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 to your communities to continue your important work.
 
Prof Chelsea Watego challenges us to consider, who is welcoming who, and to where? She invited us to engage in conversations to strive for solidarity between settlers of colour and First Nations peoples. Rana Hussain implored us to imagine an Australia without hyphens. We heard from First Nations speakers, councils, grass roots community organisations, professors, and community members. We learnt about local initiatives, and about the role sport plays in making sure people feel a sense of belonging.
We also launched Stories of Welcome – volume 4, the draft Welcoming Cities Standard 2.8 for public consultation. At the Opening Reception we celebrated the Welcoming Australia Medals and Welcoming Cities Awards for Change. Overall, it was a wonderful two days.  

Thank you to every single person who shared the stage and offered their ideas, experiences and vulnerability. Thank you for your generosity of conversation, engagement, questions and comments. The buzz of conversation in the room was electric.  
Thank you to our Event Partners – Scanlon Foundation, LGPro, SSI, City of Melbourne and SBS
 
Thank you to the Members and Supporters of Welcoming Australia – without you the program wouldn’t have encompassed all that it did. We exist to support your great work and relish the chance to highlight the change you make. 

Thank you also to the partners and friends of Welcoming Australia – we appreciate your support and guidance as we continue to grow our work and strive to create more opportunities for people to contribute.  

If you would like to catch up on a presentation the videos are available here.  

We look forward to continuing the journey with you, hopefully we will see next year!  

Notes

Notes and key talking points from the 2023 Symposium

Speaker Slides

First Nations Keynote – Prof. Chelsea Watego

International Keynote – Prof. Susanne Wessendorf

National Keynote – Prof. Kate Reynolds

See all of the videos from the Symposium