The Canberra Multicultural Community Forum congratulates the ACT Government on its initiative in calling a Multicultural Youth Forum and will help to ensure its success, CMCF Chair Sam Wong said today.
“The future of any organisation or community lies with its youth – the ACT multicultural community is no different,” Mr Wong said.
“As time goes on we have generations that are two and three times removed from the country of their forebears. While there will always be some who are happy to completely discard their origins, many others feel the need to preserve their ‘identity’ as Italian Australians, Vietnamese Australians, or indeed Indigenous Australians, and so on.
“We have a duty to provide that opportunity and events such as the Multicultural Youth Forum can do that.”
Mr Wong said the Youth Forum would provide a chance for young people to convey their thoughts and ideas directly to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Joy Burch.
“It is an acknowledgement of the cultural diversity in the ACT community including within schools and colleges, and an opportunity to identify emerging challenges for young people,” Mr Wong said.
“The fact that Ms Burch is also Minister for Children and Young People makes this an excellent fit.”
The Multicultural Youth Forum will include guest speakers, workshop sessions, the launch by Ms Burch of a Multicultural Youth Photo Exhibition and the presentation of the Forum plenary results to the Minister. An issues paper will be distributed before the event providing background information to participants.
The Youth Forum will be held at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre on London Circuit during International Youth Week on Friday April 8.
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