Welcome to Australia and Settlement Services International (SSI) invites you to be part of the Walk Together 2016. To walk alongside them and the Australian community in demonstration of the spirit of inclusiveness that SSI work tirelessly to achieve.
Date: Saturday 22 October
Where: Walk from Belmore Park (Central Station) to Victoria Park (Broadway).
Aim: To gather five thousand people to Walk Together as a symbol of support for seeing our city become a more welcoming and generous place
What: Sharing stories, music and dance, food, entertainment and craft stalls run by refugee entrepreneurs.
Visit: https://www.facebook.com/WTASydney
A line-up of keynote speakers will address the crowd at 11:00am.
Deng Thiak Adut: Deng came to Australia from South Sudan as a refugee at the age of 14 years. Deng was conscripted as a child soldier at the age of 6 years so never had the freedom of childhood or the opportunity to attend school. Upon arriving in Australia, Deng taught himself to read, write and speak English, then in 2005 he earned a scholarship to study law. Deng is a founding partner in the AC Law Group where he works seven days a week on fee-paying criminal trials and family law, as well as refugee pro bono cases.
Kamalle Dabboussy: With more than 33 years of experience in migrant and refugee settlement support, Kamalle has served civil and political spheres to further the participation and settlement of diverse communities. Kamalle is currently CEO of Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre and Chair of the SSI Board since 2012.
Mariam Veiszadeh: After spending almost a decade working as a lawyer, Mariam pursued a career more aligned to her passions by taking up a role as a Senior Manager in Inclusion and Diversity for a major 200 ASX company. Topping the list of ‘12 Muslim Australians Who Crushed It In 2014‘, by US news media website Buzzfeed, Mariam was acknowledged for ‘leading the charge against Islamophobia’ and described as a woman who uses her ‘considerable wit and smarts to punch holes in the stupidity of racism, sexism and xenophobia in general’. As the Welcome to Australia Ambassador, Mariam is a tireless advocate and her efforts have attracted the support of senior politicians, journalists, decision makers and the Australian community.
Jihad Dib: Elected at the 2015 New South Wales state election to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Lakemba, Jihad is the first Muslim MP to represent the Lakemba seat and the first Muslim MP in the NSW Lower House. As principal of Punchbowl Boys’ High for 13 years, Jihad’s commitment to community engagement and inclusion doubled enrolments and improved learning outcomes for the youth students.
Please contact Marcela Hart on 0488 687 744 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . for further information, if you want to make suggestions, would like to perform or set up a festival stall
