CiCT Forum 2026 -Beyond Resilience: Communities Shaping Australia's Future

Join us for the Communities in Cultural Transition (CiCT) Forum 2026, proudly hosted by STARTTS in partnership with the Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University.

Since 2015, the CiCT Program has held annual forums to create a platform for individuals, groups and communities from refugee backgrounds to share their stories of resilience and success. These forums are a vital bridge connecting refugee communities, services, government agencies and mainstream society.

Under the theme "Beyond Resilience: Communities Shaping Australia's Future", this evening will provide a vital platform for dialogue, reflection and connection. We will work hand in hand to support communities from refugee backgrounds to heal and thrive in Australia while exploring how we can collectively strengthen social cohesion.

What to expect:

• Registration, Dinner & Networking

  • Registration opens: 4:30 PM

  • Venue: Level 9, Peter Shergold Building, WSU Parramatta City Campus (Peter Shergold Building)

  • Dinner & Networking: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

• Welcome to Country

  • Uncle Colin Locke, Dharug Elder

• Opening and Welcome to CiCT Forum

  • Jorge Aroche, CEO, STARTTS

• Welcome to Western Sydney University

  • Professor John Juriansz, Director, Whitlam Institute - WSU

• Panel Discussion: Belonging and Shared Future

  First Nations and Refugee Perspectives on Collective Belonging

  • Om Dhungel – Moderator, Honorary Adjunct Fellow, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

  • Uncle Colin Locke – Dharug Elder

  • Deena Yako – Director -Community Engagement , Refugee Council of Australia

• Diaspora Human Rights Training - Evaluation report launch on UN Anti Torture Training

  • Jasmina Bajraktarevic-Hayward – Community Services Coordinator, STARTTS

  • Patrick Earle – Executive Director, Diplomacy Training Program, UNSW

• Research presentation: Culturally and Racially Marginalised Girls and Young Women in South West Sydney: Equity of Opportunity and Civic Engagement

  • Dr Melissa Phillips - Western Sydney University

• Research Presentation: Arts, Culture and Iraqi Diaspora in Australia

  • Bashar Hanna OAM – Community Fellow, Western Sydney University / PhD student at University of Central Queensland

• Cultural Performance

  • Chornobryvtsi (Marigolds) by Ukrainian Community Choir

• Keynote Address

  • David Ajak Ajang – Senior Community Development Coordinator, The Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors, Western Australia

• Panel Discussion:  Beyond Resilience: Community Shaping Australia’s Future

  • Atem Atem  – Moderator, Senior Project Officer, CICT, STARTTS

  • Sulaiman Ghalib – Former Afghan refugee, Entrepreneur

  • Jennifer Shahin – Former Assyrian refugee, Digital Reporter, SKY News

  • Ms Ajin Karim – Former Kurdish refugee, Financial Consultant

• Political & Civic Engagement Sessions

  • Members of Parliament and local politicians

• Cultural Performance

  • Monimekala Dance by Cambodian Living Arts & Culture

• Panel Discussion: Foreign Conflict and Communities in Australia (South Sudan, Iran and Myanmar)

  • Lo-Shu Wen - Moderator, Policy Officer STARTTS

  • Abang Anade Othow - Founder, Buckets of Hope and Educator

  • Mohammad Sadagpour - President, Association to Defend Freedom & Human Rights in Iran

  • Noor Azizah - Co-Executive Director, Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network

• Vote of Thanks: Mubashar Hasan , Senior Project Officer, CiCT, STARTTS

• Master of Ceremonies: Angelica Ojinnaka-Psillakis, Health and social researcher, communicator, and advocate

   

  Join CiCT Forum 2026 and be part of the conversation shaping our shared future.

  It is a bridge between communities and action, helping to build a more inclusive, connected, and hopeful society for all.