Prayers answered at Williams

Volume 48, No. 16, Sepetember 7, 2006

BELIEVERS: Muslim students from DITC using the new prayer room, from left, CAPT Ro’is Nahrudin (Indonesia), COL Modjo Basuki (Indonesia), SQNLDR Yaqoob Saif Salim Al-Fahdi (Oman), MAJ Arifien Sjahrir (Indonesia) and COL Mahjoub Ali Mahjoub Al-Maharmeh (Jordan). Photo courtesy of SQNLDR Peter Vinnic-Clark

RAAF Base Williams has sent a powerful message of support to its diverse population with the long-awaited opening of the base’s Muslim Prayer Room last month.

According to Defence International Training Centre (DITC) Executive Officer/Support Flight Commander, SQNLDR Peter Vinnic-Clark, the base plays host to a large number of Muslim believers.

“In addition to a number of staff from across the base, DITC trains dozens of Muslim students among the 700 students from 40 countries that it trains annually,” he said.

“The opening of this dedicated facility sends a strong signal that the ADF is serious about its obligations to its diverse workforce and that we genuinely try to meet people’s cultural and religious needs.”

RAAF Base Williams had been without a prayer room since the closure of the old Chaplaincy Centre in 2005, so the refurbishment of this surplus building has been much anticipated.

The Muslim Prayer Room has been outfitted with a large room for prayers and other services and a smaller room with dedicated facilities for the necessary ablutions completed before prayer.

SQNLDR Vinnic-Clark said feedback from staff and students has been very positive. “The feedback we received when it was just a proposal was extremely good and, now that it is open and in use, everyone is delighted,” he said.

Officer Commanding Ground Training Wing, GPCAPT Robert Cooper, officially opened the new facility, assisted by Indonesian Army Captain Ro’is Nahrudin, who was involved in the development of the project. Local Muslim cleric Sheikh Caesse was an integral part of the ceremony, reciting a prayer from the Qur’an.

DITC is the first port-of-call for most foreign military students that train with the ADF or those that have come to Australia on university scholarships.

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