CEO Message: March
It was Cultural Diversity Week last week, with the 2025 theme ‘Embrace the Journey, Shape Our Future’. As an organisation that celebrates diversity all year round, as one of our core values, it was an opportunity to reflect on the journey we’re on, and the role each of us must play in shaping culture into the future.
We also reflect on the origins of the week, centred around the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) on 21 March. The history of calling it ‘Harmony Day’ disregards the lived experiences of so many in our community. Experiences like those of Chelsea and Abraham, whose voices we chose to amplify on this day. The Shout Out speakers recently shared their stories as part of our Schools Standing Up to Racism series of resources for Victorian schools. Read more on IDERD here.
This month we saw a raft of reforms pushed through Parliament, including new bail laws and expanded police powers. Read more in our earlier statement on the changes to bail laws or in this Open Letter from the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, which was endorsed by over 100 organisations. You can also read CMY’s position on the expanded police powers to conduct searches in designated areas here.
With the release of the Federal Budget this week, CMY backs MYAN Australia’s call to the Government to put young people at the centre of future considerations. The Budget offered some positive measures for multicultural communities, including $20 million in targeted grants over four years for African-Australian communities to build organisational capacity. However, for young people to truly thrive in their communities, it is essential that Governments shift their focus towards long-term investments that enhance their future. Read more on what the Budget means for multicultural young people and communities in MYAN Australia’s release here.
Finally, the State Government has commenced its Victorian Multicultural Review, appointing the respected George Lekakis AO to lead the review. Earlier this month the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt announced a Targeted Advisory Group formed to support this review. I am honoured to have been appointed to this Advisory Group alongside Hass Dellal AO, Miriam Suss OAM and Mark Duckworth PSM. We look forward to working together with Victoria’s multicultural communities to rethink and enhance social cohesion in Victoria.
Carmel Guerra OAM
CMY CEO