More than 250 people from refugee backgrounds were officially welcomed to Brisbane at the Lord Mayor’s Refugee Welcome Ceremony, held at City Hall on 1 March.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said this event, which is now in its 16th year, highlights Council’s longstanding commitment to welcoming and celebrating the contributions of refugees to Brisbane’s multicultural community.

“Council is committed to making Brisbane an inclusive, friendly and safe city for all,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Brisbane is proud of its diversity, which enriches our communities and brings cultural and business opportunities to all residents.

Sadly, we’ve seen a huge increase in humanitarian refugees in the past year from people who no longer feel safe in their own country. Refugees from the Ukraine and Afghanistan are at the top of this list.

But Council aims to always help those in need, and we welcome those displaced from their home country to our city with open arms.”

More than 920 Humanitarian Settlement Strategy entrants arrived in Brisbane during 2022, up from 163 in 2021 with Syria, Iraq and Eritrea rounding out the top five countries of origin.

Cr Schrinner said Council works closely with other agencies to support refugee settlement, as well as providing ongoing support and engaging with our multicultural community.

“Council plays an important role in assisting refugees from initial arrival, through to settlement and post settlement,” Cr Schrinner shared.

“The Welcome Ceremony provides an opportunity for new arrivals to meet with community leaders and access information on a range of programs and services provided by government and non-government agencies.

But more than that, Council offers several programs to provide ongoing support for our newest residents.

Council’s website offers new residents guide which provides written information in English and 39 other languages about settling in Brisbane.

Our Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Round Table also runs a Business Scholarship Program providing business training for residents from multicultural backgrounds, as well as business awards to acknowledge the contributions of multicultural businesses and entrepreneurs.

Council libraries also offer free internet training in a number of different languages, English conversation groups and collections in a variety of different languages”.

For more information visit https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/