Humanist Society of NSW bravely accepted its the responsibility to take on the helm of the national body of all the Humanist
States – the Executive of the Council of Australian Humanist Societies (CAHS) 2013-16 and that meant convening the CAHS Convention in Sydney which included the AGM with the election of the new Executive. The Sydney Committee takes great pride in putting on a ‘good’ show and as I have the experience and enjoy the effort usually end up being the Convenor. The Committee is a great supportive group of people and this can make the planning quite enjoyable. The outcome was quite a success as we had:-
Friday 3rd May: 6pm Registration – Humanist House then Dinner Broadway Food Court
Saturday 4th May: 9.30-3pm CAHS AGM – Humanist House morning tea and lunch resulting in Paul Zagoridis as the new President, Mary Bergin -Â Secretary and Ken Wright – Treasurer
Saturday Dinner Dance: 7.30 Ridges Hotel $65 (free under cover parking)
Entertainers: Â Â Â Â George Eynon
Talia Nicolitsis, sang the Eva Cassidy version of  somewhere over the rainbow so see for her recent version see link:
http//youtu.be/JobfY3FzStg
for other Talia performances see You Tube : Talia Georgia Nicolitsis
Speakers: AHOY 2013 (Australian Humanist of the Year) Jane Caro and AHOY 1993 Robyn Williams AM (HumSocNSW Patron), Fred Flatow OHA 2013 (Outstanding Humanist Achiever), Dorothy Buckland Fuller (HumSocNSW Patron), Roslyn Ives (Past President CAHS), Paul 
Zagoridis (President CAHS 2013), Affie Adagio MC. Others present were Lee Rhianon The Hon member for NSW MLC 
(a HumSocNSW member since her youth whom I believe, if I have the correct title, will not be pleased with me using it), delegates from interstate, our Viewpoints editor (Frank Gomez and his partner Marco), our Treasurer – Victor Bien and his wife Silvana, and our President – John August, of course Angela Drury, Brian Edwards and our pioneer Vicky Potempa and our generous an lucky Sturt Duncan who not only bought one of our Affie artworks but also won the second one that was raffled. We also had guests who were friends of our members and hence had a full house at the dinner. Our entertainer George Eynon who is originally a New Zealander ended his performance with some Maori amazing songs. Fantastic evening it certainly was.
Sunday: The Manly Ferry trip was the chosen tourist attraction and John August led the group of interstate and Sydney hosts to Manly on the beautiful half hour ride on our fascinating harbour which can get a bit choppy at the crossing of the heads but I thought everyone would benefit from a little adventure. One they reach Manly they had a walk to the Promenade and lunch at a lovely place near the beach                   What memories?
Monday: Â At State Parliament House Theatrette we had a Conference
9.30 Paul Zagoridis – CAHS President – Welcome
9.45 The African GLAPD Panel (Great Lakes Agency for Peace & Development)Â led by Dr. Nadine Shema who introduced us to their work of raising awareness and funds for the countries surrounding the Great Lakes and not only the situation improvement but how much needs to still be achieved. As a result HumSocNSW became an organisational member for $100 p.a. to support them in there work and a resolution had eventuated from that session encouraging assististance.
11.30 Ethics Education Initiatives in Australia – After morning tea Ian Bryce convened a panel of outstanding
leaders in the field of ethics classes: St. James Ethics School – Simon Longstaff AOM (Executive Director) and Teresa Russel (General Manager) Ethics Classes; John Kaye – Greens MP; John Russell (Social Worker) Humanist Society Vic, Dr Victor Bien originally member of Federation of P&C Association commissioning (2005) St. James Ethics Centre instigating ethics classes.
Dorothy Buckland Fuller (Humanist Society NSW Patron) expressed our appreciation and gratitude to the speakers of both Panels.
                Â
  1.oo Lunch and close of CAHS Convention
Feedback from attendees from Sydney and interstate was extremely favourable as to the standard of the CAHS Convention and that it had been an enjoyable experience. We were all grateful for participants being so thoughtful as to give us feedback as this makes all the effort worthwhile. For example, 2 weeks prior to the weekend of the Convention we had 9 firm bookings when the function room was booked for 50 people! Cancelling the dinner dance was not at all in question and on the night we had a full house. So it was worth the stress because it was indeed wonderful to connect with everyone from interstate and celebrate.
After 15 years with the HumSoc NSW committee, at different times as Editor, President, Hon Secretary, Convenor of several events such as Australis 2000 
, CAHS Conventions, End of Year Party 2014 with entertainer Sam Pellegrino, 
and as HSNSW delegate to UNAANSW initiating the partnership event of 
Skinner MP and which was my final event in March this year (2015) therefore ending my involvement with both committees. 
The tulips, a lovely farewell gesture from Hum Soc NSW and the roses were presented to me at UNIWDAY by UNAANSW past President Valerie Weekes whose support for the 5 years has been invaluable. It was also memorable having Robyn Carroll (right) Indigenous Community Worker from Walla Mulla Family and Community Support Woolloomooloo carry out the Acknowledgement to Country and to speak about Indigenous Women’s issues. Every year this event has taken place in Sydney State Parliament House gratis for which we are extremely grateful and proud. The Afternoon tea was delicious croissants with coffee or tea.
I twisted like never before and so went my 70th which was the best I ever had. My granddaughter Talia Nicolitsis who had turned 11 two days earlier is so talented and has taken after my late mother who used to sing love songs. Tina my daughter is her mother, and we sat hugging each other like to chooks watching Talia. Sam Pelegrino had us dancing rock n roll where Diane and Patricia were kicking up their heels, samba for Silvana and Victor. The Hellenic Cultural Association Akropolis (Greeks from Romania- we came out 64 years ago and I’m on the committee) were here with President my cousin Harry Polymeris, Michael Contos, Panagaki Dimitriadis.  Then there’s a great photo of The UNAA(NSW) Committee Lindsay Mell (past President), Diane Sackellariou (whose late husband was Greek 
The Bougainville Women’s Seminar in International Women’s Day Week on Wednesday 11th March in State Parliament House was a success. It was in the Theaterette and attended by over 80 people. However, the Lateline DVD which had worked well at Humanist House previously did not work in the Theaterette.