The 2022 Welcoming Australia Symposium was a great success, it was exciting to feel the buzz of ideas and new connections in the room. A packed program featured Dr Alethea Beetson delivering the First Nations keynote, David Pocock (National Keynote), Professor john powell (International keynote) and an exceptional line-up of … Read More
Symposium 2021 – wrap-up and presentations
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
Symposium 2019 – wrap-up and presentations
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
An Evidence-Based Approach to Migration in Regional Queensland
The Queensland Government, through the Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs (DLGRMA) is working with Welcoming Cities to explore leading practice to support interested regional councils in attracting, growing and retaining diversity. Under the banner of Welcoming and Inclusive Communities, Welcoming Cities has delivered an initial research project … Read More
Murray Bridge
The aim of this project was to achieve a better understanding of the factors leading to long-term successful settlement outcomes for new migrants in the Rural City of Murray Bridge, with a focus on active citizenship and social participation in community life. The study sought to understand the types and … Read More
Local jobs for local people
Jobs change lives. They empower individuals, sustain families and strengthen communities. High unemployment levels affect many communities across Australia and the task of tackling this problem has traditionally fallen to the federal and state governments. Local councils are also in an excellent position to understand the changing needs of local … Read More
The Art of Welcome
The idea of welcome as more than a greeting, but as an underpinning of commerce and socioeconomic development, existed centuries before colonial rulers long over-stayed theirs. Richard Trudgen in his seminal work on the Yolŋu outlines the trade practices of the First Nations peoples from what is now known as … Read More
The Role of Local Government in Settlement and Multiculturalism
“Although settlement planning and multicultural community relations strategies have historically adopted a top-down approach through leadership at federal level, much of the work on the ground has been undertaken at municipal level. What is currently missing in Australia is an agreed and effective inter-governmental strategy that harnesses the potential of … Read More