News
Refugee Week 20 June - 26 June 2010
Refugee Week which will be held from Sunday, June 20 (WorldRefugee Day) to Saturday, June 26 is Australia's peak annual activity to inform the public about refugees and celebrate positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. The event has been celebrated in Australia since 1986 and the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has been responsible for the coordination of Refugee Week in NSW since 2005.
Refugee Week provides a platform where positive images of refugees can be promoted in order to create a culture of welcome throughout the country. The ultimate aim of the celebration is to create better understanding between different communities and to encourage successful integration enabling refugees to live in safety and to continue making a valuable contribution to Australia.
The aims of Refugee Week are:
- to educate the Australian public about who refugees are and why they have come to Australia;
- to help people understand the many challenges refugees face coming to Australia;
- to celebrate the contribution refugees make to our community;
- to focus on how the community can provide a safe and welcoming environment for refugees;
- for community groups and individuals to do something positive for refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people, within Australia but also around the world;
- for service providers to reflect on whether they are providing the best possible services to refugees.
Teacher resources: lesson plans, links to interesting websites with games and information specifically designed for kids, and ideas on how you can bring Refugee Week to your school.
Refugees in Australia - Background
Useful websites and refugee-related resources: links to key websites with refugee information packs as well as an extensive list of books, documentaries, films and online games focusing on refugee-related issues.
For more information : The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) works with agencies around Australia to coordinate Refugee Week
