“Over ten years, tens of thousands of people have advanced a more welcoming Australia… spreading a spirit of welcome, embracing diversity, and ensuring our political leaders know that unity builds a better future than division ever could.”
Brad Chilcott – Founder, Welcoming Australia
In 2010, the refugee and ‘asylum seeker’ debate was toxic.
Despite a call for ‘ethical leadership’ from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), people fleeing war and persecution were being referred to as ‘the refugee problem’.
Public protests against the establishment of community detention facilities for people seeking asylum centred on keeping people out of Australian communities rather than concern for their safety and wellbeing. Protest signs such as ‘sink the boats’ were not uncommon. The image of a child carrying such a message, advocating for the murder of people at sea, served as a chilling catalyst for change.
‘Middle Australia’ had disengaged from the extremes of a debate that had descended into hurling blame and abuse.
There was an opportunity and necessity to change the conversation – engaging people in a positive, humanising dialogue and building connections with new arrivals.
‘No to refugees’ protests are being conducted outside Woodside Town Hall (South Australia) in response to the government plan to house refugees at Inverbrackie Detention Centre. The protestors’ primary concerns are ‘house prices’ and ‘community safety’.
Adelaide TV news coverage shows a ten-year-old boy holding up a sign saying ‘Sink the Boats’.
A community meeting, organised by Brad Chilcott, is convened
at a local cafe in Woodside (the location of Inverbrackie Detention Centre). The purpose of the meeting is to combine the resources of as many community stakeholders as possible (community agencies, churches and passionate individuals) for a positive and practical response to the ’no to refugees’ protests.
Christmas Island tragedy: a boat carrying 90 people seeking asylum, mostly from Iraq and Iran, sinks off the coast of Christmas Island. 48 people died and 42 survivors are rescued.
Faith Leaders in South Australia host a walk from the Adelaide CBD to Woodside. The walk, titled In This Together: Walk Together in Solidarity, culminates in a Welcome Party at Woodside Oval, which attracts more than 100 people. The key messages and themes are:
The Twitter account for Welcome to Australia is launched.
A Facebook page for Welcome to Australia is launched.
Welcome to Australia Ambassadors — in the areas of sport, music, and politics — are identified as the movement grows.
A Welcome to Australia promotional video with Ivan Maric, Adelaide Football Club player, is produced and distributed.
Official media launch of Welcome to Australia with community members and Adelaide Football Club players Ivan Maric, Aiden Riley, and Chris Knights.
More than 40 ’Welcome Parties’ are conducted nationally throughout Refugee Week — hosted by community groups, faith communities, organisations and individuals.
Ambassador Jessica Rowe hosts a Welcome to Australia Dinner at Parliament House (Canberra), attended by representatives of all major political parties; including future Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Welcome to Australia begins to coordinate community visits with families in Inverbrackie Detention Centre.
Sounds Like Welcome is launched, by Welcome to Australia Ambassador Katie Noonan. The initiative is designed to provide the gift of music to people seeking asylum, refugees, and other new arrivals. Sounds Like Welcome connects donated musical instruments, or the finance to purchase them, with specific requests from people in immigration detention or on humanitarian visas in the Australian community. Donations include a grand piano and 50 recorders. A Welcome Choir is also formed.
A cross-partisan TV ad, featuring musicians, politicians and sportspeople, is produced by Welcome to Australia for Harmony Day.
A boat carrying people seeking asylum sinks off Christmas Island. 17 people die and 110 survivors are rescued.
During Refugee Week, the first national Walk Together is conducted in 12 capital cities and regional centres. The theme is It’s Time to Walk Together10 and the Adelaide event is attended by then Premier Jay Weatherill and former Premier Lynn Arnold.
Following the Walk Together event, Steve Georganas MP gives a constituency statement in Federal Parliament, stating:
“Throughout the walk, the thoughts of participants were with the people who lost their lives in last week’s boat tragedy — 17 bodies have been recovered and 110 people have been rescued. If there is one good thing to come out of these terrible events, it is that it has become increasingly obvious that it is time to end the politics of fear and division when it comes to asylum seekers. We need to not only walk together but work together too—as a community and as politicians. If there is one resounding message from Walk Together, it is that change has to start from here, from this parliament we have been elected to. We cannot expect our communities to walk together if, as politicians, we are not willing to work together. That is why it has been great that Welcome to Australia has received so much support from across the political divide.”
In the years following a diverse range of Federal and State politicians will speak to the importance and impact of Walk Together and the work of Welcoming Australia.
Welcome to Australia launches Enhance Australia, a mentoring program and support network to help international students feel welcome in their off-campus communities. Enhance Australia incorporates:
Wally De Backer (Gotye) donates concert tickets to young people seeking asylum who are in community detention, and organises a backstage meet-and-greet.
Throughout 2012 and 2013, people seeking asylum being released from immigration detention are granted Bridging Visa E (BVE), with no work or study rights. With limited social connections and opportunities, many BVE holders connect as volunteers through Welcome to Australia.
Upon turning 18, former unaccompanied minors seeking asylum are released from community detention with limited access to support. This need inspires the founding of the Welcome Centre.
The Welcome Centre launches, offering the following services:
Initially, the ‘Centre’ is coordinated online until a physical location can be sourced.
Welcome Soccer launches, coordinated by people seeking asylum on BVEs. The initiative facilitates friendly and informal soccer matches on Saturday mornings in the Adelaide Parklands, for the whole community.
Parliamentary launch and media conference for Walk Together with Ambassadors Steve Georganas MP, Senator Sarah Hanson- Young, Senator Scott Ludlam, Senator Christine Milne, Stephen Jones MP, Andrew Leigh MP, Russel Broadbent MP, Hon Judi Moylan MP, Senator Lisa Singh, Robert Oakeshott MP and Senator Ursula Stephens.
Walk Together is hosted across 16 cities with the theme If We’re All People, We’re All Equal.
At the Adelaide Walk Together event, then State Premier Jay Weatherill announces plans for transport concessions to be made available to people seeking asylum on bridging visas in South Australia.
“Mo-hair” fundraising campaign for the Welcome Centre commences. Volunteer, and future CEO, Mohammad Al-Khafaji commits to shave his post-shoulder length hair (30+ centimetres!) to raise funds for the opening of the Welcome Centre.
Official opening of the Welcome Centre at 100 Drayton Street, Bowden. The event is co-hosted with the SA Muslim Youth Association and features a community Iftar for 150 guests. The opening is also the culmination of “Mo-Hair” with an auction to bid on personally shaving Mohammad Al-Khafaji’s hair at the event. $10,000 is raised.
Welcome to Australia secures a $160,000 Building Multicultural Communities Program grant to develop and expand the work of the Welcome Centre.
The Wiggles donate two pallets of nappies to the Welcome Centre, give away concert tickets to newly arrived families seeking asylum in Adelaide and become Ambassadors for Welcome to Australia.
Comedian Tom Ballard becomes an Ambassador for Welcome to Australia and uses his national comedy tour to raise funds and support for the Welcome Centre.
The newly elected Federal Government advises Welcome to Australia that the $160,000 Building Multicultural Communities Program grant has been withdrawn. That evening, the Welcome Centre hosts a community dinner and launches a crowd-funding campaign.
The crowd-funding campaign reaches $70,000 and The Project (Channel 10) profiles the work of the Welcome Centre.
The Welcome Centre is gifted tickets for volunteers and participants to attend a Dr G. Yunupingu concert with Kate Ceberano and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
The murder of 23-year-old Reza Barati at Manus Island Detention Centre prompts nation-wide ’Light The Dark’ vigils in every capital city and multiple regional centres. The vigils are co-hosted and coordinated by Welcome to Australia and GetUp!
Welcome to Australia co-hosts a stall at WOMADelaide with Amnesty International. Volunteers collect ‘welcome pledges’ and create a ‘Welcome Wall’.
Welcome to Australia wins a national Migration and Settlement Award, in the Settlement Innovation category, for Walk Together.
Welcome to Australia is established as a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) with the founding Board of Directors consisting of: Brad Chilcott, Manal Younus, Mohammad Al-Khafaji, Pete Haskard and Kate Leaney.
Asylum Sneakers crowdfunding campaign featuring ‘Mr Football’, Les Murray, raises more than $50,000 for sports shoes for children from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds.
Welcome to Australia and World Vision Australia establish the ‘Welcome to My Place’ initiative, supporting churches and faith communities to encourage their members to actively model welcome and hospitality. The initiative was later renamed Act Local and broadened its reach beyond faith communities.
The death of Hamid Khazaei, declared brain dead after he contracted a leg infection in Manus Island detention centre, sparks more nation-wide ‘Light the Dark’ vigils.
National Day of Unity is launched by Welcome to Australia and Lebanese Muslim Association bringing together Walk Together and National Mosque Open Day.
Walk Together 2014 moves to an October date and brings together 20 capital cities and regional centres with the theme Common People, Common Dreams.
More than 200 people attend the Welcome Centre Christmas Party.
Welcome to Australia produces a mini documentary on the ‘Cambodia deal’ which includes interviews with then Cambodian Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy, local business owners and everyday Cambodians about the plan to send refugees from Australia to Cambodia.
The Welcome Centre is gifted tickets for volunteers to attend the Paul Simon and Sting concert.
Welcome to Australia, alongside key partners, hosts a Welcome Picnic in Mirnu Wirra Park, Adelaide to celebrate City of Adelaide becoming a Refugee Welcome Zone.
The Welcome Centre is officially re-launched after crowd- funded renovations. The launch is attended by dignitaries such as then Premier Jay Weatherill, Senator Sarah Hanson- Young, Peter Drew (Peter Drew Arts), and Jayne Stinson (Channel 7).
Welcome to Australia’s crowd-funding campaign, the Welcome 100, is launched to employ the organisation’s first full-time staff member and CEO.
After a successful crowd-funding campaign and recruitment process, Welcome to Australia appoints Mohammad Al-Khafaji as the inaugural CEO.
Welcome to Australia co-hosts ‘Light the Dark’ vigils around Australia to remember Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi and people who have died seeking safety.
The Australian Government grants 12,000 visas under a special humanitarian intake for Syrians and Iraqis, fleeing terrorism and civil war.
Walk Together 2015 is hosted across 28 cities with the theme Say Welcome.
National Day of Unity launched at Parliament House by then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Greens Leader Richard di Natale.
Scanlon Foundation partners with Welcome to Australia to establish the Welcoming Cities initiative. After a national recruitment process, Aleem Ali is appointed National Manager, Welcoming Cities.
The Australian Government attempts to return 267 people seeking asylum to Manus Island and Nauru, including children born in Australia. In response Welcome to Australia joins national campaigns, Let Them Stay and Stand for Sanctuary, co-hosting events in major cities. As a result, all 267 people, including the 37 babies born on Australian soil, are allowed to stay in Australia in community detention.
Following advocacy from Welcoming Australia, then State Premier Jay Weatherill declares the whole of South Australia to be recognised as a zone for the Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV), positively benefiting more than 5,000 visa holders.
Scanlon Foundation and Welcome to Australia host Founder of Welcoming America, David Lubell, to coincide with the official launch of Welcoming Cities and inaugural Welcoming Cities Symposium at Melbourne Town Hall.
Welcome to Australia co-host the national Palm Sunday Walk for Justice for Refugees events, Launch of Welcome to the Game and appointment of Program Coordinator, Maia Tua-Davidson.
Hume City Council (Victoria) is the first member of the Welcoming Cities network.
National Day of Unity is extended to National Unity Week, bookended by Walk Together and National Mosque Open Day.
Walk Together 2016, We Share Our Future, hosts events in 29 cities and towns, including the first international event – Walk Together Anchorage (Alaska). The Sydney event includes Hon. Tanya Plibersek, then Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane, the Hon. Jihad Dib, Deng Adut, Sara Saleh, Mariam Veiszadeh, and the Hon. Mehreen Faruqi.
The second Welcoming Cities Symposium is conducted at Melbourne Arts Centre29 and features Mayor Naheed Nenshi (City of Calgary, Canada) and Jill Helke (Director, IOM).
In partnership with the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV), and supported by the Victorian Government, the first Campfire Stories is hosted in Melbourne. Campfire Stories brings together people from diverse backgrounds to tell stories of hope, culture and unity. Through the medium of storytelling around a campfire, the speakers share their experiences over a mug of hot chai
and toasted marshmallows.
Welcoming Careers, an initiative designed to cultivate pathways to employment and education, is launched at the Asylum Seeker Hub (Western Australia).
The City of Darebin (Victoria) is the 10th Council to join Welcoming Cities.
The #PowerOfWelcome, a partnership between Welcome to Australia, Welcome Centre and Port Adelaide Football Club, is launched.
Paralympics Australia auspice a successful multi-year grant through the Victorian Government for the establishment
of Welcome to the Game (Victoria). The initiative supports children and young people (and their families) from diverse backgrounds and abilities to access sport and recreation opportunities and connect with their local community.
Walk Together 2017 is hosted across 20 cities with the theme For Freedom. Anchorage (Alaska) host their second Walk Together event and a walk is also staged in Manus Island Detention Centre.
The Welcoming Cities National Advisory Committee is formed, chaired by Dr Sev Ozdowski AM. The Committee includes representatives from all the peak bodies across the Migration and Settlement sector.
The Welcome Centre produces a show for the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Refugee Stories and Secret Recipes. The show features Wajahat and Saiqa Ali, caterers and owners of Ali’s Biryani and Tikka House, who share their story of seeking asylum in Australia and cook a meal for the audience.
The inaugural Intercultural Futures Fellowship commences, supporting young people from culturally diverse backgrounds to develop practical leadership skills.
Welcome to Australia announces a partnership with Adelaide United Football Club, United in Welcome, as part of Harmony Day 2018.
The third Welcoming Cities Symposium is conducted at the Adelaide Convention Centre at which the Welcoming Cities Standard is launched. The City of Adelaide becomes the first capital city to join the Welcoming Cities network.
Graduation of the participants in the Intercultural Futures Fellowship, hosted by Governor Hieu Van Le at Government House (South Australia). The event also includes the presentation of Welcome to Australia ‘Life Membership’ for Kate Leaney and Leah Marrone.
Welcome to Australia hosts a Community Iftar at the Welcome Centre.
The Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (CRSI) is launched. CRSI is a joint project of the Refugee Council of Australia, Amnesty International Australia, Save the Children Australia, Welcome to Australia, Rural Australians for Refugees and the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce.
Mohammad Al-Khafaji finishes his employment as CEO of Welcome to Australia and is subsequently appointed CEO of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia.
Funded by the Queensland Government, Welcoming Cities commences work in South-West Queensland to support three Local Councils to develop planned approaches to the attraction and retention of migrants in their communities.
Amid the racist rhetoric of ‘African gangs’, Welcoming Cities brings together eight Mayors from across Greater Melbourne to stand in solidarity with African-Australian communities.
Welcome to Australia’s Welcome to the Game program and Football Queensland receive the Multicultural Queensland Ambassador award at the 2018 Queensland Multicultural Awards.
Welcome to Australia joins the sector-wide #KidsOffNauru campaign, bringing together ambassadors, partners, supporters and volunteers to advocate for children to be released from offshore detention on Nauru. The tireless advocacy and behind-the-scenes legal representation will result in the last children remaining on Nauru being flown to Australia in 2019.
Aleem Ali is appointed CEO of Welcome to Australia.
Walk Together takes place across Australia, with a Unity Festival hosted in Adelaide, showcasing multicultural cuisines and cultures.
Welcoming Cities is a finalist in the 2018 Human Rights Awards for the ‘Racism. It Stops With Me’ trophy.
Welcome to Australia formally changes its name to Welcoming Australia.
The City of Newcastle (New South Wales) becomes the 25th member of Welcoming Cities.
Welcoming Australia’s national Advisory Panel is formed.
The Welcoming Centre produces a second season of Refugee Stories and Secret Recipes for the Adelaide Fringe Festival – featuring Abdulghani and Fatima Alrahmo, caterers and owners of Melh wa Sekkar. The show wins the BankSA Best Show award.
The Welcoming Cities Symposium is hosted in Brisbane, and Brisbane City Council becomes the 33rd member of the network. The Symposium features the inaugural First Nations Keynote, presented by Professor Anita Heiss.
Many men and women, who have been detained by the Australian Government for six years offshore, are still experiencing serious health conditions that cannot be treated on the islands. Welcoming Australia joins the national campaign, and engages in lobbying efforts in Parliament House, for the ‘Medevac’ legislation to be implemented.
The legislation allows Australian doctors to identify and recommend to the Australian Government critically sick refugees and people seeking asylum for transfer to Australia to receive urgent medical treatment.
As part the Queensland Day celebrations, Welcoming Australia’s Welcoming Clubs initiative hosts the Inala Community Cup in partnership with local community organisations. The event also realises the target of 1000 community football participants across three years of the initiative’s activities — highlighting the ongoing need for regular, structured and accessible community sports opportunities. The 1000 participants represent 38 nations of origin and 48 languages.
Townsville City Council (Queensland) becomes the 40th member of Welcoming Cities.
Walk Together takes place with the theme Stronger Together.
National Unity Week broadens its reach, inviting attendees to engage more deeply in the week through the theme “putting welcome in your hands”, encouraging individuals and groups to host events centred around Walk Together, Eat Together, Learn Together and, Play Together.
Welcoming Australia sponsors the inaugural Award for Excellence in Local Government at the national Migration and Settlements Awards. The City of Stirling (WA) is the 2019 award recipient.
Australia’s first case of COVID-19 is confirmed.
The Welcoming Centre hosts its third season of Adelaide Fringe Festival event Refugee Stories and Secret Recipes.
Australian borders are closed to all non-residents due to COVID-19.
Because of the pandemic and risk mitigation, more than one million people in Australia have lost their jobs. The Australian Government announces a temporary JobKeeper payment and increase to unemployment benefits (JobSeeker). However, many people on temporary humanitarian visas, international students and migrant workers are not eligible to access the payments. In response, as part of the sector-wide #NobodyLeftBehind campaign, Welcoming Australia and Democracy in Colour organise Mayors from local councils across Australia to sign a Declaration committing to support and advocate for temporary visa holders.
The Welcoming Cities Symposium, to be hosted at the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), is cancelled and moved to an online format.
Welcoming Cities publishes Planning for Welcoming & Inclusive Communities: Guidelines for Regional Growth.
Welcoming Cities commences regular online meetings with Local Councils to discuss learnings and responses to COVID-19.
The City of Playford (South Australia) becomes the 50th Local Council to join Welcoming Cities.
Welcoming Australia supports the community response to the lockdown of Melbourne’s public housing towers, which includes coordinating the donation and distribution of more than 500 sports balls.
To support vulnerable families during COVID-19 lockdown measures, the Welcoming Centre commences home deliveries of pantry staples and fresh produce to more than 40 households (in Adelaide) each week.
Welcoming Australia launches a public draft of the Welcoming Clubs Standard – a framework for sport and recreation clubs to progress their diversity and inclusion practices and create a culture of welcome for all members of the community.
Welcoming Australia produces Living Room Sports – easy to follow online sports sessions hosted by athletes including Westfield Matilda’s and Atletico Madrid star Alex Chidiac.
More than 500 people are released from community detention and issued with Final Departure Bridging Visas. In response, Welcoming Australia coordinates housing and financial support in South Australia for more than 60 people.
Graduation and launch of the Stronger Together exhibition for the second cohort of Welcoming Futures (previously Intercultural Futures Fellowship).
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Walk Together is held online with the theme In This Together – a partnership with Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN), Iranian Women’s Association, National Refugee-Led Action and Advisory Group (NRAAG) and Refugee Voices to host online actions for supporters to take in lieu of physical events.
National Unity Week, with the theme Solidarity: Together We Rise, encourages online events, and limited in-person gatherings where possible. The Week engages more than 20,000 people and launches a Statement of Unity.
Over the previous nine months, the Welcoming Centre disburses more than $140,000 in emergency relief payments for recently arrived migrants and people seeking asylum who were unable to support themselves due to COVID-19.
The City of Greater Bendigo is the first Local Government in Australia to achieve accreditation as a ‘Welcoming City’.
The Welcoming Centre produces Secret Recipes for the 2021 Adelaide Fringe Festival with three different themes – First Nations, Ethiopian and Persian cuisines and culture.
Welcome to the Game (VIC), supported by Swimming Australia and Monash Aquatic & Recreation Centre, pilots a swim program for 15 young people from diverse backgrounds living with a disability.
The Welcoming Universities National Advisory Committee is formed to guide the development of a new initiative for Welcoming Australia. Welcoming Universities seeks to establish a network that will inspire and support universities to develop a culture and practice of welcome and inclusion within their institutions, in the community, and across the Australian higher education sector.
The Welcoming Cities Symposium is hosted at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney and live streamed.
A Gala Dinner is hosted at Adelaide Town Hall to celebrate Welcoming Australia’s 10 year anniversary.
