THE refugee support group, South Gippsland Rural Australians for Refugees, SGRAR, cordially invite the public to celebrate Refugee Week 2025.
Screening the award-winning film, Il Capitano, about two teenagers who set out on a journey of their lives across the globe. The SGRAR group also welcomes an inspiring speaker who will talk about her moving journey.
The idea to celebrate Refugee Week originated in Australia in 1983, proposed by the founding president of the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), Major-General Paul Cullen. Australia’s first celebration was held in 1986 in Sydney. The idea spread globally, and since 2001, Refugee Week has become a worldwide celebration of the rich and varied contributions that refugees make to communities.
The theme this year is Seeking Freedom and Diverse Community, which is the story of the speaker for 2025 Refugee Week, a high-achieving woman whose family came to Australia to seek freedom and remained to contribute to South Gippsland's free, diverse community.
Freedom and diversity are the story of Wonthaggi and the Bass Coast; a diverse, free community to which refugees and people seeking asylum join to contribute and through which the community all share in the benefits.
Since SGRAR was formed in 2003, there have been three waves of refugees who have joined the diverse Bass Coast community: the South Sudanese people, the Karen people and now the Syrian people. Each group of immigrants escaped bombs, starvation and displacement to arrive in the Bass Coast and find freedom, welcome and generous Bass Coast people sharing and helping in every way. Many who came are now valued members and contributors to the community as well as SGRAR friends.
On Sunday, June 22, SGRAR will celebrate all refugees and their contributions to the free community and nation. You are cordially invited to join. To book access https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1375296
