It’s the second time this year that the Vietnamese Buddhist centre has hosted a fundraising concert at its monastery in the suburb of Fawkner, in Melbourne’s northwest.

The retreat – which starts on July 5 and ends on July 15 – will include meditation classes, teachings and discussions.

The most Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang said that in Vietnam, such classes would usually run for three months.

(From right to left) Most Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang, Retired Labor MP Kevin Thomson, Labor’s candidate for Wills, Peter Khalil and Mr Hai Tan Nguyen. (Photo: TiVi Tuan-san)

Sunday’s concert saw three well-known singers from the United States – Manh Quynh, Ha Vy and Tuan Hien – join local entertainers in performing on stage.

Also present at the event were some politicians from the Labor Party representing the Wills electorate – where the Quang Duc Monastery resides. They included Kelvin Thomson, a retired MP who served the inner north seat of Wills from 1996 to 2016 as well as Peter Khalil, Labor’s candidate for Wills.

Mr Khalil, a former SBS executive and international security adviser to Kevin Rudd, told the audience that he and his family were migrants from Egypt. He said he understood how hard migrants worked to raise their children and to contribute in Australian society.

Mr Khalil added that if he won the election, he would work closely with the Vietnamese Australians in his electorate.

About 700 people attended the music concert on Sunday.

– TiVi Tuan-san