Georges River Council will become a Refugee Welcome Zone as part of the 2017 Refugee Week celebrations.
Refugee Week will be celebrated tomorrow, Thursday, June 15, with an event at the Civic Theatre, Hurstville.
As part of the celebrations, Georges River Council will announce the council as a Refugee Welcome Zone, and as a signatory to the Refugee Scroll.
A Refugee Welcome Zone is a Local Government Area which has made a commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees into the community, upholding the human rights of refugees, demonstrating compassion for refugees and enhancing cultural and religious diversity in the community.
In NSW, 14 councils have signed the scroll and become Refugee Welcome Zones including Sutherland Shire and City of Sydney councils.
Georges River Council’s Refugee Week event will present young guest speakers of refugee backgrounds and a ‘Welcome Refugee’ musical performance.
Winners of the creative writing competition run in partnership with the Intensive English Centres in the Georges River Council local government area.
This year also sees the launch of the Refugee Film Festival, a program of short films highlighting the kinds of difficulties faced by people who have fled conflict for a safer future.
Key partners in the event include Advance Diversity Services, MTC Australia Hurstville, Beverly Hills Intensive English Centre, Kogarah Intensive English Centre, Settlement Services International and the Refugee Council of Australia.