'Refugees are welcome here!' RAC Vic Protest - Sat 5 Nov 2011

Refugee Action Collective VIC held a rally and march on Saturday 5 Nov 2011 demanding an end to mandatory detention and offshore processing. Dr Berhan Ahmed spoke at the rally. Follow the link for photos and a report.

Senator Tchen Tsebin on multiculturalism

Before leaving the Federal Senate in 2005, Senator Bin Tchen had some pointed comments about the History Wars and the contribution of a certain historian Keith Windschuttle in relation to the significance of multiculturalism. His comments in Hansard are available here.

SBS Seven Billion Stories special program

Check out the SBS special on Seven Billion Stories, presented by our panel MC Peta-Jane Madam here! A shorter version below...

How to find the Panel

The panel is being held at the Wood Theatre in the Arts West Building at the University of Melbourne on 10 Nov 2011 3:30pm. If you are arriving by car, the closest drop off point is the intersection between Royal Parade and Genetics Lane. If you are arriving by public transport from the city, catch the Route 19 North Coburg tram and get off at Stop 10 on Royal Parade, which is next to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. From Royal Parade, the Arts West building is behind the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and the Genetics Building.

For more details, have a look at the map below:

Arena Journal launch with Adam Bandt - 27 October 2011

Launch for Arena Journal no. 35/36 and the book Changing the Climate: Utopia, Dystopia and Catastrophe by Adam Bandt, MP for Melbourne.

Thursday 27 October 2011 at 6pm at the Arena Project Space, 2 Kerr Street Fitzroy.

More info about the event here.

Last chance to register for the 2011 Dragon Tails conference!

Last chance to register for the 2011 Dragon Tails conference!

Come and be part of discussions about current and future directions in Chinese Australian history and heritage at Dragon Tails 2011: sources, language, approaches, the second Australasian conference on overseas Chinese history & heritage, to be held at the Museum of Chinese Australian History, Melbourne, Australia on 11–13 November 2011.

Registrations close Friday 28 October. Register online: http://dragontails.com.au/registration-form/

Celebrating multicultural diversity in Sydney’s west

On Monday 24 October 2011, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration will visit Parramatta to hear about multiculturalism and productive diversity in Sydney’s west. The Committee’s public hearing will be held at:

The Seminar Room, Parramatta Heritage and Visitor Information Centre

346A Church Street, Parramatta, commencing at 10.15am.

The Committee Chair Ms Maria Vamvakinou stated: “Parramatta is the capital of New South Wales’ vibrant and productive Indian community. The city is known for its annual South East Asian Arts Parramasala Festival and for its famous ‘Eat Street’ of international cuisines, a host location to this year’s Crave Sydney International Food Festival."

Just as background to the visit, on 9 February 2011, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration accepted terms of reference to inquire into the economic, social and cultural impacts of migration and make recommendations to maximise the positive benefits of migration.

The Joint Committee is yet to deliver its findings, but you can read and watch more about the Inquiry here! There's also a great program by About the House magazine on South Australian humanitarian resettlement programs here.