From one of the most important political figures of our time, to a globally recognised health advocacy day and an exhibition in celebration of a city - our eclectic mix of three things to do this week.
1. Wednesday: Aung San Suu Kyi
Nobel Laureate and 2015 Presidential candidate for Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, starts her first official visit to Australia this week.
Aung San Suu Kyi founded the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma) and spent 15 years under house arrest until she was released in 2010. She is one of the most significant political figures of our generation.
Aung San Suu Kyi will receive an honour from the Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of the University of Sydney and University of Technology at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, as well as give a speech and take questions from the Audience. She is also visiting Melbourne and Canberra and departs Australia on 3rd December.
2. Sunday: World AIDS Day
24 years after Australia developed its internationally groundbreaking first National HIV/AIDS Strategy, rates of HIV infection today are on the increase and people still suffer from discriminations. 20 Australians are diagnosed with HIV every week.
Sunday 1st December is World AIDS Day, a day to show your support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.
The global theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths.
Show your support by buying and wearing a red ribbon.
3. Now until March
OceanMan by Polixeni Papapetrou
Melbourne Now opened on the weekend and runs until March – an ambitious contemporary collection of more than 250 commissions, acquired and loaned works and installations that explores what Melbourne is all about.
It involves work by more than 400 artists, architects and designers which also includes dance and sound, as well as free workshops, talks, catwalks and show’n’tells - something very different for the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).
There’s also a component especially for younger audiences with nine interactive children’s artworks, hands-on activities such as populating a sky with birds and designing wearable sculptures. From 18-26 January, Melbourne Now will be part of the NGV’s children’s festival.
Melbourne Now is on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia and NGV International until 23 March 2014. 10am – 5pm. Free entry.