Stories of hardship, hope, and homecoming echoed through the Helensvale Community Centre on Sunday as Shakti Global hosted its latest community event, the Wisdom Circle. The gathering brought together seniors, families, and young Australians in an afternoon dedicated to listening, connection, and shared learning.
The event, held on 8 June, was titled “Honouring Elders, Inspiring the Next Generation,” and did exactly that — creating a space where older members of the community could share their experiences and younger ones could ask, reflect, and absorb.
Mr Paul Samra opened the session with a personal tribute to the resilience of older migrants. His remarks acknowledged the many untold stories that often sit quietly behind Australia’s multicultural communities, particularly those who moved across continents to give their children better lives.
Throughout the afternoon, several elders took turns speaking about their life journeys — from navigating the early days of migration to raising families in unfamiliar environments, often with little support. One speaker recalled the early years of moving to Australia and working multiple jobs to make ends meet, while another spoke about the values they held onto, even in times of upheaval: family, faith, and self-respect.
Younger attendees engaged earnestly, asking questions about cultural identity, social change, and how to carry wisdom into their own lives. For many, it was a chance to hear stories that don’t feature in textbooks or news feeds.
Shakti Global also included sessions focused on physical and mental wellbeing. Mrs Kanchan Chopra led a restorative yoga session tailored for seniors, emphasising breath, movement, and calm. Mr Shekher Arya followed with a breathwork practice that invited stillness and grounding.
A spokesperson from Shakti Global described the event as a space for “deep listening” — where stories were not just told but held. “Our elders have shaped the world we live in. This was about honouring that truth while giving the next generation something solid to stand on,” they said.
The tone was one of quiet pride and shared warmth, with the Centre filled with the sound of laughter, quiet tears, and conversations that bridged decades. For many who attended, especially those from migrant backgrounds, the stories resonated deeply.
Founded over a decade ago, Shakti Global has long worked with multicultural women and families across the Gold Coast, focusing on emotional health, empowerment, and cultural education. The Wisdom Circle is one of its newer initiatives, aimed at closing the gap between generations in communities where tradition, transition, and modernity often collide.
As the session wrapped up, several attendees stayed back to continue conversations over tea and snacks. One young participant commented, “I’ve never heard stories like that from my own grandparents — today made me want to ask.”
More Wisdom Circles are planned in the coming months, with Shakti Global hoping to expand the format across other parts of Queensland. For those involved, the message was clear: heritage is not something frozen in time — it moves, breathes, and becomes more powerful when it’s passed on.
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