Event Photos

In April Mary opened the Global Poverty Summit 2009 at Radford College.

“Obviously young people of any society hold the promise and potential for the future. They can be key agents for innovation and positive social change,” Mary said. “It is up to us all to mentor and support young leaders in our community,” Mary noted.

The Global Poverty Summit 2009 was hosted by the United Nations Youth Association: Australian Capital Territory Division. This organisation also organised three major conferences for young people in the ACT and
surrounding regions.

In March Mary Porter called on students across the ACT to turn off their lights during Earth Hour.

“There are many things schools can do for School Earth Hour,” Mary said. “Students can turn off their computers while staff members can turn off
Photocopiers.”

As Earth Hour 2009 took place on a Saturday 28 March schools were not able to participate directly, so the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) ACT encouraged them to take part in the inaugural ACT School Earth Hour, between 11am and 12pm.

“It is good to be able to reward someone for their hard work, and last night was no different,” Mary commented.

“I commend all those who submitted their short films, but I was particularly impressed by the winner of the Best Actor Performance, James Hunter. James first entered Lights! Canberra! Action! when he was 15, so this award was recognition not only for his talent, but for his perseverance,” Mary said.

Following this planting, Mary attended the Festival of the Forests which was hosted by the Friends of Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens (CIAG) Inc and included sustainability displays, mini train rides, bonsai exhibitions as well as a family fun run.

Since the Chief Minister’s announcement of plans to establish an Arboretum numerous forests have been planted comprising of different types of threatened and symbolic trees from Australia and around the world.

Mary attended all of the team’s home games and was overjoyed when she learnt the team had made the Grand Final.

“Watching sport is such an adrenalin pumping activity. I was on the edge of my seat when I watched the women play,” Mary said.

“Being active and playing sport is so important. We are used to seeing men on the sporting field, setting the example of being fit and healthy, so it’s good to see a premier women’s team setting the example in Canberra.”

The CAT Awards were inaugurated in 1994 and were the brain-child of well known theatre publicist Coralie Wood OAM, who believed it was important that the outstanding work of those involved in amateur theatre should be appropriately recognised.

Awards are not only presented to performers but also to those who work behind the scenes in areas such as costumes, lighting,direction, production and scenery construction.

Greening Australia relies on the work of their volunteers as well as community support to hold a wide range of successful events. Recent achievements include the propagation of 125,000 seedlings and the establishment of 30,000 native plants in and around Canberra. These projects would not be possible without the help of nearly 3,000 volunteers.

There are many tasks to get involved in, some less strenuous than others, such as the one Mary was involved with lately, thinning seedlings.