LUNCHEON - 25TH SEPTEMBER 2013

Speaker            Sherene Hassan

Chairperson      Chris Wang

Sherene Hassan is a director of the Islamic Museum of Australia. She served as vice president and secretary of the Islamic Council of Victoria, the peak body for 90,000 Victorian Muslims for nearly eight years.

She was one of the media spokespeople for the Council during that period. To date she has conducted over 900 information sessions on Islam to diverse audiences ranging from the Flying Fruit Fly Circus School to the Australian Federal Police.

In December 2007, Sherene was selected by the Age newspaper as one of Melbourne’s 100 Most Influential people. Sherene has been involved in interfaith dialogue since 2001 and is passionate about building bridges with the wider community. Formerly a chemistry and physics teacher, Sherene is married with four children.

Synopsis Of Presentation:

Due to a bereavement in the family of our notified speaker, Sherene Hassan accepted at very short notice an invitation to speak to our club with the title of her address being, “Islam and Gender – Dispelling the Misconception”.  Sherene, a director of the Islamic Museum of Australia has served, for nearly eight years as Vice President and Secretary of the Islamic Council of Victoria, the peak body for 90,000 Victorian Muslims.  She was one of the media spokespeople for the Council during that period.

To date, Sherene has conducted over 900 information sessions on Islam to diverse audiences ranging from the Flying Fruit Fly Circus School to the Australian Federal Police. In December 2007, Sherene was selected by ‘The Age’ as one of Melbourne¹s 100 Most Influential people.

Sherene declared one of the worst days in her life was the 9/11 Twin Towers disaster in New York and that al Qaeda has done great harm to the Islamic religion.  Sherene spoke of her childhood in Perth and the many unpleasant experiences she encountered in her youth and adult life as a Muslim.   These experiences made her determined to take action, which she has since ceasing her high school teaching career.  Sherene has been involved in interfaith dialogue since 2001 and is passionate about building bridges with the wider community.

Sherene made it abundantly clear that nowhere in the Koran is it stated that women are not equal to men, in fact it states the exact opposite and explained that the way women are treated in parts of the Islamic world is not due to the religion but to tribal tradition.

The impact of Sherene’s address was evident by the number of members who wished her to be able to speak longer.  More than one member was observed during her address wiping a tear from their eye clearly indicating the personal hurt, disgust and damage that is inflicted on the powerless in the bogus name of religion.  Sherene’s message was powerful, erudite and clear.  Many present extended a warm and generous invitation, offered rarely, to Sherene to return to continue her story indicating the interest and scant understanding of the Islam religion.