newy.com.au – Novocastrians are being invited to mark Refugee Week in Jesmond this Friday with a night of food, music and culture celebrating newly arrived and refugee communities.
The Bright Nights Bazaar and Tasting Trail, delivered by City of Newcastle in partnership with the Village in the City Working Group, will give visitors a tasting passport to sample seven global cuisines and learn the stories behind the dishes.
Held at Jesmond Neighbourhood Centre from 4pm to 7.30pm, the event will feature $5 sample dishes from Sri Lankan, Egyptian, South Indian, Arabic and various Afghan cuisines. Visitors will receive a stamp at each stall as they move through the tasting trail.
The bazaar will also showcase craft makers, stallholders, musicians and dancers from refugee and newly arrived communities, including local singer Regikay, Earthern Rhythms drumming, an African dance group from Jesmond Public School and an emerging young DJ mentored by the Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre.
Chair of City of Newcastle’s Access Inclusion Standing Committee, Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk, said the event was part of the city’s broader work to build inclusion and belonging.
“This event forms part of a program that was launched last year to mark the 10-year anniversary since Newcastle reaffirmed the city as a Refugee Welcome Zone,” Cr Adamczyk said.
“Through food, arts, sport and community events, the Neighbourly Newy program builds connections across our community, creating a place where people feel welcomed and proud to belong.
“Refugee Week is an important opportunity to celebrate and strengthen understandings of the contributions and resilience of people from refugee backgrounds, and strengthen our community.”
A community dessert competition will be judged during the event, with recipes from all entries to be compiled into a community cookbook in partnership with BaptistCare Jesmond.
City of Newcastle’s Executive Manager of Community and Recreation Lynn Duffy said the bazaar was one of three events being delivered with the Village in the City Working Group across May, June and July to support communities in Jesmond experiencing social and geographic isolation.
“The initiative is designed to provide a culturally safe space for residents experiencing challenges such as social isolation, racial tensions and limited access to inclusive community activities,” Ms Duffy said.
“These events respond directly to those challenges, helping strengthen connection and wellbeing in communities that may face barriers to participation due to discrimination, which is part of achieving the goals set in City of Newcastle’s social strategy.”
“While the events are designed with the Jesmond community in mind, they are open to everyone to come along and enjoy.”
Sixteen-year-old City of Newcastle Youth Council member Hamza Mamond, who is originally from Afghanistan, said the events gave people an opportunity to share culture and build understanding.
“Coming from a refugee background, I understand how important it is for people to feel included, supported and represented,” Mr Mamond said.
“Events like this help people share their stories, celebrate culture and build understanding between communities. They create connections and show that diversity is one of our greatest strengths.”
The free community series began in May with a Twilight Village Kitchen and Market, which included cooking stations, market stalls, face painting, live entertainment, workshops and reptile encounters.
It will conclude at Heaton Park on 17 July with the Lantern Night Picnic & Community Showcase, a winter picnic featuring music, poetry and performances.
Refugee Week is an annual national initiative coordinated by the Refugee Council of Australia to promote greater awareness of refugees, the issues they face and the contributions they make to the Australian community. This year it runs from 14 to 20 June with the theme “A Million Stories”.
