Brisbane Lions will play its multicultural round match at The Gabba on Saturday afternoon in the lead up to Multicultural Queensland Month in August.
Before the Lions take on the Gold Coast Suns for Round 19, Multicultural Australia and the Club will host our annual citizenship ceremony in the Champions Room at The Gabba where 30 people will become Australian citizens. Following the ceremony, all new citizens will watch the players run out, sit back, relax and watch our nation’s great game – many for the first time.
The Yussuf family, originally from Somalia, is part of the 30 conferees from 14 different countries who will become new Australians. Seven members of the family are becoming citizens which is very exciting for the family as they strengthen their commitment to Australia – the country that they are proud to call home.
Sheikh Mohamed and six of his children, ranging in age from 12 years to 22 years, will be making the pledge on Saturday. Sheikh Mohamed came to Australia in September 2013.
Sheikh Mohamed
Sheikh Mohamed fled Somalia after the collapse of the government in 1991. He escaped civil war to the neighbouring country Kenya where he lived in two different refugee camps (Utagne and Kakuma) before living in Nairobi. It was in Nairobi where he met his wife and got married and went on to have six children. Regarding his many years in refugee camps, he spoke of the harsh environment, with limited food and sickness. Sheikh Mohamed has suffered from a jaw deformity since the age of eight which has made life and eating difficult and has added to the hardship he endured.
Sheikh Mohamed’s settlement journey and experience lasted 22 years, which is difficult to truly comprehend, but with the help of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the family finally got the opportunity to find safety and resettle in Australia.
Sheikh Mohamed came to Brisbane where he and his family have resided since their arrival in 2013. They have been supported on their settlement journey by Multicultural Australia. After an initial stay in temporary accommodation, the family moved into the suburbs of Brisbane. He and his wife now have another three children born in Australia.
When asked what it means to him to become an Australian citizen his emotions take over.
“It is a joy, but I can’t really talk about it. If I talk about it, I will have tears. Words cannot express.”
“The things the Australian government and nation did for me, only God can pay them back.”
“One million times my appreciation goes to the Australian nation and government.”
Sheikh Mohamed is a well-respected elder in the Somali community. His community knows they can turn to him for advice as a senior member. He makes visits to community members to check in on them and support them emotionally.
His children are busy with study and careers, including one being a mechanic, one in hospitality while studying engineering and his daughter studying nursing.
His dreams for his family in Australia are for them to contribute to the community and country as much as they can, buy a property and help the needy.
Multicultural Australia was introduced to the Yussuf family when they arrived in September 2013, arranging to meet them at the airport and settle them into accommodation, build connections in their communities, find work and study opportunities, learn new skills and feel at home.
Christine Castley, CEO of Multicultural Australia said, ‘The story of Sheikh Mohamed and his family represents some of the best successful settlement stories that we see in our work at Multicultural Australia. We are constantly amazed and impressed by the strength, resilience and desire to give back to the Australian community that we see in the community we serve.’
Sheikh Mohamed and his family will stay on after the citizenship ceremony to watch their first AFL match.
Multicultural Australia and the Brisbane Lions are passionate about creating an inclusive community for new Queenslanders from diverse cultures and backgrounds. This important and long-standing partnership consistently demonstrates how sport is a great connector for people and brings communities together – and Saturday’s Lions/Multicultural Australia collaboration is a great example of this.
AFL Queensland and Multicultural Australia are proud supporters of this event along with a range of committed partners including the Queensland Government.
Go the Lions!
For information about Multicultural Australia’s Connecting Through Sport programs click here
Be a part of our Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) and contribute in supporting the newly arrived refugees during their initial settlement period!
We are seeking someone who is passionate and highly motivated to innovatively manage and oversee the delivery of culturally appropriate case management services.
You will have the opportunity to advance your career in a supportive, collaborative and client-centered environment. This is your opportunity to equip and mentor case managers to provide vital support to refugee communities in a flexible and energetic environment. So, if this leadership opportunity sounds interesting, then we would like to hear from you!
Multicultural Australia is a leading Queensland multicultural organisation. We aim to grow multicultural values across our State and to empower newly arrived Queenslanders from diverse cultural and language backgrounds through advocacy, community development and a range of client services.
Our main objective is to create a welcoming, inclusive and economically stronger community here in Queensland. We are passionate about working to ensure that new Queensland refugees, migrants and international students are included, skilled and thriving. Multicultural Australia currently has over 220 staff, 100 Cultural Support Workers and 200 volunteers.
About you
Ready for your next challenge?
Please go through our Cultural Values – The Multicultural Australia Way. This is a snapshot of who we are. If you feel as strongly about our values and culture as we do, please email your application to the Recruitment Officer at recruitment@multiculturalaustralia.org.au no later than 9AM Monday, 23rd March 2020. Your application must contain:
Please note: Recruitment for this role will commence immediately. Interviews may occur prior to the end of the advertising period.
In case you have any queries or for a confidential discussion, please contact Kelly Buckingham, Regional Manager – South West Region on 0481 264 155..
At Multicultural Australia, we recognize that we are strengthened by diversity and are committed to providing a work environment in which everyone is included, treated fairly and with respect. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with a disability to apply.
For further details, please download the position description.
Now in its 15th year, LUMINOUS is one of Queensland’s largest welcome events, capturing the imagination of Queenslanders with its spectacular use of light to symbolise hope and create welcome for new Queenslanders.
The LUMINOUS Lantern Parade is now an iconic event on the annual Queensland events calendar, held in conjunction with Queensland Day (6 June) to celebrate Queensland’s birthday and our unique culture, heritage, people, places and industries.
The spectacular lantern procession will begin at Flowstate, South Bank, winding its way on a short and symbolic walk down the promenade taking in the sites of the city skyline.
The Parade ends at the South Bank Piazza for a vibrant World music concert, with the lanterns bathed in the luminous light symbolising welcome and hope for many people from all over the world, especially our newest Queenslanders.
LUMINOUS attracts supporters from across the community including all levels of government, corporate and community organisations.
Indigenous elders, migrant and refugee communities, service providers, education and training providers, church organisations, schools, various stakeholder groups and the wider community also walk in the Parade or participate in a range of LUMINOUS satellite events.
LUMINOUS 2022 will feature its traditional array of beautiful lanterns held by our partners and sponsors, communities and stakeholders. The lanterns include a koala, owl, giraffe, clownfish, kangaroo, elephant, lion and rainbow serpent, along with characters such as Alice in Wonderland, and iconic Brisbane landmarks including the Story Bridge and City Hall. We also have some new creative surprises in 2022.
This year Multicultural Australia will feature LUMINOUS in the Neighbourhood across Brisbane and in Toowoomba and Rockhampton, spreading the message of welcome across Queensland.
Register to attend now to help us light the way to welcome.
What a night – thanks to everyone who joined us at Multicultural Australia’s LUMINOUS Lantern Parade at South Bank on 10 June.
It was a beautiful evening of welcome to all new Queenslanders, celebrating the rich cultural contributions of Queensland’s diverse communities.
Now in its 15th year, LUMINOUS is one of Queensland’s largest welcome events, capturing the imagination of Queenslanders with its spectacular use of light to symbolise hope and create welcome for new Queenslanders. Our event is held in conjunction with Queensland Day (6 June) to celebrate Queensland’s birthday and our unique culture, heritage, people, places and industries.
The evening commenced with our Partner event at Flowstate where Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM spoke about her role as our support for our work in her role as our Patron. Thanks also to our other dignitaries who joined us, The Honourable Leanne Linard MP, Minister for Children, Youth Justice and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Councillor Vicki Howard on behalf of the Lord Mayor and the Executive General Manager, Suncorp, Mr Matthew Leslie.
Our CEO Christine Castley then chaired a panel discussion including three remarkable young people who travelled with Multicultural Australia on their journey to settling in Australia.
A symbolic smoking ceremony was held to launch the beginning of the parade, with the spectacular lantern procession beginning at Flowstate, and winding its way on a short and symbolic walk down the promenade taking in the sites of the city skyline. The Story Bridge and Victoria Bridges were also lit up in our colours of yellow and orange to celebrate the event.
The parade had over 80 walking groups with close to 2,000 walkers from all parts of our community – schools, faith communities, service providers, cultural community groups, government, clients (who include refugees, migrants and international students) and corporate partners. We estimate there was over 10,000 spectators to watch the parade.
The Parade ended at the South Bank Piazza where guests joined us for a vibrant World music concert, with the lanterns bathed in the luminous light symbolising welcome and hope for many people from all over the world, especially our newest Queenslanders.
LUMINOUS attracts supporters from across the community including all levels of government, corporate and community organisations.
Indigenous elders, migrant and refugee communities, service providers, education and training providers, church organisations, schools, various stakeholder groups and the wider community also walk in the Parade or participate in a range of LUMINOUS satellite events.
LUMINOUS 2022 featured its traditional array of beautiful lanterns held by our partners and sponsors, communities and stakeholders. The lanterns included a koala, owl, giraffe, clownfish, kangaroo, elephant, lion and rainbow serpent, along with characters such as Alice in Wonderland, and iconic Brisbane landmarks including the Story Bridge and City Hall.
This year Multicultural Australia featured LUMINOUS in the Regions and LUMINOUS in the Neighbourhood events across Brisbane and in Toowoomba and Rockhampton, spreading the message of welcome across Queensland. These events included pre-event activities in the community building and decorating the pyramid paper lanterns that were later used in the parade.
These regional and neighbourhood communities have a long history of welcoming refugees and migrants, building multicultural communities that are celebrated and valued.
One of the inspiring things about hosting events such as this is the community spirit it builds. From participating in lantern workshops, to attending the event, it all involves a conversation about multiculturalism and how we can create welcome to new Queenslanders.
Events like LUMINOUS Lantern Parade don’t happen without the generosity of our volunteers. From the set up to the pack down, from crowd management at the World Music Concert to hosting the partner event, we couldn’t do it without them.
Our volunteers are members of the public who are passionate about connecting with multicultural communities, job seekers seeking experience in the events field and of course our dedicated Multicultural Australia staff. Thanks go to them all for making the magic happen.
Our work at Multicultural Australia is to change the conversation about who we are as a community and how we can be better – we cannot do this alone, which is why it’s so important for us to work with partners. Our message is stronger if it is shared by many voices. We think we have something positive to say, and we’ve been able to encourage others to come and join us,and be energised by their new ideas. We’d like to say a big thank you to our incredible sponsors who made the LUMINOUS Lantern Parade possible!
Suncorp, Brisbane City Council, Queensland Government, AFL Queensland, Brisbane Catholic Education, Brisbane Lions, Catholic Justice & Peace Commission of Brisbane, Queensland Human Rights Commission, Queensland Unions, Queensland Theatre, HOST International, Australian Department of Home Affairs, blue APACHE, CSnet, Hastings Deering, Mater, Settlement Services International – SSI, TAFE Queensland English Language and Literacy Services, 4EB, oOh!media, JMC Academy, Football Queensland
If you enjoyed the LUMINOUS Lantern Parade, Multicultural Australia’s Our Journey is next on the calendar on 21 August followed by the MOSAIC Multicultural Festival on 18 September. The festival celebrates the rich cultural contributions all of us bring through dance, music, spoken word poetry and storytelling, visual arts and crafts, children’s and family activities and cooking demonstrations.
We hope to see you there.
Luminous highlights 2022
Luminous highlights 2022 (JMC Academy)
The MOSAIC Multicultural Festival celebrates the rich cultural contributions all of us bring to our multicultural Queensland through dance, music, spoken word poetry and storytelling, visual arts and crafts, children’s and family activities and delectable foods and cooking demonstrations!
Multicultural Australia’s MOSAIC is delighted to be included in the Serenades program as part of the Brisbane Festival in 2022. Brisbane Serenades is the beating heart of the festival and MOSAIC’s vibrant contribution of multicultural performers offers an exciting celebration of Brisbane’s diversity.
The MOSAIC 2022 program will feature:
MOSAIC is brought to you in partnership with Suncorp, the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council.
Partner with us:
Would your organisation like to find out more about partnering with us to deliver this iconic celebration of Brisbane’s multicultural communities – click here to view our Sponsorship Prospectus.
Thank you to the Major Sponsors and Community Partners we could not host the MOSAIC Multicultural Festival without!
Multicultural Australia welcomes the Queensland Government response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Serious Vilification and Hate Crimes.
Acts of racial vilification and hate continue to have a debilitating effect on too many individuals in our community and undermines their basic human right to life of safety and stability.
Multicultural Australia is part of the Cohesive Community Coalition, which represents more than 20 of Queensland’s diverse ethnic and religious communities. As part of the Coalition, we call on the State Government to act urgently to implement all of the recommendations in the Committee’s report.
Multicultural Australia repeatedly hears stories of people experiencing racism and believes discrimination can adversely affect people’s ability to socially and economically integrate.
The Committee received 82 written submissions and 40 video and audio submissions, with Multicultural Australia facilitating the provision of 41 video, audio and written submissions to the inquiry.
Christine Castley, CEO of Multicultural Australia said, ’We have worked tirelessly over many months to advocate for action on hate crime and serious vilification.
Community engagement was extremely important, and we must honour the voices of the many people in our communities who took the time to share their stories and experiences.’
During the Parliamentary Inquiry, stories were told of overt and covert racism and a regular theme was the belief among many in the community that reporting their experiences to authorities would not result in action. The Committee’s recommendations set us on a path to ensuring our laws and practices meet communities’ expectations to protect all Queenslanders.
‘When fully implemented, these reforms will help us promote and create a peaceful, cohesive and supportive Queensland community where everyone is welcome and allowed to go about their life safely’ said Ms Castley.
Last December, the My Vision Youth Program hosted a group of 70 clients on a beach day.
Sheikh Mohamed
At this event, our clients had the opportunity to learn how to be safe at the beach with the help of Surf Life Saving Queensland. Surf Life Saving is Australia’s peak coastal water safety, drowning prevention and rescue authority. For more information about Surf Life Saving and what they do, visit their website here.
Sharing more about this fantastic day out, we took time to chat with Butrus Haider, a Youth Engagement Officer, and Ahmad Hosseini, Youth Engagement Worker with Multicultural Australia.
Tell us a little bit about the My Youth Vision Program?
The My Vision Youth Program (MYVP) works with young migrants and refugees from all backgrounds, supporting them in transitioning into the country.
We work with groups of age 15 to 25. A lot of the young people that we work with have been in the country for less than five years.
We aim to provide a range of programs to support our youth in ensuring they develop confidence and safety in their community. It is a great program to be a part of.
How does your team support and welcome newly arrived people in Queensland?
We have a group of youth workers for this purpose. Some of our colleagues, are well established in the community, and they invite young people to our programs or activities.
Many clients in the MYVP program come from diverse backgrounds with English as a second language.
In many cases, speaking the same language spoken by the client makes the transition smoother. We also have about six youth workers who have strong knowledge about sports, training, education, and employment.
We are here to be a source of assistance, community, and fun.
Tell us a little more about the Beach Day that took place recently, and your experience…
Butrus –The beach activity was very, very successful. We had about 70 young people come along to the day. Some of our clients who attended had visited the beach before, but for many of them, this excursion was their first encounter with the beach ever.
It was a great day for the young people to enjoy an outdoor activity.
All of them have different backgrounds, so they had the opportunity to connect with each other, build relationships, and forge friendships.
It was an awesome opportunity to try new activities at the beach because, as we know, Australia is surrounded by water. I think learning more about beach culture and understanding more about beach safety was an absolute highlight of the day.
I think in general our clients who came along to the day were very pleased with the process and the way it was handled. They now feel more confident about beach safety, and they can share the knowledge they learned with their family and friends.
Butrus – Another interesting thing to share is that some of the clients who attended the activity didn’t know what beachwear was. They didn’t come dressed for the occasion, but, were brave enough to jump in the water because they were super excited about the opportunity. Some of the clients who attended to the activity said that they had only seen beaches in movies or magazines.
At the end of the day, they were commenting on what to wear if they go to the beach again.
For example, before this day some of them had no idea about wearing beach shorts.
Ahmad – there was one young person that brought an extra pair of shorts in case someone needed them. He knew that some of the clients were coming to the beach for the first time wouldn’t know what to wear. That’s extraordinary.
Why is this type of activity important to develop a sense of belonging in your clients?
Butrus – It’s important our youth clients to understand how to be safe at the beach, but to also have fun.
From the beach safety side of things because they now live in Australia, with the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coasts within a short distance of where they have settled, it is part of their local culture they can now be a part of.
As a result of beach day events such as this, some of them can now go to the beach and enjoy it, because they know what to do when in order to be safe.
They develop a sense of belonging when they go to an environment where they feel comfortable, safe, and part of the community.
Ahmad – It’s also important for young people to engage in these activities because, for example, if they’re in school or in any other setting, they are always with the people that they already know.
This sort of activity provides a great opportunity for our clients to meet new people, experience other cultures, and mix with other Australians.
Butrus – One of the young people said, “When I go back to school, I’ve got a story to share about what I did during the holidays.”
This type of experience increases their sense of belonging because they can relate with people from diverse backgrounds and have a story to share other people in their community. It is a great way to bring people from everywhere together.
Some of our clients loved the location and asked us for the address.
They said that they wanted to go to that place again with their families so they can also enjoy that beautiful beach.
Other clients felt more confident about how to swim, how to enjoy the beach responsibly, and even help someone who is in danger in the water.
Ahmad – one of the most popular questions that popped up on that day was “When are we going to do this again?”
Are you planning a new outdoor activity for this year?
Yes, we’re very flexible and creative in terms of the activities we facilitate for our young people.
I would like them to try surfing next time. We’re very open to new ideas and like to hear what young people want to do so we can make them reality for our next activity.
Surfing might be next on the list.
Cohesive Community Coalition calls on Queensland Government to urgently implement law reform for hate crime
The Cohesive Communities Coalition, representing over 20 of Queensland’s diverse ethnic and religious communities, has welcomed the Queensland Parliament’s Legal Affairs and Safety Committee’s recommendations to strengthen the state’s response to hate crime and vilification.
The parliamentary inquiry into Queensland’s existing laws has found major gaps in reporting serious vilification and hate speech on and offline. The report confirms the unfortunate reality in our society that there continues to be some people who engage in destructive thinking and behaviour which manifests in serious vilification and hate crimes – and that deterrent sanctions are needed for those persons.
The Legal Affairs and Safety Committee’s 17 recommendations strongly reflect their tireless and detailed consideration of our original options paper, and the many considered ideas put forward during the inquiry.
We thank them for this report, which gives us enormous hope. We look forward to the Queensland Government’s rapid implementation of the report’s recommended legal changes, in particular the recommendation to introduce a statutory aggravation regarding hate/serious vilification into the Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld) and the Summary Offences Act 2006 (Qld) to apply to criminal conduct.
Acting swiftly will make our criminal legal system a place of justice and safety for more Queenslanders. There is no place in our community for racist hate or abuse and every victim of hate crime deserves to have their complaint recognised for what it is.
Do you need assistance in becoming ready for work?
Step to Work is an eight-week job preparation program for people from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background.
This project will provide job seekers with:
Each week our team will organise a different workplace site visit where you will gain real-world knowledge of employment options in a range of industries.
When:
Starting in March but you can apply NOW! Participants will be required to attend 2 days a week over 8 weeks
Where:
PCYC Inala 37 Swallow St, Inala QLD 4077
To apply for this program, please click this link https://bit.ly/3rFpCVY and complete the application form.
For more information:
If you have any questions regarding the Step to Work program, please contact our team via email WelcomeWorkforce@multiculturalaustralia.org.au
Our Shape Your Future career mentoring program starts in February/March 2022 and is
taking expressions of interest NOW!
The program will support you to identify and develop your job readiness skills and understanding the local job market.
To register your interest, complete the expression of interest form via this link – https://bit.ly/3uc2aCo
If you have any questions about the program please contact our Employment team at Multicultural Australia via email WelcomeWorkforce@multiculturalaustralia.org.au
Multicultural Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today.
As the world’s oldest living cultures, we recognise that Australia always has been and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
We who come from many places pay our respects to Elders throughout all time and commit to learning from the knowledge, traditions, stories, spirituality, and experiences of Aboriginal people as we learn to live on their land.
We walk together in solidarity of the pain of the past, and in shared hope for the future.
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