Today is
World Refugee Day, and the City of Greater Geelong is proud to celebrate the
day as part of Refugee Week, which runs until Saturday 25th June.
World
Refugee Day and Refugee Week aim to educate Australians on the many reasons
refugees leave their homes and celebrate their successes in their new
countries.
The theme
for this year’s Refugee Week is ‘Healing’, which highlights the importance of
how we can learn from shared experiences of hardship and heal as a community as
we move forward.
During the
week, the City will be sharing inspiring stories of community members from
refugee backgrounds on the Geelong Australia website and social media platforms.
One of these
people is Helen Chernonok, who arrived in Australia from Kyiv two months ago
after fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Helen now
lives in Jan Juc and is supported by the Ukrainian Community in Geelong and
Cultura.
Helen said
although her experience has been challenging, she is grateful for the help she
has received.
I'm really
grateful that I can live here in safety. It’s also a huge change for me because
I was successful and independent back home. But here, I have to rely on other
people’s kindness.
I live in a
beautiful area, by the beach. It really helps me to go to the beach and sit,
sometimes for hours, and just watch the waves.
The City of
Greater Geelong has been recognised as a ‘Refugee Welcome Zone’ since 2002, and
the Multicultural Action Plan Advisory Committee supports and guides Council to
deliver inclusive programs and initiatives to our refugee community.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor Cr Peter
Murrihy:
Council is dedicated to advocating for refugees and humanitarian
arrivals.
As one of the primary settlement areas
in Victoria for humanitarian entrants, Greater Geelong welcomes hundreds of
refugees every year.
Ongoing conflicts in countries such as
Syria, Afghanistan, and most recently Ukraine have displaced many people, and
some of these people now call Geelong home.
The City welcomes all new residents,
and we’re here to support you as much as possible.
Another of
this year’s projects is a short, animated film, which is a collaboration with
Bluebird Foundation, Wellways, Western Victoria PHN, Cultura and the City of
Greater Geelong.
The film features the perspectives of young
people with refugee backgrounds on what mental health is and how mental health
support services can better reach diverse cultural groups.
The group –
all from the Geelong region - has used their own words, voices and artworks in
the animated film, which has also been translated into Arabic, Dari, Karen, Swahili and Tamil.
The video
was prepared under the guidance of local artist Laura Alice and has received an Honourable Mention
in the Los Angeles-based One-Reeler Short Film competition.
Multicultural
Affairs portfolio chair, Councillor Jim Mason:
Refugee Week provided an
essential reminder of the importance of coming together and looking out for one
another.
Refugee
Week is a time for us all to reflect upon the rich diversity of our region and
the wonderful contributions our refugee community bring to the City of Greater
Geelong
Council is
committed to providing services and programs for these community members, as
part of our Multicultural Action Plan – which aims to provide a more inclusive,
connected and vibrant community.
To see the
video and read all the interviews, visit: www.geelongaustralia.com.au/refugeeweek.