Celebrating the year of welcome

Monday, 15 June 2020

This week is Refugee Week, a time to listen to, and learn from refugee stories in Penrith.  

Penrith Mayor, Ross Fowler OAM encouraged the community to use this week to celebrate the richness diversity brings to our City and acknowledge the contribution refugees make, and have made, over many years.  

The theme of this year’s Refugee Week is ‘Welcome’ and “I’m pleased to acknowledge Penrith has been a refugee welcome zone since 2008. This means as a city and a community we show compassion, uphold human rights and welcome refugees.”   

Cr Fowler said Council works hard to ensure its services are inclusive and accessible, and recognises the many positive contributions of new and established migrants in Penrith.   

In previous years, Council has worked with local organisations to host a Refugee Week event. This year, in line with social distancing, we are offering a range of virtual ways to embrace the Refugee Week message. 

At 9am on Wednesday 17 June and Saturday 20 June, Penrith Library will host an online Refugee Week Story Time session through its Facebook page. Aimed at families with young children, this Story Time is a chance to hear stories of hope, courage and resilience introduced by a local refugee.  

“During the week, Council’s Community and Place team will also be filming refugee stories,” Cr Fowler said. “We will share these with our community in the weeks to come to continue to build understanding and harmony in our City.”  

Over on Council’s Facebook page we will share a recipe from refugees who have settled in Penrith and are part of Council’s Food Redi initiative. 

Council has worked in partnership with SydWest Multicultural Services to deliver the four-week online Food Redi program where participants learnt about food safety, healthy eating, budgeting and to how cook a range of healthy new recipes for their families.   

In celebration of Refugee Week, the group will come together for a cultural exchange, to cook a traditional Iraqi recipe, share stories and celebrate.  

We’ll share a taste of this online gathering on Council’s Facebook page this week and you’ll also find a list of resources to link you to a world of stories, music, movies and more that celebrate the refugee journey.    

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Monday, 15 June 2020.