SSI’s Community Kitchen was the scene of a colourful celebration in July, as people from all faiths and backgrounds celebrated Eid al-Fitr over a meal.

SSI led the “Every child has a culture” forum in Bankstown, on June 21, emphasising the importance of cultural recognition and diversity in out-of-home care.

SSI and the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) are seeking expressions of interest for the Young Refugee Women Scholarship Program to attend, and actively participate in, the National Multicultural Women’s Conference 2016—Influencing Change: Vision and Impact.

Ability Links NSW (ALNSW) teamed up with Playgroup NSW and SSI Community Engagement on July 12 to hold an inclusive and fun day outdoors for children from all backgrounds.

A talented refugee from Syria has used his IT and web science skills to co-develop an online platform to help bridge the gap on one of the greatest challenges facing newly arrived refugees – employment.

The New Beginnings: Refugee Arts & Culture Festival 2016 was a standout success, with more than three thousand people coming together to celebrate the talents and skills of artists who were refugees and asylum seekers.

Record-breaking numbers of forcibly displaced people worldwide have increased the importance of this week’s Refugee Week celebrations, according to Settlement Services International (SSI) CEO Violet Roumeliotis. The annual celebration of the courage and contribution of refugees would be a particularly poignant occasion this year in light of the staggering number of refugees and other forcibly displaced people around the world, she said.

Baroque violinist Anna McDonald is passionate about exploring the realms of new music – a passion that she developed after a decade of studying and performing in London.

While many places in the world are experiencing turbulent times due to the unprecedented displacement of people, it is always useful to stop and ponder what makes Australia such a peaceful corner of the globe and a wonderful place to live.

Refugee Week is a chance to celebrate the positive contributions refugees make to Australian society. As part of the national celebration this month, Settlement Services International (SSI) is involved with a number of free events, including our very own festival.

A talented restaurateur seeking asylum in Australia has brought a taste of Iran to Sydney’s north west with the recent opening of his own business, Shahrood Restaurant.

Nurten Kumru is a single mum of three adult children — and as of six months ago a grandmother too — but she still has enough love in her heart to be a foster carer.

Over a delicious chicken curry at the recent Indian inspired Community Kitchen lunch, Ashwin Patel shared his migration story and how he came to be a cook.

The shared experience of motherhood transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries, as demonstrated by a special group of women who celebrated Mother’s Day with Settlement Services International (SSI) this month.

Renowned performers from one of Sydney’s leading world music groups will showcase the talents of multicultural artists and help to shift negative perceptions about multiculturalism in Australia at NSW’s leading festival celebrating refugee arts and culture.

Rosanna Barbero has just hung up from a frustrating phone call with a customer service representative for a large electrical retailer, trying to sort out an issue with a faulty device. She is exasperated.

Spanish people are known for loving parties, and when they involve food there is generally one common element in all of them: Paella.

The generosity of everyday Australians is significantly improving the experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum living in the Australian community, according to a leader from the humanitarian settlement sector. Speaking at the start of National Volunteer Week, Settlement Services International (SSI) CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the actions of volunteers had a profound effect on the lives of people fleeing war and persecution.

Volunteers come from all walks of life but one thing they have in common is a generosity of spirit that drives them to give up their time to help vulnerable individuals.

Settlement, citizenship and policy topped the agenda at the annual Settlement Council of Australia (SCoA) conference in Melbourne today, as dozens of settlement professionals, academics and community leaders shared their views on the major issues facing settlement globally.