The National Journey of the Welcome Scroll

As part of the Rural Australians for Refugees
National Conference in September 2016,
this new initiative was launched jointly by

  • Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR)
  • Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA)
  • Refugee Welcome Zone Councils (RWZ) 

Welcome Scroll Newsletter 2 – 13 July 2017

Welcome Scroll Newsletter 1 – June 2017

 

 

Update 18 June 2017

Melbourne was the first stop of the National Journey.

The Scroll was on display at the Immigration Museum on Monday & Tuesday, 19-20 June.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle with the Welcome Scroll – 11am Saturday 17 June 2017 on the Peppercorn Lawn, Alexandra Gardens, beside the Yarra.

 

The Welcome Scroll has now travelled on to Canberra and into SE NSW – Cooma, Bega, Eurobodalla, Braidwood, Queanbeyan, Bowral, with Shellharbour, Wollongong, Goulburn, Yass, and Wagga Wagga to come, then returning to Victoria, stopping briefly in Euroa, before heading towards the Gippsland. It will then travel to the Western District. Later it will go to SA, Tasmania, WA, NT, and Queensland.

South Eastern NSW schedule here

Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle, endorses the Welcome Scroll – 17 June 2017

Update 27 May 2017

Refugee Welcome Zone Councils have now sent the information requested, and so we are at the design and printing phase.

The Welcome Scroll will be first displayed at a Refugee Week event in Melbourne, where it will be endorsed by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. 

The Scroll will be on display at the Immigration Museum  in Melbourne from 19-20 June 2017

The Scroll will then travel to Canberra for the Inaugural Refugee Welcome Zone National Forum- 22 June 2017.

From Canberra the Welcome Scroll will begin its National Journey.

For more information email:  


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The Welcome Scroll was presented to
Rural Australians for Refugees by its maker, Max Govett.

I would like to acknowledge the City of Greater Bendigo for supporting this project, especially the work of the design team – headed up by Chris and Lena.

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Photo Below:
Mayor Christine Henderson, Mt Alexander Shire, and Mayor Rod Fyffe, City of Greater Bendigo, are the first Refugee Welcome Zone councils to sign on to the Welcome Scroll

RARConf030916 Dunn 28Mayor Christine Henderson, Mt Alexander Shire, and Mayor Rod Fyffe, City of Greater Bendigo, are the first Refugee Welcome Zone councils to sign on to the Welcome Scroll

The Welcome Scroll.

Why?
The National Journey of the Welcome Scroll is a reminder to us all of local government and community support for successful resettlement of refugees in Australia.

What?
The Welcome Scroll will function as a “baton” or “torch”, which will travel around Australia to Refugee Welcome Zones, leaving the National Rural Australians for Refugees Conference in Bendigo on 3rd September 2016.

Refugee Welcome Zones and the Welcome Scroll
It is hoped that the Welcome Scroll will be endorsed by representatives of all Local Councils who have chosen to become Refugee Welcome Zones.  The Scroll’s journey will confirm Local Government commitment to welcome refugees into our communities.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to have the Welcome Scroll visit every Refugee Welcome Zone.   Therefore we invited all Refugee Welcome Zones to send an electronic signature or endorsement to be printed onto the Welcome Scroll in Bendigo prior to its journey around Australia.

From the Bendigo Advertiser: 3 Sept, 2016

Bendigo leads the way

The Welcome Scroll is not a petition but a message of support for refugees from communities across Australia. It will journey through Australia’s Refugee Welcome Zones.

The Scroll [was] launched as part of the Rural Australians for Refugees conference in Bendigo this weekend.

Rural Australians for Refugees is joining forces with the Refugee Council of Australia and Local Government. 

“There is widespread and genuine local government and community support for policies and programs that lead to the successful resettlement of refugees.”

Ms Govett said the Welcome Scroll will travel through all states of Australia.

“The Welcome Scroll will be endorsed by representatives of those councils who have chosen to become Refugee Welcome Zones,” she said.

“The scroll, which features impressive hand-turned redgum handles, will function as a baton as it passes from council to council, spreading the welcome message throughout Australia.

“The Scroll’s journey will confirm local government commitment to welcome refugees into our communities.”

See also:

 

Cartoon by Nicholson from “The Australian” newspaper: www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au

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