The unique and shared lived experiences of resettled refugees was the focus of Our Journey, a Multicultural Australia event celebrating the courage, spirit, and intimate stories of refugees.
Hosted at La Boite Theatre, the event included performances from Sunday Luate-Wani, Persian Trio, Rich Virsa Bhangra Group and Samoko Jayo.
Youth Member of Parliament and Human Rights advocate Fahima Ahmadi shared her story of only being able to spend four months of her life in her motherland – Afghanistan – and how the Taliban takeover has affected her.
“As a young Hazara refugee, I have been impacted by the downfall of Afghanistan, and I hope that I can help you connect to my story through my personal experiences as a refugee,” she said.
“Before coming to Australia, due to the restrictions we had in Iran, we had to travel to Afghanistan. We had to obtain passports, and from the time we arrived in Kabul, I gained an unexpected sense of comfort.
“I relive all my memories about Afghanistan everyday so that I wouldn’t forget them, and now that the Taliban have taken over my country, I miss it even more.”
The feelings of love and loss Fahima expressed were told from another perspective, with the screening of the Academy Award nominated documentary, Flee, that followed the performance segment.
A moving story about an Afghan family dealing with trauma and the resilience of the human spirit, Flee tells the story of a refugee man confronting his past as he prepares for his future.
The event concluded with a panel discussion hosted by Multicultural Australia CEO, Christine Castley, where resettled refugees shared their stories of losing home and finding home.
For Christine, the event was an opportunity for people to get an insight of the lived experiences of our refugee community.
“It was a privilege to share this documentary with an audience of more than 200 people who now have a greater appreciation and understanding of the complex journeys of our clients and staff at Multicultural Australia.”
Special thanks to our MCs, Nila Monawarim and Fardowa Yussuf, and our sponsors, Brisbane City Council and La Boite Theatre.
