People of all ages and backgrounds are invited to Refugee Week celebrations in Blacktown and Penrith during Refugee Week 2017, which will be held between 18-24 June.
Around 500 people are expected to attend this event and enjoy entertainment including African drumming from Blacktown Girls High School cultural performances from local Persian and Arabic speakers and a performance by SydWest’s own new Youth Music Group. Young refugees will also share their story of making Blacktown home.
This year, SydWest Multicultural Services and partners are hosting a very large event at the Blacktown RSL on 20 June 10am-1pm to showcase some of the area’s leading local talents, as well as hear from young refugees who have made Blacktown their home.
“It’s also an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the fact that we can call Australia our home”
— Elfa Moraitakis
Refugee Week is being celebrated in Penrith 22 June, 10am-12.30pm at the St Mary’s Community Centre. The program features the Mayor of Penrith, Clr John Thain, and guest speaker Dr Samer Sirri, recent refugee arrival and Penrith resident.
SydWest Multicultural Services CEO, Elfa Moraitakis is encouraging people of all backgrounds to join in the Refugee Week celebrations.
Refugee Week 2017 is a fabulous opportunity for the whole community to come together, to celebrate and share the success of the settlement journey.
These events are a chance for the community to share in the spirit of unity and to acknowledge and respect each individual who has had to leave their home country for fear of persecution. “It’s also an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the fact that we can call Australia our home,” said Ms Moraitakis.
The events are free and will feature entertainment, activities and lunch.
The Blacktown Refugee Community Event is a collaboration of government, community and not for profit organisations including; SydWest Multicultural Services, Blacktown City Council, Department of Human Services, Blacktown Local Area Command, Macquarie Community College, Settlement Services International, Relationships Australia, Reach for Training, MTC, Marist 180 and Western Sydney Local Health District.
The Penrith Refugee Community Event partners are Nepean Multicultural Access, St Marys Area Community Development Project Inc. SydWest Multicultural Service, Penrith Women’s Health Centre, LEEP, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District Multicultural Health, Settlement Services International (SSI) and STARTTS.
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