ASEAN Summit

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-150572

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

ASEAN Summit

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley)

—Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to attend the ASEAN Summit, hosted by the Australian Southeast Asian Network. It was an incredibly enriching experience. The ASEAN Foundation advocates for Australian communities that face challenges, including First Nations Peoples and individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds. In addition to this, ASEAN seeks to encourage intercultural and interfaith dialogue between different groups of people, encouraging stronger connections. Their work makes a significant difference to many people in our community. It was wonderful to join with friends and Parliamentary colleagues on the day to discuss the issues that specifically impact our multicultural communities, working towards a better understanding of harmony and social cohesion in New South Wales. I would like to specifically thank the founder and CEO of ASEAN, Sawathey Ek OAM AFM for his leadership. I also want to thank Angie Mastrippolito, Dr Patricia Jenkings, Rox Molavin AFA, Thiru Arumugam, Phina Camilleri, Andrea Nevill and Brian Laul, for all of your fantastic work. I am confident that the work of the Australian Southeast Asian Network is helping to make New South Wales a more inclusive, respectful and accepting place to live.