Open Forum: Multicultural Australia

As the Federal Government introduces a strict new citizenship test, Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Senator Zed Seselja will address an upcoming Western Sydney Open Forum. Titled Multicultural Australia, the forum will discuss Australia’s continued evolution as the world’s most successful multicultural society.

The forum will take place on June 7 at 6pm at the Female Orphan School, Western Sydney University Parramatta South campus.

Earlier this year, the Federal Government released a new multicultural statement, focusing on the importance of being an integrated and united people, as well as the significance of shared values, national security and respect for citizenship.

In addition, the government has recently introduced a new citizenship test where applicants need to demonstrate a high level of English language proficiency.

Director of Equity and Diversity at Western Sydney University and Chair of the Multicultural Council, Dr Sev Ozdowski, says the event will be a good opportunity for the public to engage in dialogue with the government over these issues.

“Australia has flourished thanks for our cultural diversity, with our success built on the efforts and commitments of millions of people from different backgrounds,” says Dr Ozdowski.

“The government’s multicultural statement aims to recognize this, and strike a balance between the mutual rights and responsibilities of current and future citizens.”

“I look forward to hearing from Senator Zed Seselja about how he believes the government’s recent changes will help ensure Australia’s continued success.”

Multicultural Australia: United, Strong, Successful will take place on 7 June at  5:30pm, Parramatta South Campus, Female Orphan School, Building EZ.

On 10 May 2017 I had a pleasure to host Deng Adut as a speaker at the 64th Western Sydney University Open Forum. He spoke about: Why torture must be opposed unconditionally? His co-speaker was Prof. Michael Head.

Deng Adut is graduate of WSU Law School. He was born in a village in South Sudan. When he was 6 years old, he was taken away from his family and conscripted into the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. He was taught how to use an AK-47 and as a child soldier was send to battle.

After 5 years he was rescued by his brother john and smuggled into Kenyan refugee camp. He came to Australia as a refugee aged 14 where he taught himself to read, write and speak English, and went on to win a scholarship to study law in 2005.

By now at the age of 33 Deng works as a lawyer and spends much of his free time working with disenfranchised youth and refugees. Deng Adut become a well-known personality in 2015, when a short video about his life went viral – it has attracted more than 2.5 million views to date. Deng was recently named NSW Australian of the Year for 2017. He has published a book “Songs of a War Boy” in November 2016.

The Forum was filmed by Sky News and is available for streaming at http://www.a-pac.tv/video/

As you will remember, Francois Crépeau, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, conducted a visit to Australia last November, which included a visit to the RPC in Nauru.

The Rapporteur will present his report to the Human Rights Council on 8 June.

On 11 April, 140 people packed the conference room of Krakow’s International Cultural Centre for the launch of the Polish edition of Jerzy Zubrzycki’s biography, Jerzy Zubrzycki: wielki Polak i Australijczyk (published in English as The Promise of Diversity). The biography was written by IofC workers John Williams and John Bond, translated by Polish academic Joanna Nurmis, and published by Neriton Publishers in Warsaw.
http://www.iofc.org/pioneer-multiculturalism-honoured-krakow

On Tuesday 2 May 2017 The Affinity Intercultural Foundation has invited me to deliver a  Luncheon  Lecture titled: ‘Reclaiming Australian Multiculturalism: Policy and Practice in a Shifting Landscape’. Ms Cath Dwyer, Manager, 702 ABC Sydney was Affinity guest facilitator.

Copy of my lecture is available here: 2017-05-02 AFFINITY LUNCH Speech

My Affinity presentation has been uploaded and can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?=OBkuiIIHCRc