Monash Bulletin - 3 July 2007

Focus On Cultural Development Officer - Fatima Almeida

Monash Council's Cultural Development Officer, Fatima Almeida is an artist and an actress who volunteers her time and talent to assist the East Timorese community in Melbourne.

Born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal to East Timorese parents, Fatima came to Australia in 1994 and has worked at Council for ten months.

"My role is to support and promote the Monash arts and cultural community," said Fatima.

"I coordinate arts projects and activities, facilitate effective arts consultation processes, deliver the Community Arts Grants Scheme, plus support the preparation of applications for funding and program development of festivals in the City of Monash."

Currently she is working on the 2007 NAIDOC week celebrations focussing on the 'Bataluk Gallamda' Exhibition. The exhibition showcases work from Woolum Bellum Aboriginal students and will be on display at the Highway Gallery, Mount Waverley, from 8th July to the 16th July.

"As an artist (painter) I am involved in various community arts projects with the East Timorese community living in Melbourne and back in East Timor," she said.

"I also volunteer for the Melbourne East Timorese Activity Centre in Richmond as the Centre's coordinator, so I spend a lot of time organising and delivering arts and cultural programs."

"It is about people fighting for their country's freedom. It is also about those who vowed to protect them but were ultimately forced to abandon them."

Fatima played the lead role of Madalena Soares, a young woman who she came to hugely admire.

"She is a woman who showed great determination and courage in the fight for East Timor's independence. I was extremely interested in the production because finally the world would have a chance to know what tragedies happened in East Timor and why they continue to need our help."

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Published: 29 June 2007

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