Ainslie and Robert Bos
AMRITSAR: After government efforts failed to check street violence against Indian students in Australia, Australian civil society has begun to try food diplomacy to forge amicable relations and cultural understanding between Indians and Australians.
Uniting Church in Melbourne has started hosting monthly dinners for Indian students so they could talk about their fear and hardships in an attempt to make them feel welcome in Australia, said the visiting educator of Uniting Church in Australia, Robert Bos, while talking to TOI on Saturday.
"We are a multi cultural society and initiatives like hosting dinners will help build cordial relations," Bos said.
He also said that a local enthusiast Mia Northrop had launched a 'Vindaloo Against Violence' campaign to curb hostility against Indians. Mia has been inviting Australians to have dinner at Indian restaurants on particular days.
Bos who has attended one such dinner said that these events provide an opportunity to both Indians and Australians to understand each other and also enjoy Indian food.
He said not only Indians, but all the Asian students who come to Australia to study, make an important contribution to the country's economy.
"The bashing of Indians did upset us, there is a very small racial minority in whites but then there have been many incidents of violence within different factions of the Indian community too," he said.
Ainslie Bos said that taxi drivers were the main targets since they carried a lot of cash with them which made them vulnerable.
"It is not that only Indian taxi drivers are targeted but those from other countries too," she said.
She however added that many Indian students were misguided by agents who told them that they could permanently stay in Australia. Therefore the Australian government had to frame strict policies.
Uniting Church in Melbourne has started hosting monthly dinners for Indian students so they could talk about their fear and hardships in an attempt to make them feel welcome in Australia, said the visiting educator of Uniting Church in Australia, Robert Bos, while talking to TOI on Saturday.
"We are a multi cultural society and initiatives like hosting dinners will help build cordial relations," Bos said.
He also said that a local enthusiast Mia Northrop had launched a 'Vindaloo Against Violence' campaign to curb hostility against Indians. Mia has been inviting Australians to have dinner at Indian restaurants on particular days.
Bos who has attended one such dinner said that these events provide an opportunity to both Indians and Australians to understand each other and also enjoy Indian food.
He said not only Indians, but all the Asian students who come to Australia to study, make an important contribution to the country's economy.
"The bashing of Indians did upset us, there is a very small racial minority in whites but then there have been many incidents of violence within different factions of the Indian community too," he said.
Ainslie Bos said that taxi drivers were the main targets since they carried a lot of cash with them which made them vulnerable.
"It is not that only Indian taxi drivers are targeted but those from other countries too," she said.
She however added that many Indian students were misguided by agents who told them that they could permanently stay in Australia. Therefore the Australian government had to frame strict policies.
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