Multicultural
Arts Victoria presents
REFUGEE & ASYLUM SEEKERS FESTIVAL 2004
Sunday 20th June 12.00pm – 8.30pm
The Fitzroy Town Hall 201 Napier Street , Fitzroy.
World Refugee Day this year, will see the magnificent Fitzroy Town Hall
open its doors for a dazzling one day festival celebrating the beautiful
and diverse cultures of our own refugee communities from the Horn of Africa
and the Middle East.
Drop in between 12pm and 5pm to enjoy a stunning showcase of traditional
and contemporary music and dance performances by the different communities.
Featured artists will include Nadia Elbana (Sudan), Eritrean Youth, Dambai
Warrior Dancers (Sudan), Ethiopian Circus Band, North East Somali Women’s
Assoc., Afghan Performers of Hope, Oramhs Band (Oromo), ARAB (Anti Racism
Action Band), Dursan Achar (Kurdish), Afghan Music Group plus more. Experience
the culture and flavours of a traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, roam
around a vibrant and diverse marketplace filled with crafts, food and
cultural displays, or try your luck and skill in a Backgammon Tournament
whilst sipping exotic teas!
The festival will culminate at 7.00pm with a performance of ‘Something
to Declare’, a play presented by Actors for Refugees. Giving faces
and voices to the unseen and unheard who need our compassion, ‘Something
to Declare’ will feature professional actors and musicians in an
inspiring and motivating piece drawn from interviews with refugees and
collated by well-known playwright Michael Gurr.
In support of the festival, the Refugee Action Collective will be marching
their annual World Refugee Day rally to join the fun at 1pm from the Carlton
Gardens.
This year’s June 20th will mark the fourth World Refugee Day, originally
Africa Refugee Day. This date was adopted in 2000 by a Special UN General
Assembly Resolution as World Refugee Day in an expression of solidarity
with Africa, host to the largest population of refugees globally and traditionally
noted for their generosity to refugees.
For further information contact Anita Larkin
Multicultural Arts Victoria
Ph 03 9417 6777 or
