Media Release - 9 August 2019
Cumberland Council has affirmed its status as a Refugee Welcome Zone.
A Refugee Council of Australia initiative, a Welcome Zone is established in the spirit of welcoming refugees into the community, upholding the human rights of refugees, demonstrating compassion for refugees and enhancing cultural and religious diversity.
“The Cumberland Local Government Area has one of the highest populations of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia,” said Mayor Greg Cummings.
“We celebrate our diversity and the Refugee Welcome Zone is a wonderful, inclusive initiative that will foster a culture of harmony and social cohesion.”
As part of the declaration, Council will be putting up signage in community facilities to acknowledge that Cumberland is a Refugee Welcome Zone.
Each year Cumberland Council runs the Refugee Camp in My Neighbourhood project, which is currently underway at the Auburn Centre for Community.
The award-winning project provides an interactive experience sharing the journey of someone fleeing their country as a refugee and coming to Australia. Tours are delivered by people with lived experiences as refugees or people seeking asylum who live in the Cumberland community.
Profiles of this year’s tour guides are available and describe their personal stories and journey to employment, which is the theme for this year.
Cumberland local, Hedayat Osyan, is a local business owner and former tour guide for Refugee Camp in My Neighbourhood and now hires refugees and asylum seekers working in exploited industries.
“I was seeing how these people were being exploited through work and decided to establish my own business and hire them,” he said.
