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Migrants asked to share their moving experiences

By Latrobe City Council - 9th September 2005 - Back to News

A community project celebrating and documenting the journey that so many migrants made to settle in Victoria, is to feature as part of the celebration of Cultural Diversity Week in 2006 and the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games program.

As part of the project, migrants are being invited to submit a photograph of the journey made by the member of their family who first came to settle here, as well as a short story.

In highlighting the opportunity to take part in the project, Latrobe City Mayor, Cr Bruce Lougheed, urged those from migrant backgrounds to consider sharing their own stories.

"Our community is extraordinarily diverse with a large number of residents in our community settling here from other lands.

"There are certain to be countless stories people can tell of why they left their original homelands, and of their journey and experiences to date.

"Many settlers joined the surge of migrants seeking a new life distant from war ravaged Europe in the aftermath of World War II; and a number of these people found employment here in the Latrobe Valley, in the power or allied industries," Cr Lougheed explained.

"Some of these migrants came by themselves and upon establishing a home, arranged for the rest of their family to follow. Others migrated with their family from the outset.

"Some were single young men, who left home with little idea of what the future might hold for them. Others were grandparents who came to Australia to be reunited with their children and grandchildren.

"There were also numerous young people who migrated to Australia independent of their families through organisations such as the Big Brother Movement. Most were British boys aged 15 to 17 years. Some sought adventure, some opportunity, and some merely an escape from their domestic or institutionalised environment.

"In latter years, we have seen migration from many different parts of the world; people escaping tyranny, and people bringing skills much needed in our community. All these migrants have a story to tell," Cr Lougheed said.

The photographs and stories for the project are being sought by the Victorian Multicultural Commission and may be used as part of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games program in some form.

If a respondent’s photo and story is chosen, they or a member of their family may be invited to participate in a performance event involving the photographs.

Photographs, which can be originals, photocopies or scans, must include the person who first made the journey to Australia. They can include more than one person; be of the ship/plane they or a family member travelled in; and be of the point of departure or arrival to Australia.

The short story can be about the person’s or family’s journey here; the reason they left their country of origin; or the life they and their family have made since their arrival.

Stories should be no longer than a paragraph or two (maximum 300 words) and will be accepted in any language. Respondents should ensure they identify when and from where their journey was made.

Respondents must register their interest and availability by sending their photograph and completed registration form to the Victorian Multicultural Commission by Monday 26 September 2005.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com