SPEECH: Dubbo Cross Cultural Carnival

It’s great to be with you all here at Dubbo’s wonderful Cross Cultural Carnival.

This is an amazing celebration of our great multicultural society here in Australia.

For the past few years, the NSW Government has been proud to support this Cross Cultural Carnival through substantial grants.

By providing a means for our multicultural groups to express their cultural identities, we continue to promote social collaboration and community harmony.

I cannot understate how important this is.

All our communities should be encouraged to explore and express what makes their culture and identity special.

Because our different viewpoints offer us another perspective of life in Australia, which has given so many migrants a brighter future.

Taking pride in this uniqueness fosters unity and a sense of belonging for us all.

And in turn, this inclusion provides a strong foundation for understanding the cultural diversity that exists in the wider world.

It valuably promotes cross-cultural understanding.

And helps to showcase the richness of our multicultural society.

Because the success of a state can only be achieved when it includes everyone from all walks of life.

We all often talk about the success of New South Wales as a multicultural society.

But what we have here in this State goes beyond the ordinary definition of success.

We are home to people from more than 300 cultures, who speak 275 languages and practice 144 religions.

Just like my grandparents did when they came from Egypt after World War Two, people journey to New South Wales to set up a better life for themselves, their families, and their future generations.

People come here because they value the hope and opportunity that Australia offers us all.

And no matter who we are, where we come from, or what language we speak, we all want to give back.

As Minister for Multiculturalism, I’m proud of how grassroots community groups like yours are showing the world how we care for our fellow residents in challenging times.

I’d like to thank each and every one of you for volunteering your time and skills to make this amazing carnival reflect the true spirit of Dubbo.

Everyone taking part today has worked so hard on your music, dance, art and costumes.

And I would like to once again thank ORISCON and Western Plains Cultural Centre for bringing together our diverse communities.

In doing so, we continue sharing our unique and wondrous cultures through song, dance and celebrations.

Carnivals like this bring us all together so we can learn from one another and create memories for a lifetime.

Thank you for your wonderful warm welcome and I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful evening.