Hi everyone. I’ve finally finished my assignments. Well, I have a couple of online quizzes next week, but the big assignments are over at last. There’s only one more week of uni until the semester is over. Not counting exams, which are about three weeks away now.
The week before exams, on the 31st October, I’ll be attending an event in my hometown. Do you remember a few weeks back I talked about the “Walk Together and Say Welcome” event? Details are posted again below. Btw, blog posts about refugees now have their own category, if you’re looking. There’s quite a few. Want to look?
Do you want to show your support for a view of Australia as a compassionate nation, willing to do its bit and more to help – one where all are supported, no matter what ethnicity, age, religion and method of arrival they may be? To say a firm no to the “out-of-sight, out-of-mind”, “lock-’em-up-and-leave-’em” policies of now? Then on Saturday October 31st, come and walk with us.
We are walking in many cities and towns across Australia. It’s a “welcoming” protest, so it is more celebratory, perhaps, than others. Celebration is an act of defiance in itself on this topic. Refugees and people from all walks of life are welcome in Australia – we will not be ruled by the politics of fear.
The links below are just those that have begun to be organised already – there may well be more. It’s not just the capital cities which protest – they just get more attention.
“Walk Together 2015 will be a huge celebration of diversity and a loud declaration that thousands of Australians believe we can become a nation known for our compassion, generosity and welcome.
Faced with increasing instances of fear and prejudice, it’s more important than ever for values of compassion and welcome to reign. For the sake of our futures, it’s time to Walk Together.”
#SayWelcome
Saturday October 31st at 11:00 am in your city – followed by a family-friendly picnic or gathering of some sort. Put it in your diaries! We’d like to see as many people as possible at the walks.
Local links to details of walks below – for more, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/479297908902291/502706906561391/ :
Adelaide: https://www.facebook.com/events/417606228423852/
Armidale: https://www.facebook.com/events/1493731474257892/
Ballarat: https://www.facebook.com/events/1628429167416128/
Brisbane: https://www.facebook.com/events/136447683366222/
Cairns: https://www.facebook.com/events/940723769320919/
Canberra: https://www.facebook.com/events/580377802099907/
Darwin: https://www.facebook.com/events/523903774431690/
Emerald: https://www.facebook.com/events/883575068396387/
Gold Coast: https://www.facebook.com/events/1461661800807769/
Hobart: https://www.facebook.com/events/1425277727780405/
Karratha: https://www.facebook.com/events/1488988104736683/
Logan: https://www.facebook.com/events/1070811252931813/
Melbourne: https://www.facebook.com/events/1466473263680543/
Mildura: https://www.facebook.com/events/885412018211548/
Mt Gambier: https://www.facebook.com/events/407551796122308/
Onkaparinga: https://www.facebook.com/events/1650577688518436/
Perth: https://www.facebook.com/events/132717297066745/
Rockhampton: https://www.facebook.com/events/909818309106578/
Sunshine Coast: https://www.facebook.com/events/1638407146402799/
Sydney: https://www.facebook.com/events/731650123631784/
Toowoomba: https://www.facebook.com/events/404978143032982/
Townsville:
Wagga Wagga: https://www.facebook.com/events/145633415783876/
Whyalla: https://www.facebook.com/events/646553465486870/
Wollongong: https://www.facebook.com/events/421813041340862/
Want to volunteer? Host a walk in a city not listed above? Have questions?
Email walktogether@welcometoaustralia.org.au
myzania 