Foundations for Belonging 2023

Exploring refugees’ understanding and engagement with First Nations issues and histories

Stories of belonging in this country are incomplete without the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have had custodianship of this land for millennia. Each year, thousands of refugees are welcomed to Australia, home to the oldest continuous cultures in the world. Are refugees who settle in Australia aware of this rich and ancient heritage? And, if not, what are the best mechanisms for engaging refugees to learn and understand First Nations histories and cultures? 

This fourth report in the Foundation for Belonging series unpacks these questions. The research aims to address a gap in understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities among refugees and identify ways to enhance their understanding in the future.