2026 Refugee Ball & Fundraiser

Attend the 2026 STARTTS REFUGEE BALL & FUNDRAISER

Friday 6 November 2026
6.30pm: Canapés and drinks reception | 7.00pm: Ball
Doltone House, Darling Island, Sydney
Dress: Cultural Dress or Lounge Suit

Join us for an unforgettable evening of powerful stories, great food, meaningful connections, fundraising and celebration, all in support of people and communities affected by refugee trauma.

For 17 years, the STARTTS Refugee Ball has brought together refugee communities, business, government, health, education, community leaders and supporters for one very special night.

In 2026, around 450 guests will come together not only to raise vital funds, but to hear directly from people with lived experience and celebrate the strength, contribution and potential of refugee communities.

WHAT COMES NEXT? REFUGEE TRANSITIONS

For someone forced to leave their country, arriving safely isn't the end of the story.

For a young person leaving childhood, becoming an adult doesn't automatically mean they have the support, opportunities or connections they need for the future.

Transitions matter. What happens next matters.

This year's Refugee Ball will explore what helps people move beyond survival to find their place, their voice and their future.

Because the refugee story doesn't end with survival or resettlement. What becomes possible next matters too.

INVESTING IN YOUNG PEOPLE'S FUTURES

Our local fundraising focus this year is on young people from refugee backgrounds making the transition from childhood into adulthood.

As young people leave school and childhood behind, some of the structures and support around them can begin to fall away, just as they are navigating education, employment, independence, identity and their future.

Funds raised through the Ball will help STARTTS create youth leadership opportunities and camps that build confidence, connection, skills and leadership.

We don't simply want to stop young people from slipping through the cracks.

We want to give them the opportunity to lead.

Young people will also take to the stage on the night to share their own experiences, ideas and ambitions, bringing their voices directly to an audience of hundreds of people from across NSW.

A GLOBAL IMPACT

The Refugee Ball also supports the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and its global network of rehabilitation centres working with survivors of torture around the world.

STARTTS is a longstanding member of the IRCT network, and each year the Ball gives us an opportunity to look beyond NSW and support the extraordinary work being done by organisations assisting survivors in some of the world's most challenging environments.

By joining us, you're helping support recovery and possibility both here at home and internationally.

COLLECTIVE THREADS: FINDING YOUR VOICE

We're delighted to welcome artist Kathrin Longhurst and Naz Jebeli for a special keynote conversation centred around Collective Threads: a powerful multidisciplinary project using portraiture, film and poetry to amplify Iranian-Australian voices.

With Naz's lived experience at the heart of the conversation, we'll explore another version of What Comes Next?:

Displacement → arriving in Australia → finding voice and belonging → becoming a storyteller → using that voice for others.

Guests will experience the Collective Threads documentary and artworks as part of an intimate conversation about displacement, identity, belonging and what it means to reclaim your voice and use it for others.

AND YES - IT'S A BALL!

Alongside the stories and fundraising, expect everything that makes the Refugee Ball such a special night:

Canapés and drinks on arrival, a three-course dinner, entertainment, incredible raffle prizes, meaningful conversations, and a dance floor that rarely stays quiet for long.

Come with a friend. Bring your colleagues. Gather a table of people who should know more about STARTTS and the communities we work alongside.

One ticket can bring someone into the room. A table can bring a whole new network into the conversation.

Friday 6 November 2026 | Doltone House, Darling Island

Book your tickets or table and be part of what comes next.

~ Healing Refugee Trauma. Rebuilding Lives ~

More information at: startts.org.au