Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas – Melbourne Launch
Event Overview
This special evening brings together artists, writers, thinkers, and community members to celebrate Arab Australian cultural expression and to introduce a new platform that supports cultural production, public discourse, and community connection.
Date: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: Level 1, Naarm Ngarrgu Library Event Space, Therry Street, Melbourne
Capacity: Limited (100 people)
Description
The Melbourne launch is designed as both a cultural event and a public forum, supporting the visibility and participation of Arab Australian cultural voices.
The evening will include:
A keynote from the Chairperson Cheryl Akle, introducing the Institute and its national vision
A panel discussion on “Culture, Ideas, and the Future of Arab Australian Cultural Life” with cultural and civic leaders
Audience Q&A and open dialogue
Cultural programming including readings, poetry, and live performance
Arab writers book signing and book sales opportunity
Light refreshments, Informal networking and community connection
This event builds on community-focused outcomes including strengthening cultural identity, increasing confidence to engage, and ensuring participants feel authentically represented.
Line up being announced soon.
Why Attend
This launch is a significant moment for Arab Australia cultural life.
By attending, you will:
Engage with leading cultural voices and ideas
Experience live cultural expression across art forms
Connect with community members, creatives, and leaders
Be part of shaping a growing national cultural institution
Acknowledgement
This event is supported by the City of Melbourne through the Connected Neighbourhoods Grants program.
Register
Spaces are limited. Register now to be part of this landmark cultural moment.
The event is now at capacity. Please add your name to the waitlist for any new releases.
Panel Lineup
Dr Samah Sabawi
Dr Samah Sabawi is an internationally celebrated author, poet, and playwright. Her latest book, Cactus Pear for My Beloved, has been shortlisted for major literary awards including the Stella Prize and the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. A compelling and sought-after speaker, she addresses audiences worldwide on storytelling, justice, and cultural memory. Dr Sabawi will also be signing books post formalities.
Mayor, Cr Mohamed Semra
Cr Mohamed Semra was first elected to Council in 2024, having built a strong reputation as a human rights advocate and social entrepreneur dedicated to building the leadership capacity of young people across Melbourne's west. He was elected Mayor in November 2025; the first person of Sub-Saharan heritage to hold that title in Australia. A Maidstone resident since early childhood, Mohamed is the Founder and CEO of Endeavour Youth Australia and embodies the organisation's aim to diversify the next generation of Australian leaders. He is also Chair of Melbourne Sudanese Youth, a Victorian African Communities Committee board member, and a Humanitarian Affairs Asia peace advocate. His previous advocacy roles include his membership of the Maribyrnong Youth Advisory Committee. In 2021, he received the Liberty Victoria Young Voltaire Human Rights Award and the Maribyrnong City Council Youth Leadership Award. In 2023, he received a nomination for Young Australian of the Year and in 2025 he was named Young Victorian of the Year. Mohamed aims to build cultural diversity and youth representation in political leadership and improve community participation in local government decision-making. His favourite things about Maribyrnong are its people, community connectedness, parks, and the vibrancy of our small businesses.
Rita Nehme
Rita Nehme is a Lebanese, Naarm-based leader in social impact, sustainability, not-for-profit governance, and community building, with experience across sport, arts, and culture. Rita is a co-founder of Laymoon Arts, a collective dedicated to fostering fearless, high-calibre arts and cultural expressions of the Arab world in Australia, while exploring their intersection with the many cultures that surround them. Laymoon’s work focuses on preserving and advancing creative expression that honours our heritage and reimagines our futures. Rita is also currently the Head of Sustainability at the AFL (Australian Football League). Born and raised in Lebanon, Rita has lived and worked across Lebanon, the United States, India, and Australia, contributing to a wide range of social impact projects, not-for-profits, and community-led initiatives, with a strong focus on diversity, inclusion, and sustainability.
Artists and Musicians
Micaela Sahhar
Micaela Sahhar is an Australian-Palestinian writer and educator living on unceded Wurundjeri Country. Her essays, poetry and commentary have appeared in Cordite, Meanjin, Overland, Southerly and Sydney Review of Books, among others. Her first book, Find Me at the Jaffa Gate: an encyclopaedia of a Palestinian family (NewSouth, 2025) won the 2026 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Non-Fiction and was longlisted for the Stella Prize
Nahed Elrayes
Nahed Elrayes is a Palestinian pianist, composer and writer. His provocative output has been recognized in Arab America’s 30 Under 30, the Margaret Schofield Composition Prize, the Kanafani Arts Prize, and Meanjin’s “Essays that Changed Australia (1940 to Today)”. While the Development Manager of UNRWA USA, Nahed produced Gaza to the World in 2023 - the first fully-streamed concert from his native Gaza. Nahed has recently returned to Naarm, and is a co-founder of Laymoon Arts Collective.
Glen Kalem-Habib
Glen Kalem-Habib is a published research historian with nearly 30 years of dedicated scholarship on the life, work, and enduring legacy of the renowned poet and artist Kahlil Gibran. Recognised internationally as a leading authority in this field, he has published extensively and is frequently invited to deliver lectures and keynote addresses on Gibran's life and legacy at major international events and conferences. Kalem-Habib is an inaugural member and active fellow of the Kahlil Gibran Chair, established at the University of Maryland in Washington, D.C. He is also the founder of the Kahlil Gibran Collective (KGC), a not-for-profit organisation driving advanced study initiatives related to Gibran's global influence. These initiatives are accessible through two of the world's most informative and comprehensive resources on the subject: www.kahlilgibran.com and www.theprophet.org, which together house the world's most extensive archive of Kahlil Gibran's life, work, and legacy.
Ahmad Sabra
Ahmad Sabra is a Naarm based award winning artist, educator and documentary photographer whose practice spans contemporary art, photography, and art education. His work often engages with themes of identity, conflict, and representation, drawing on his experience documenting displaced communities and conflict zones. Recently Ahmad was the recipient of the 2026 Australia and New Zealand Photobook Award for his book Normal People Don’t Want to Live in Hell which pays homage to the resilience of Palestinian in Gaza. Alongside his artistic practice, he's a Highschool art teacher and a sessional lecturer at the University of Melbourne, where he works with pre-service teachers. His research and pedagogical work focus on intercultural approaches to art education and decolonising the curriculum, exploring how creative practice can function as both research and social intervention.
Your Hosts
Cheryl Akle
Cheryl Akle is the founder and director of Better Reading, one of Australia’s largest online book communities. Born in Australia to Lebanese parents, Cheryl draws on her cultural heritage and personal experience to champion diversity and inclusion in the literary landscape. With decades of experience in publishing, media, and marketing, she has worked closely with authors, publishers, and readers to foster national conversations about books and ideas. A passionate advocate for accessibility and representation, Cheryl has created platforms that connect writers with audiences across Australia and celebrates voices from all backgrounds. She is also a respected interviewer, podcaster, and cultural leader. Cheryl is a co-founder of the Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas.
Lawrence Abou Khater
Lawrence Abou Khater is a second generation Lebanese Australian, current Board Member at the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV), Previous deputy chair of the ECCV, and Previous executive member Australian Arabic Council (AAC) 1996-2004. Lawrence has worked as a designer / builder in the residential sector in Victoria for over 30 years and is a co-founder of the Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas.
Deanna Hadid
Deanna Hadid is a communications specialist operating at the intersection of global advocacy and city-shaping infrastructure. From Sydney’s community radio to Melbourne’s multi-billion dollar transit projects, her specialty is scale - making massive builds feel personal and small voices feel powerful. By merging her career in strategic engagement with a long commitment to global advocacy, Deanna ensures the human story remains the heartbeat of every major project. Deanna is a lead volunteer at the Arab Institute.
Jamal Hakim
Jamal Hakim is the CEO and Founder of Hakim Consulting, where he specialises in turning ideas into impactful realities. With extensive executive experience across diverse industries, he is passionate about delivering innovative, community-focused solutions. A former City of Melbourne Councillor and lead for the Creative Melbourne portfolio, Jamal is a seasoned board member and brings a unique perspective on business, community well-being, and sustainable growth. He holds degrees in Commerce, Asian Studies, and Law and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). He is currently studying a Masters of AI. He is the inaugural Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of the Arab Institute.
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