Refugees dine on inclusivity menu
THE Geelong community has shown its support for newly settled refugees at a free public welcome event.
A community lunch held at the Western Heights Uniting Church on Saturday and run in partnership with Diversitat, drew a crowd of 90 people.
The colourful affair was complete with welcome signs in different languages and food from diverse backgrounds.
Volunteer organiser Paula Hurley said there were families from Syria, Iraq and Myanmar there, all of whom had made Geelong home within the last year, one arriving as recently as last week.
Many of those in attendance endured trauma, loss and violence in their long journey to settle in Australia, with one spending 24 years in a refugee camp.
“Geelong’s long tradition of welcoming people from all corners of the globe was on full display,” Ms Hurley said.
“Sharing a meal and a conversation or a smile is a simple, human common way to make a connection.”
Ms Hurley said food and weather were popular topics of conversation but the children skipped straight to playing.
“My son said he had a great time with one of the little Karen children without really talking at all. He would smile and point outside and to the soccer ball ... kids are great at finding a way to play and not be too worried about language barriers,” she said.
The afternoon was complete with an impromptu a cappella concert by Melbourne University’s Newman College Choir who were there, by coincidence, for rehearsal.
Each attendee wrote a message about the lunch on a jigsaw piece that will hang in the church as an ongoing symbol of acceptance for refugees in the community.