Top End World Refugee Day
Welcome new Australian citizens and celebrate the many cultures that call Darwin home, at the Top End Refugee Day.
Part of national Refugee Week, the annual day celebrates the contribution of refugees to Australian society with a free concert, international food stalls and dancing in Palmerston’s Goyder Square.
Natalie Al Khouri is a 22-year-old Syrian refugee who fled the war-torn region with her family, via Jordan, and is now settled in Darwin.
“It’s much better. Life is easier, you can study, you can do anything you want, especially working. Back in Jordan we couldn’t work,” she says.
Al Khouri’s family eventually chose to move down south where there was a larger Arabic community, but she has stayed in Darwin and is on her way to studying pharmacy.
With the war in Syria now the biggest humanitarian crises since World War II, a small number of Australia’s humanitarian intake is resettled in Darwin.
“I think that if there was a bigger Syrian or Iraqi community here, it would be easier for them to stay,” says Al Khouri.
She says Refugee Day is also a good time to reflect on the situations that bring people to seek peace in Australia.
“Australians live in comfort here, they don’t see war or bombs or anything like that."
The Refugee Day celebrations will kick off with citizenship ceremonies taking place from 5pm.
Head over for a warm welcome!
