A new year has arrived, bringing with it fresh opportunities and challenges.  On behalf of everyone at Eastern Mosaic, we wish you a happy and fulfilling 2008 – which we look forward to sharing with you. 

The future is always filled with mystery but there’s also an element of déjà vu, as we trace the chain of cause and effect that shaped the present back to almost forgotten events in the past.  The year 1948 marked the beginning of an apartheid era in which racism in South Africa became institutionalised on an unprecedented scale. 

South Africans of Indian origin faced a very real threat of mass deportation to India, which fortunately did not come to pass.  The period between 1948 and 1994 saw immense suffering and struggle but today the South African Indian community forms an integral part of our multi-cultural nation, sharing all the opportunities and responsibilities that the future may hold.  Eastern Mosaic is proudly South African - and 2008 will see a renewed focus on celebrating the achievements of remarkable people in the community past, present and future.

This is the background to our flagship project for 2008 and beyond: the Eastern Mosaic Community Awards.  The aim of this project, which is being launched this month, is to recognise the invaluable contribution made to civil society by individuals and organisations, throughout South Africa.  In order to qualify for selection, a nominee must have brought some significant benefit to his or her fellow South Africans, and perhaps even to those living beyond our borders.  To give you an idea of the scope that the Eastern Mosaic Community Awards will cover, here are some of the main fields:

	Nation building and community empowerment – recognising the efforts of individuals to empower their communities to deal with the challenges facing the nation, including poverty, education, HIV-AIDS, racism, xenophobia, gender equality, violence against women and children and crime
	Business – with community empowerment rather than pure profit as the motivation
	Entrepreneurial initiative – what begins as self-sufficiency can lead to job creation and prosperity
	Sport – sportspeople as role models and as developers of sporting codes within the community
	Heritage – promoting a sense of cultural awareness within the shared South African context
	Media and communication – including journalists and members of the print and electronic media
	The Arts – recognising the important role of artists, writers and other creative people within the community
	Performing artists and entertainers – including dancers, actors, vocalists and musicians
	Environmental issues – no longer a luxury but an absolute necessity
	Science, technology and medicine – striving to improve our quality of life
	Outstanding lifetime achievements – saluting people who have dedicated their lives to making a positive contribution to society
	Unsung heroes – who have never sought the limelight, but who continue to work unstintingly, even in the face of extreme adversity.
Nominations will open on Sunday the 20th of January and should be made on the form available here.  The closing date for nominations for this year’s awards is the 20th of April 2008.

	The Eastern Mosaic programme line-up At this stage, 2008 is a work in progress – but we can already begin to colour the canvas with some broad strokes, filling in the details as the year unfolds.  January takes us on a tour of the tiny yet dynamic Gulf state Dubai, offering on-the-spot impressions of what travellers with a taste for heritage, adventure and plenty of shopping can expect.  Moving to the Indian sub-continent, the Eastern Mosaic team will be covering the harvest festival of Pongal as well as other cultural events with a South Indian connection.   These features will reach your screen in the near future – while in February, Eastern Mosaic holds a month-long celebration of love and life, inspired by the spirit of St Valentine’s Day.  Naturally, this also forms the theme of the month’s outrageously romantic competition.

Are you the next Eastern Mosaic Presenter?
Our search for fresh faces to join the EM team continues, with the closing date now extended to the end of February – so if you’re between 18 and 24 and have the sass, the smarts, the focus and the drive to rise above the ranks of the wannabes, download the PDF Presenter Entry Form from by clicking here and post it off to us at:

The Eastern Mosaic Young Talent Search, PO Box 411456, Craighall, 2024.
(Closing date 5th January 2008). Please ensure that you application includes 3 recent photographs (1 x full length; 1 x close-up head and shoulders; 1 x profile shot).

		This month, we present a simple, but delicious recipe: Coconut Halwa by Das Sreedrahan. Coconut is one of the main ingredients in South Asian cooking and we make a wide variety of puddings with it. To view this recipes, click here!

We’re sure you’ll agree that 2008 has all the makings of a fantastic year – and we’re keen to receive your input, which can only help to make the Eastern Mosaic experience even more satisfying.  Just click on the contact us page – and share your opinions and ideas.