Extracts from Newspaper articles...
New Association promotes Arts and Culture and supports the Heart Foundation.
Swarnamali Seneviratne, a lecturer at NTU has pioneered and
founded a new Association, of arts and culture workers in Darwin, by the name of
The Australian Multicultural Arts and Welfare Association (AMAWA Inc.,). The
Association, which was incorporated in April 2002, represents many cultures such as,
the Maoris (from NZ), Sri Lankans, Indians, Anglo Aussies, British, Indonesians,
Chinese and the Timorese. Talking briefly about the objectives of the
Association, Swarnamali said, 'I am looking at promoting multicultural arts,
and also fund raising for charities. I want to bring together many different
groups to perform for one good cause. There are many groups out there who love
to perform and the Association is looking at providing that stage for them while
also channelling the profits to support a charity'.
I presented a cheque to Graham Opie,
Director of NT
Heart Foundation for $1228, Oct 2002
Chief Minister of NT - Hon. Claire Martin
admires Guwan's traditional costume
Swarnamali
was the Vice President of the Multicultural Council of the NT (MCNT), last year,
and was also in the committee for the Festival of Darwin 2001/2002. She is also
an invited member of the Council of the NT School of Languages.
A mother of four very young boys, Swarnamali, holds a Master of English from Monash, a Master of Applied Linguistics from the NTU, P/G Diploma in Education from Monash and is also a piano and voice teacher qualified at London's Royal Collage of Music as well having postgraduate Academic Music qualifications from Monash. Swarnamali also works as a music teacher and runs her own music school for singing and piano lessons in Darwin.
Multicultural Concert in aid of the Heart Foundation:
As the first big move of the Association, Swarnamali's group, The Australian Multicultural Arts and Welfare Association Inc, staged a huge multicultural concert in aid of the Heart Foundation of the NT. The event which was held on 16th Friday, August ,2002, at the Playhouse of the Darwin Entertainment Centre, was a great success and enabled Swarnamali to donate $ 1230.00 to the NT Heart Foundation.
Swarnamali Seneviratne, the President of the Association and the Director of the concert said on the eve of the concert, 'I spoke to the Heart Foundation as I felt that they are a deserving body to receive some funds through this concert. The Foundation is run on donations and it is important that the public at large is made aware of the good and effective work done by them. I have been told that the highest number of heart problems is in the NT. We should do something about this. The Heart Foundation needs all our support to help everyone realize the importance of a healthy lifestyle to avoid heart disease. I want to work hard at this concert, and make this a success so that we collect a substantial amount of money for a great cause, the Heart Foundation'. Swarnamali's earlier multicultural concert in aid of the Cancer Council, NT which was held at the NTU Auditorium last year was a tremendous success. Many cultural groups performed at this show. Swarnamali herself sang in 12 languages and played music for all the other multicultural singers.
The concert, 'Swarna Aradhana 2' in August 2002, in aid of the NT Heart Foundation had many dances by various cultural groups including, Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino, Kiribati, Maori, Brazilian and Canadian performers and more. The 'Top End Golden Harmony Junior Choir' founded, directed and trained by Swarnamali also took part with ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'.
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