Foreva Young Youth Committee visit Sydney

by Ninawa Younan and Babel Ochana

The Melbourne based Foreva Young Youth Committee (FYYC) attended the ‘Freedom to Learn’ Sydney trip between 22 and 26 January. The trip was funded by the Newsboys Foundation this year and was a great success with 18 Assyrian Chaldean youth from Melbourne visiting Sydney landmarks including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The group enjoyed a Starlight cruise on the harbour, visited the Powerhouse Museum where one young person commented “White chocolate is not really chocolate”. The young people had a great time at Luna Park, Bondi Junction Shopping Complex and the suburb of Fairfield, known for its well established Assyrian Chaldean community.

Under the famous smile of Luna Park

The Foreva Young Youth Committee is a group of Assyrian Chaldean young people who decided to come together and work for their own community, to provide leadership opportunities and activities that are educational, empowering and most importantly, fun.

Visiting the Powehouse Museum

During their 4-day visit to Sydney, the group met up with Ashur Isaac and Paul Gorgees from the Assyrian Resource Centre. With an extensive background in community work, Ashur kindly took some time out to talk to the group about the history of Fairfield, the growing Assyrian population and the importance of engaging youth in practical positive activities. He praised the Co-convener’s of FYYC Bella Ochana and Ninawa Younan for establishing the committee and explained how such efforts are a great encouragement for the community. The young people enjoyed the session and found Ashur to be very inspirational, ‘..he knew what he was talking about and we found ourselves listening to every word he was saying…’

The trip to Sydney was the second major event organised and managed by the committee. Late last year the committee organised ‘The Launch’ dance party and was attended by over 270 young people having a good time in a safe environment. The group is now working on organising information sessions for young people and their parents around drugs and alcohol, road safety and self-image, three issues that are of great concern to young people, their parents and the wider community.

The FYYC group at Circular Quay, Sydney

Ninawa Younan and Babel Ochana are Co-conveners of Foreva Young Youth Committee (FYYC). They can be contacted by email (click here).

Posted: 11/02/2008