More than 120 Blue Mountains residents attended a forum about refugees at the Blackheath Community Centre on Sunday, May 20.
The event was organised by members of the Catholic Parish of Blackheath working in collaboration with the Blue Mountains Refugee Group and the Sydney Alliance. It was supported by members of all faith communities.
“It was not run as a religious event but as a public, secular and practical gathering of people wanting to know more about refugees and who wish to do more to bring refugees into the fabric of the nation for the worth that will follow,” said a spokesman.
“To this end more community conversations are foreshadowed progressing down the Mountains in the coming months.
“Feedback from participants pointed to a number of general themes. There was a strong sense that the factual human side of the issue was upsetting but that the event had been highly informative.
“Regret was widely registered at Australia’s retreat from being a welcoming country in relation to refugees and that racism and sectarianism seemed to have replaced traditional openness, generosity and welcome. Considerable comfort was taken by participants that there are many like-minded people in the Blackheath community who care for the plight of refugees and want to see their human rights respected,” said the spokesman.
“Many who attended the conversation felt empowered because they had learned much more about the refugee issue and felt better equipped to act as advocates amongst friends and in the community at large.
“Some felt they would now be more engaged and as a consequence be more active in the debates surrounding the refugee issue. Many wanted to see a return to action that upheld the traditional Australian values of decency and respect in the treatment of refugees who they want to see treated fairly and humanely.
“Others wanted to take action in relation to refugees and people seeking protection by welcoming them into the community and providing direct personal and collective human support where possible.
“Many of the participants, in committing to future action, indicated they proposed to join the Blue Mountains Refugee Group, an action fully supported by the organisers of the ‘conversation’.”
