Australia, Canberra

Words from my Australian friend Gavin Spokes: "We are a country with an amazingly long history that is slowly becoming recognised by a small percentage of the population of the world; even a small percentage of our own country. In recent times we have begun to understand that we have a 'serious' role to play in the world. We are not just the 'fun in the sun country down under'.

Nation of thinking people
We are in fact a nation of thinking people with more and more bearing in the global intellectual space. We have a cultural history that is deeply spiritual and largely ill-understood. We as a nation are experiencing an interesting era. For the first time in history for example you can pick up any of the major broadsheet newspapers and see in the first page or two a significant article about the issues faced by indigenous Australians.

It gives me hope that we are trying to recognize and at least attempting to take responsibility for the crimes and misgivings of the past. We have pledged as a nation to 'close the gap that lies between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians in life expectancy, education and economic opportunity'.

We could, in the eyes of many be considered to be the quintessential colonial 'succes'. We (the settlers) have completely taken a land and made it our own, with no reservation, and untill recently with no conscience. We are exploiting the resources like no other country on earth. We are thriving as an economy and as a result of this we have developed a reputation amongst the western world as a safe haven for the fun loving and care free. We are the lucky country.

Australia as we now see it was born and raised through adversity. Overcoming harsh realities with tenacity and determination. We have so much to be proud of, yet so much to repent for. We are beginning to realise that we, as our forefathers did, have to forge a new path. However, not with a hidden, heavy iron fist, but with a welcoming hand, one that lifts our friends and neighbours out of despair and into the sunshine that prevails over our beautiful brown land."