This September, community members all over Australia embraced the Welcoming Week theme of #WhatBringsUsTogether, celebrating the work of advancing a welcoming Australia. We joined eight countries taking part, with an amazing 2,006 events hosted globally!
Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to share food together brings communities together year after year! Whether it was a long lunch hosted by the City of Melville and the City of Cockburn, a community lunch with the City of Playford, a community BBQ with Ararat Rural City Council and cookbooks produced by Gladstone Regional Council and the City of Armadale, Welcoming Cities members truly explored the Welcoming Week theme of #WhatBringsUsTogether.
Welcoming Week also saw Mt Isa celebrate new citizens and the City of Canning and the City of Stirling co-hosting events with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia to raise awareness of community refugee sponsorship and the vital role it plays in the settlement of refugee newcomers.
Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia headed over to Perth to host a number of community events and celebrations as part of Welcoming Week 2024, speaking to communities about welcoming refugees into their local neighbourhoods through the CRISP program.
Art also played a key role in celebrating #WhatBringsUsTogether, with the City of Mandurah hosting the World Music Café, Lake Macquarie City Council’s LivingSmart Festival showcasing local performers and artists alongside market stalls and workshops and the City of Port Adelaide Enfield hosting Welcome Fest, bringing together artists, performers, stall holders and community to celebrate the joy of welcoming.
In South Australia, Circle of Friends showed up in style throughout the week, hosting Afghan feasts, art exhibitions and even a clothes swap to celebrate Welcoming Week and raise funds for their important work supporting refugee communities calling Australia home.
And so much more – this is just a snapshot of conversations, celebrations and commitments to advancing a welcoming Australia where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive.
Welcoming Week is about more than the events and connections during this week alone. It’s a time to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including migrants, refugees, people seeking asylum, international students, and the entire community, as well as the work that happens in your communities every single day.
We can’t wait to celebrate Welcoming Week together again next year,
so mark your calendars for September 12-21, 2025!
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