The annual Refugee Ball has established itself over the past decade as a key event in the social calendar of the multicultural and community services sector in Australia, every year raising vital funds for and awareness of the work that STARTTS does to assist people who have survived torture and trauma.

We invite you to join us to celebrate the 11th Refugee Ball and Fundraiser for a memorable evening of fine dining, fundraising and an energetic mix of world-class live music and cultural performance as we come together to help heal refugee trauma and promote respect for human rights.

We are delighted to announce, one of Australia's most renowned and respected footballing identities and human rights advocates, Craig Foster will join us to deliver this year's annual Refugee Ball Keynote Address, alongside ABC Broadcaster and Presenter of The Ticket, Tracey Lee Holmes as our MC and Host.

“By saving each life, we renew our national vows as to the people we want to be.” – Craig Foster

Craig Foster is one of Australia's most renowned and respected footballing identities. He is currently Chief Football Analyst, Presenter and multicultural broadcaster for the SBS. Following his retirement from professional football, the former Socceroos midfielder became a regular panellist on SBS’ weekly football program of the time, On The Ball. When Foster joined SBS full time, alongside his soon to become lifelong friends and mentors Les Murray and Johnny Warren, he became synonymous with football media coverage in Australia, at the helm of SBS’ hugely popular and successful original football broadcasts.

Today, Foster remains a valuable member of SBS’ weekly football forum The World Game. He also formed part of the network’s expert on-air team for the live and exclusive action of the 2006, 2010 and 2018 FIFA World Cups for which he won a Gold Logie Award alongside colleague, Lucy Zelic in 2019 for most outstanding sports coverage.

Craig is a strong voice for equality and social justice and has been a long-time players’ advocate having served for the past five years on the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association) Executive, and formerly as a director of the PFA’s commercial wing, PFAM (PFA Management). Craig served as a member of the PFA Advisory Board until recently taking up his new position of the PFA’s Chief Executive Officer.

He created the Harmony Game and serves as an ambassador for Football United, Indigenous Football Week, the National Indigenous Championships, as well as Director of John Moriarty Football. An outspoken human rights and refugee advocate, Foster led the global campaign advocating for the release of unlawfully imprisoned Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, who was granted protection as a political refugee in Australia in 2014 but was detained upon arrival in Thailand in November 2018 owing to an erroneous Interpol red notice. Craig is an Australia Day ambassador, serves on the Advisory Board of the Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW and is a member of the Australian Multicultural Council. He graduates from a Bachelor of Law in 2019.

This year, funds raised at the Refugee Ball will go towards priority areas of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT). The IRCT is a global network of torture and trauma rehabilitation centres – more than 160 centres in over 70 countries that has been fighting for a world without torture for over 30 years.

Together with its member centres, the IRCT leads a global movement striving for justice for victims of torture and the prevention of torture and refugee trauma worldwide also ensuring that torture and refugee trauma rehabilitation services globally are able to continue to provide vital medical, psychological and social services.

More information at: refugeeball.org.au

The Refugee Ball is Proudly presented by Friends of STARTTS
Friends of STARTTS (FOS) is an Australian registered charity that supports the work of STARTTS (Services for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) and refugee transition programs.

Contact the host of 2019 Refugee Ball & Fundraiser