Girls Give Red Card to FIFA’s Hijab Ban

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 06.06.2010 (WFS): As the winter sun descends, young girls warm up for football training in their shorts and shirts at the Lakemba Sport and Recreation Club (LSRC) in Sydney, Australia. Some are also wearing a ‘hijab’, or headscarf, the traditional Islamic accessory used to cover the head.

Although a common sight in multicultural Australia, the ‘hijab’ has come under the spotlight as soccer’s world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), had banned it from competition in April this year.  FIFA’s rules state that players may not wear jewellery or dangerous headgear such as hair clips, and that “basic compulsory equipment must not have any political, religious or personal statements”.

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Zoroastrians Keep Old Traditions Alive in Australia

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 21.03.2010 (Women’s Feature Service): It’s a Sunday morning, a fire is burning on a silver urn in the sanctum sanctorum as about 30 children pray with a priest in the main hall of the Darbe Meher, place of worship and community activities for Zoroastrians, in the Sydney suburb of Annangrove.

Nestling amidst verdant surroundings with a tranquil billabong (pool of water) and fruit trees, the Darbe Meher has become the epicentre of learning and festivities for Zoroastrians, who have migrated to Australia from India, Pakistan and Iran since the 1960s.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2006 Census data, there are 2110 people (1156 males and 954 females) practising Zoroastrianism, the pre-Christian faith founded in Persia (Iran) by Prophet Zarathushtra who believed in a single God, Ahura Mazda.

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Watch Bollywood films to know Indians: Rani Mukerji

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 20.03.2010 (IANS) Cinema can go a long way in promoting positive bilateral relations between Australia and India, especially Bollywood films as they are “all about heart”, said Rani Mukerji, who was here as chief guest at the 2010 Indian Film Festival – Bollywood and Beyond.

“Cinema showcases different cultures and Indian films are all about our culture, our traditions, human relations and all about heart. So when Australians watch Indian films, they will get to know Indians better and that will help in knowing each other better,” Rani told IANS in an exclusive interview.

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