Youth Blast

The Youth Fiesta on Friday evening 20th July at the Filipino Community Centre, Marrara, was planned, organised and managed by the young people of the MYCNT. It was the first activity of this newly formed MCNT’s youth sub-committee; as well as the first funded activity of the Youth Blast funding program administered by a consortium of service providers including MCNT.

The Youth Fiesta concept was developed by the MYCNT as a safe and drug/alcohol free multicultural concert for Darwin’s young people in the last week of the school holidays. The idea addressed the need, identified at the Multicultural Youth Forum on Sunday 22nd April, for organised social activities that integrate youth from diverse cultural backgrounds.

There was an article about the Youth Fiesta: Friday fiesta youth ‘blast’ on p. 5 in the Darwin/Palmerston Sun on Wednesday 18th July. The article quoted Kevin Kadirgamar and the term ‘Youth Blast’ got a mention for the first time in a media article. There was also publicity about the Youth Fiesta on Channel Seven’s Community Billboard, Radio Larrakia and Territory FM in the weeks leading up to the event.

The concert was a great success; it was a fun evening; it absolutely rocked! It is a testament to the talent and dedication of the MYCNT team who worked so hard on the event over the past few months; and particularly during the last week of recent school holidays when the team finalised preparations at the MCNT office. The MYCNT arranged everything – the venue, the catering, the performers, the light and sound, the security – an outstanding job.

The concert got underway about 7.30 pm with the Welcome to Country and official opening from Alderman Dorothy Fox and introductory address from MYCNT President Kevin Kadirgamar. The MCs for the evening were Aiden Mitchell and Ravann Franciscus.

There were lots of highlights on the program; all of the young performers – groups and individuals; musicians, dancers and bands – were great. On the program we had the Jamealah Belly Dancers, the Bindi Babes, The Spanners band, Debbie M, Mandy Garling, and Liberian, Indian and Sudanese (Young African Divas) dancing groups. The standout performance was the headline act, the young up and coming band Enth Degree. This band was brilliant; they can play and sing, and they look like rock stars.

By the time this headline act was playing there were about 150 in the audience; comprised predominantly of young people. There were some announcements and lucky door prizes after the program and then about 9.00 pm, the disco started. The disco was great as well and went until at least midnight. The DJ Prince Jackson was in fine form, and the young people were dancing like there was no tomorrow.

Personally I still feel really great about how it turned out, and I had a great time. I know that Kevin Kadirgamar and the MYCNT feel justifiably proud of what they have achieved.

Ron Mitchell
MCNT