Welcoming Australia Symposium 2023

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Group photo of the attendees at the 2023 Welcoming Australia Symposium outside the event venue

The Welcoming Australia Symposium 2023 was our most successful yet. With over 250 people in person and over 70 online attendees. Over two days, the Welcoming Australia Symposium featured inspiring speakers on the power of place based organisation to increase belonging in Australia.participants were challenged, motivated and energised to return … Read More

Welcoming Cities Award – Ken Dachi

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Sarah Janali and Ken Dachi share the inaugural Welcoming Cities Award, given to outstanding individuals in the sector. This award recognises those who go above and beyond to cultivate a culture of welcome and inclusivity in their communities.  Ken Dachi, Multicultural Affairs Advisor and Program Coordinator at Leeton Shire Council … Read More

The Welcoming Cities Award – Sarah Janali

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Sarah Janali and Ken Dachi share the inaugural Welcoming Cities Award, given to outstanding individuals in the sector. This award recognises those who go above and beyond to cultivate a culture of welcome and inclusivity in their communities.  Sarah Janali Sarah Janali is a community development practitioner with more than … Read More

Rural Welcoming Communities Exchange Program 2023.

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From the 25 – 30 April eight Australian representatives from rural councils across the country will join colleagues from rural councils across America for the Rural Welcoming Communities Exchange Program (RWCE). The exchange experience will be based in California and the group will attend conference sessions discussing different perspectives on … Read More

Welcoming Cities Awards for Change 2022

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The Welcoming Cities team are delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural Welcoming Cities Awards for Change. The awards celebrate leading practice and innovation in advancing welcoming and inclusive communities.  The Welcoming Cities Awards celebrate change made in communities by individuals, organisations and local councils. They acknowledge the progress that strengthens social cohesion with newly … Read More

City of Unley and City of Manningham share joint honour

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Welcoming Cities celebrates the Cities of Unley and Manningham becoming the first local governments in Australia to be accredited as an Established ‘Welcoming City’. Successful accreditation acknowledges the significant work of these councils to make their municipalities more welcoming and inclusive.   Mayor of the City of Unley, Michael Hewitson AM, says the City is seeing the benefits … Read More

Symposium 2021 – wrap-up and presentations

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The 2021 Welcoming Cities Symposium was a great success, the first in-person Symposium in two years, it was exciting to feel the buzz of ideas and new connections in the room. A packed program featured Professor Megan Davis delivering the First Nations keynote, Tim Dixon (International keynote), George Megalogenis (National … Read More

City of Greater Bendigo becomes the first accredited Welcoming City

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Welcoming Cities celebrates the City of Greater Bendigo as the first local government in Australia to achieve accreditation as a ‘Welcoming City’. Successful accreditation acknowledges the significant work of Council to make the City more welcoming and inclusive.   The City of Greater Bendigo’s application was externally assessed by Monash University who considered the City’s policy and practice against all six categories of the Welcoming Cities Standard.   Steven Abbott, Manager, Community Partnerships at the City of Greater … Read More

Stronger together: 50th Local Council joins Welcoming Cities

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Network now represents more than 30 per cent of Australia’s population South Australia’s City of Playford has joined the national Welcoming Cities network, making it the 50th local Council to sign on. As COVID-19 puts pressure on communities, this growing group is leveraging multiculturalism and migration to keep everyone together. Welcoming … Read More

Virtual Welcoming Cities Symposium 2020

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Due to COVID-19, Welcoming Cities hosted a virtual Symposium. The virtual symposium will consist of weekly webinars sharing all of the presentations from the original Symposium program. The “Virtual” Welcoming Cities Symposium features all of the presenters, from the cancelled Symposium in weekly sessions. The Welcoming Cities Symposium brings together … Read More

Australian Migration and Settlement Awards

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Congratulation to the shortlisted councils in the Welcoming Communities Award for Excellence in Local Government. We are proud that all of the shortlisted candidates are members of the Welcoming Cities Network. Winner City of Stirling City of Stirling Multicultural Framework The City of Stirling developed its Multicultural Framework to build on what … Read More

City of Melbourne commits to inclusion for all

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The City of Melbourne has become the 36th local council and the 6th Australian capital city to join the Welcoming Cities network. Lord Mayor Sally Capp formally signed the commitment form surrounded by Councillors holding various statements of welcome and affirming their commitment to ensuring that the City’s policies, programs … Read More

Diversity is More Than a Quota

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3 steps to help address bias and increase inclusion within your organisation As the benefits for diversity within organisations become better understood, companies are quickly scrambling to rebrand their organisations to create an inclusive and diverse workforce. However, many companies still fail to attract interest from diverse candidates, or they … Read More

Symposium 2019 – wrap-up and presentations

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By all accounts, the 2019 Welcoming Cities Symposium was our most successful yet. A packed program featured Professor Anita Heiss delivering the inaugural First Nations keynote, Kenan Malik (International keynote), Abul Rizvi (National keynote) and an exceptional line-up of community practitioners, Local Government representatives, researchers, and community leaders. From First … Read More

Courage in the face of complexity

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Welcoming Cities is about to conclude its third calendar year, and we have much to celebrate and consider. A conversation and idea, sparked by the Scanlon Foundation and carried by Welcome to Australia, is now a national network of 26 local councils representing more than 3.5 million people (15 percent … Read More

Register Now for Symposium 2019

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On the 2nd & 3rd of April 2019, the 4th Welcoming Cities Symposium will convene in Brisbane at the redeveloped Howard Smith Wharves. The event will bring together international, national and local practitioners, policy-makers, researchers, business innovators and civic leaders to share and discuss the challenges, benefits and opportunities of … Read More