Thursday, 7 April 2022

Newroz

Dr RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (11:12): It was a pleasure on 23 March to co-host with my colleague Mr Enver Erdogan the first Newroz celebration with members of Victoria’s Kurdish community at the Victorian Parliament. Newroz is an important day, marking the beginning of spring, but also the national day for the Kurdish people, recognising their continued struggle against oppression. The Kurdish people are a strong and resilient people who have throughout history faced discrimination and displacement. Despite this, they remain resolute and determined in their continued struggle for human rights and recognition of their cultural identity. The Kurdish community in Victoria are active and very generous, supporting many new members of the Kurdish community who have recently arrived seeking asylum and refuge in Australia. Many within their community have had to endure the horrors of Australia’s punitive immigration policies, spending years and years in arbitrary detention.

I want to especially acknowledge the work of the Kurdish Democratic Community Centre of Victoria, who are based in Pascoe Vale in my electorate and who continue to work tirelessly to support the broader Kurdish community, and to thank them for a great Newroz event at Coburg Lake Reserve as well. My best wishes to all those celebrating Newroz, and we hope to make the Newroz receptions at Parliament a new tradition for years to come.