Friday, March 30, 2007

Meet Hanifa Deen

Born in the gold mining area of Western Australia, award winning writer Hanifa Deen is of Pakistani Muslim descent. Five generations of her family have called Australia home.

Describing herself as a ‘minimalist Muslim’ she enjoys a unique position within the Australian Muslim community as an independent voice with an understanding of minority issues.

After pursuing a teaching career, both in Australia and Europe, she became increasingly active in ethnic and community affairs which led to a professional position in the public service. She has held a number of high profile positions including Deputy Commissioner of the Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission of Western Australia, Hearing Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and was on the board of directors of SBS for five years.

Hanifa’s first book Caravanserai: a Journey among Australian Muslims won the NSW Premier’s Literary Award in 1996. An updated edition in 2003 was released in the shadow of the September 11 tragedies.

Her latest book, The Jihad Semina which follows Australia’s first religious vilification case will be published later this year.

Hanifa is credited with having ‘clean bowled’ Geoffrey Robertson during an exchange on an ABC ‘Hypothetical’.

Join us for a most interesting evening with this distinguished author and social commentator.

When: Thursday 19th April 7pm
Where: Ringwood Library, 4 Ringwood St Mall, Ringwood
Bookings 9870-0177

Cheers, Maryanne

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