Dr Farvardin Daliri OAM is not just an artist and sculptor... Dr Daliri came to Australia as a refugee fleeing religious persecution in Iran and immediately set about serving the broader Australian community as the manager of the Devonport Migrant Resource Centre. In 1985, he launched Tasmania's first annual cultural festival and in 1995 he launched the still continuing Townsville Cultural Festival. He has been initiating and facilitating community development projects with remote, rural, refugee and Indigenous communities all over the country for 35 years now.
With a PhD in Education and over 30 years of experience in youth education, Indigenous rights advocacy, settlement services and community development, Dr Daliri has earned his reputation as a master educator and a truly engaging presenter. Over the past 6 months, Dr Daliri has driven the Giant Laughing Kookaburra more than 10,000 kilometres and visited over 200 schools, nursing homes, hospitals, markets and community events with the aim of raising spirits of joy and bringing people together in fellowship.
Where ever he goes, people flock for a chat, a photo opportunity with the celebrity sculpture, and ask him when he will be back... and with your support, he could be back sooner, rather than later, and with a new friend in-tow (pun intended).
In response to people’s requests, now a giant talking yellow-crested cockatoo has been designed to complement the Giant Laughing Kookaburra, replete with cheerful short messages of hope and joy, as any well-trained cockatoo might do.
Imagine you are in a marketplace and you see a giant talking cockatoo with its moving head and neck calling out and talking with a sweet cockatoo voice saying:
“G’day mate" or "Don't worry mate, she’ll be right" or "Cheer-up cobber, we're in this together"
The Cockatoo will not just be a photo opportunity art feature, but a conversation starter and people gatherer for the purpose of facilitating public talks and workshops on mindfulness, mental well-being, joyfulness and building awareness of our unity and oneness.
Once complete, the Giant Talking Cockatoo will tour alongside her companions the Giant Kookaburra, visiting major cities, rural centres and remote communities across Australia, stopping in at schools, markets and community events at every opportunity.
If you'd like to support Dr Daliri in continuing his invaluable work of building emotional resilience and community cohesion, then please support and share this crowdfunding initiative and help spread the word.
