health Service, 186 Nicholson St, Fitzroy. Saturday, July 18 Rally: Protest against Reclaim Australia. 10am. Flagstaff Gardens, cnr La Trobe & King Sts, City.   Friday, July 24 Green Left Weekly Comedy Debate: Abbott is the root of all evil. MC: Rod Quantock. With the comic talents of: Ali MC, Kirsty Mac, Minister of UnAustralian Affairs, Morven Smith, Evan Thompson; other TBA. 6:30 pm (for 8pm start). bar & meal available from 6:30pm. Brunswick Town Hall, cnr Sydney Rd & Dawson St, Brunswick. Tickets: $50 solidarity, $30 regular, $22 low-waged, $12 unwaged. Bookings essential. Book online at http://www.trybooking.com/HYDM or phone 9639 8622. A fundraiser for the progressive, non-profit newspaper Green Left Weekly.

Friday, June 19 Red Cinema: Under the Dome. China's Pollution Crisis. Dinner 6:30pm, film from 7pm.Downstairs, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St, Geelong. Entry by donation. Organised by Socialist Alliance. For more info ph 5222 6900. Thursday, June 25 CSIRO staff mass meeting. Protest against changed work conditions and job losses. 10-11am. Trades Hall, 127 Myers St, Geelong.

Australia Kurdistan Solidarity. Meets regularly to build solidarity with the Kurdish freedom struggle in Rojava (liberated zone in northern Syria), Turkey and elsewhere. For campaign and open letter to have the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) removed from the Australian list of terrorist organisations see Lift the ban on the PKK. For information ph Gulay 0412 926 706 or Aran 0410 197 814. Australian Unemployment Union. The Australian Unemployment Union is an organisation by the unemployed, for the unemployed. Our mission is to protect the common interests of the 750,000+ Australians who are currently unemployed. For more information visit AUE or Facebook. Australian West Papua Association (AWPA). Struggles against the Indonesian occupation of West Papua and against environmental destruction and resource theft. For info 9510 2193 or email AWPA. Climate Action Moreland. Meets regularly to develop action on climate change in the Moreland area. For information ph Andrea on 0424 508 535 or email CAM. Friends of the Earth's Anti-Nuclear & Clean Energy (ACE) collective. Meets every second Tuesday. FoE office, 312 Smith St, Collingwood. For meeting times & more info email Zin. Indigenous Social Justice Association. The Indigenous Social Justice Association was established in January 2005 campaigns to permanently stop Aboriginal deaths in custody. During 2013, ISJA will meet the first Thursday of every month. For more info visit ISJA. Quit Coal: No New Coal Power for Victoria. A Melbourne-based collective which campaigns against expansion of the coal industry in Victoria. We believe this is important because building new coal infrastructure locks in decades of dirty, old technology, when we should be moving towards clean, renewable energy. Quit Coal meets each Wednesday at 6pm, at FOE, 312 Smith St, Collingwood. For more info visit Quit Coal or email us. Refugee Action Collective. Established in 2000, RAC is a democratic, grassroots activist collective, representing a broad cross section of the community. It aims to mobilise opposition to Australia's inhuman refugee policies. For more info ph 0413 377 978 or visit RAC. Timor Sea Justice Campaign. For info visit TSJC, email Tom Clarke or ph 0422 545 763. Victorian Climate Action Calendar. Online updates are available at http://vcac.org.au/calendar/.

Recent articles from Green Left Weekly Secrecy hides abuse of refugees and government criminality Wendy Bacon: Domestic violence 'beyond crisis' Mass protests as G7 commits to climate chaos Unite against racism, Islamophobia and fascism Check out Green Left TV: See Save the Ballerrt Mooroop school site To subscribe to Green Left Weekly visit our secure online website for rates and payment or call our national hotline on 1800 634 206. Join us on Facebook. You can also contact us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4.30pm, Fri 10am-4.30pm); ph 5222 6900. Links: 'Socialism for the 21st century' Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal is a journal for the post-Cold War left; a journal that rejects the Stalinist distortion of the socialist project; a journal that takes into account ecological questions; a journal that is taking steps to bring together the forces for socialism in the world today; a journal that aspires to unite Marxists from different political traditions because it discusses openly and constructively. Links seeks to promote the international exchange of information, experiences of struggle, theoretical analysis and views on strategies and tactics within the international left. Turkey's left party leader Selahattin Demirtaş' call for 'new way of life': radical democracy Pakistan: No run-of-the-mill election campaign for political prisoner Baba Jan Spain: 'The elections sent us a message: we have to rebuild the United Left' Neoliberal Ukraine’s labour 'reforms' threaten workers' rights Socialist Alliance: Broad, non-sectarian, activist Socialist Alliance is a proud supporter of the Green Left Weekly project and contributes a regular column. Socialist Alliance is a broad, non-sectarian socialist party, dedicated to bringing together all those who want to resist the capitalist assault on our planet and its people and fight for a socialist society that puts people's needs before business profits. Anyone who agrees with the general approach of our policies is welcome to join and organisations are invited to affiliate. For more information visit Socialist Alliance or join us on Facebook. See our recent statements: Stand up against community closures How to fight the growth of the far-right 'Reclaim Australia' movement The last refuge of scoundrel Abbott Contact Socialist Alliance. Join with other socialists in the struggle. Melbourne: Visit us at the Resistance Centre, 5th floor, 407 Swanston St, City; ph 9639 8622. In Melbourne, Socialist Alliance meets on the first Tuesday of each month, 6:30pm, at the Resistance Centre. Geelong: Activist Centre, Trades Hall, 127 Myers St (opening hours: Mon 2-4:30pm, Fri 10am-4:30pm); ph 5222 6900. Moreland Socialists Moreland Socialists is open to anyone (even if you live outside the area) who wants to work constructively to support Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton and use her position to build up a stronger activist left presence in Moreland. In general, we meet monthly and alternate between Coburg and Fawkner. If you want to get involved in the group, email us at Socialist Alliance or phone Sue on 9639 8622 or 0413 377 978. For news and opinion visit Sue's Moreland Report or Facebook.

Resistance Bookshop Just out! An account of the pathbreaking 1980s struggle of women to gain jobs in BHP's Port Kembla steelworks. 76pp, $10. Available from Resistance Bookshop, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, City.