Speech to Tet celebrations, 31 January 2010
Lunar year, Vietnamese community, Footscray
Dr. Berhan Ahmed, Chairperson African Think Tank
1. The Hon Nichola Roxon Federal MP (Minister for health), Hon Marsha Thompson state MP, Hon. Hon. Mrs Colleen Hartland (Vic upper house greens), The Hon. Bennie Finn (State MP Western Met), and Deputy Mayor of the City of Maribyrnong Cr. Sarah Carter, and of Vietnamese Quang Minh Temple Leader Ven. Thích Phước Tấn, Vietnamese community leader Mr Bình Lê, special guests, friends and colleagues.
2. Also special thanks to the Aboriginal people in general and particularly the Wurrundjeri people, their elders past and present for welcoming us in their land at a time of our need let’s honour the people, the land, the spirit of the nation. Special thanks to the Vietnamese community for inviting me here today.
3. I feel particularly honoured and privileged to be here today representing the New and emerging African communities. The Vietnamese community is now accepted, established and successful community in Australia. By inviting me and many others here, you are showing that you are prepared to extend the hand of friendship to newer migrants with other backgrounds. I hope that this will be the start of a long and successful co-operation between us.
4. Although I stand here as a representative of African migrants in Victoria, I feel very strongly that we have more in common than we have differences. Like you, majority of Africans came from a culture with very ancient roots. At a time when the Celts and the Greeks were laying the foundations of what would become Western culture, the Dong Son people were developing bronze casting and creating the roots of Vietnamese culture. Like, you, I come from a country that has worked for thousands of years to find independence. In the audience today, I know that there are many names such as Nguyen and Tran which remind us of this history of struggle.
5. Like many here today, I come from a refugee camp, and I share with you the memories of struggling to establish myself and support my family in Australia. I started here as a tram conductor to learn English and develop social link, and then worked for few years as a taxi driver while I studied. Like you, I had relatives and friends overseas that needed my help to survive. Like you, these challenges have changed me. I hope that I have kept at least some of the wisdom of my own culture, but also have learnt and accepted new things. Like you, I am Australian.
6. Australia has made us welcome, and in Australia we have been able to raise our families in peace and prosperity. A festival like this shows not only what we have accomplished, but also what we have brought. You have all brought willing hands and hearts to Australia and helped to create the peace and prosperity that we celebrate here today. But there is still work to be done, as still some sections of society that are slow to recognise the benefits of migrants and migration that brought a wonderful multi-racial society to Australia. I am here to tell you that I feel very strongly that when I am working and negotiating for the services that migrants need in order to make that contribution, I am not working just on behalf of the African community. I am working to benefit all migrants, whatever their background, race or religion. And I know that in doing that, I am also working for the benefit of all Australians.
7. Today is a day for us to celebrate what we have achieved. Footscray is an example of the many strengths and riches that diversity brings. We celebrate what we have earned, and we also look forward to even more co-operation and more achievements in future. Working together we are strong. Let this day be a commitment to working together, in peace and harmony, to face the challenge and the promise of this new century and to hand our future generation harmonious and prosperous Australia and the world.
Thank you again,