Diversity Week 2005 - News

Arab women's leader guest for Diversity Week 2005

The Founder and President of the Arab and Australian Women's Friendship Association, Mrs Nadia Samir Masarweh was the guest speaker at The University of Queensland Vice Chancellor's Equity and Diversity Awards Luncheon on Friday 13 May, 2005 at Customs House.

Diversity Week was introduced in 2003 to promote diversity within the UQ community to encourage improvements to work and study environments.

Diversity Week 2005 ran from May 9 to 13 under the theme Difference-in-Common.

The Vice-Chancellor's Equity and Diversity Awards was presented at the Diversity Week lunch on Friday, May 13, at Customs House by UQ's Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield.

Students and staff were also encouraged to apply for Diversity Week grants of up to $1000 to hold activities during the week.

UQ's Ally Network, a group of students and staff identifying as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual or intersex, was launched on Thursday, May 12 in the SSH Library Conference Room. Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Greenfield, opened the network and Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth attended.

Jazz great James Morrison and a six piece band including vocalist Emma Pask played at the UQ Centre in conjunction with Diversity Week on Monday May 9.  The two-hour concert was organised by UQ's Chaplaincy which is also planned an inter-faith forum on Tuesday, May 10.

UQ's Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Rix, responsible for equity matters, said diversity was one of the University's great strengths.

"The student and staff populations of UQ are highly diverse. Different cultures, races, religions, world views, languages and points of view contribute to the richness of work and life at UQ, and benefit us all," Professor Rix said.

"Diversity represents what universities are about -- understanding ideas and interpretations of the world around us, both cultural and natural. "The diversity awards acknowledge the great work already going on to enhance diversity, and help provide support for the individuals and organisational units that contribute to diversity at UQ." 

For more information about Diversity Week contact UQ's Equity Office on 07 3365 3052 or email equity@uq.edu.au

On this site