Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Greenvale electorate multicultural communities

Iwan WALTERS (Greenvale) (13:19): In the past month we celebrated the concurrence of Easter with the Chaldean Akitu and Assyrian Babylonian New Year, immensely significant events with ancient roots that emphasise the extraordinarily rich cultural heritage of the Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac communities now living in Victoria. I am so grateful to the Australian Assyrian Arts and Literature Foundation, which worked with an array of Assyrian community organisations to create a hugely successful celebration of the Assyrian Babylonian New Year 6774 at Craigieburn Anzac Park on 1 April. Thank you also to the Australian Chaldean Federation, Chaldean League Melbourne, Upfield Soccer Club and many Chaldean community groups, whose volunteers worked so hard to organise a spectacular celebration of the Babylonian Chaldean New Year 7324 at St George Chaldean parish on 14 April. Both were joyous and joyful celebrations attended by thousands in testament to the resilience of peoples and cultures spanning millennia from their foundation in ancient Mesopotamia, which have more recently overcome much hardship and persecution to make a profound contribution to our community in Melbourne’s north and our country more broadly.