The holiday season is a chance for family to come together. One of the absences I feel at this time of year is the loss of my dad, who passed away in his sleep in 1990 when he was 64 years old.

History is calling. This Saturday, we will face a decision that holds great significance for all of us and the future of our nation – the proposed establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis reflects on NAIDOC Week.

Last week, I met Mohsen – a highly educated mortgage broker with extensive experience in banking. Mohsen’s journey to owning his own brokerage is far from typical. Born in Iran, he was forced to seek safety in Australia, where he had to begin his career again, initially struggling to find work due to limited English language proficiency, visa status, and lack of local networks.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023, Be a Voice for Generations, encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. So what does this actually look like in practice?

Every day in our work at SSI, we see just what can be achieved by meaningfully incorporating the voices of people with lived experience into decision making. It’s important for refugees, for migrants, for people with disability and more. So too is it important for First Nations communities.

Multiculturalism, social cohesion, and inclusion are at the heart of this week’s celebration of Harmony Week. Australia has a rich history of multiculturalism that has helped shape our country into the vibrant and diverse society that it is today.

SSI’s brand – our image and visual identity – traces its roots back to where we began in 2000, as a small settlement agency supporting refugees in Sydney. Fast forward to today, we are a national not-for-profit organisation that offers a diverse range of human services and promotes equal opportunities for all.

February marks two anniversaries that highlight the generosity and success of Australia’s approach to refugee resettlement.

Effective two-way dialogue between government and multicultural organisations is key to strengthening our sector. I recently had the privilege of sharing my thoughts on this at the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Inaugural Multicultural community Engagement Conference, where I shared a keynote session with Professor Peter Shergold.

I have watched with great sorrow the events that have occurred in the wake of the death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini.

Former media executive Greg Hywood has joined the board of Settlement Services International (SSI), a non-profit organisation that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential.

The proposed referendum to establish an Indigenous Voice to Parliament is an opportunity for multicultural community service organisations to step up to support communities whose experiences can be similar to those of the migrants and refugees we support.

A few key things happened during this year’s Refugee Week that have lifted my spirits and given me hope.

National Sorry Day will be observed today, May 26, and National Reconciliation Week from Friday May 27 to Friday June 3.

Today, at the NSW Regional Settlement Conference, hosted by SSI and the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP), we harnessed insights and shared perspectives on the key ingredients of successful regional settlement.

Harmony Week, March 21 to March 27, marks our country’s rich multicultural identity.

It is pleasing to see that the Federal Government and Opposition are attempting to address the crisis that is violence against women and girls in this country.

Over the last two months, people from all across SSI have been working hard in the background to advocate for and support the resettlement of Afghan people in Australia.