In November 2006 the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) launched a whole of government initiative called Sharing Our Achievements: Symposiums on Australian Muslims. The aim of the symposiums was to increase the understanding and social cohesion between Australian Muslims and the wider community.
The initiative attracted over 10,000 participants to the series of symposiums and complimentary expos held in all the State and Territory capital cities in Australia from February to June 2007.
One of the main achievements of this initiative is the strong partnerships forged among all sectors including all levels of government, the community, not for profit and business sectors.
The initiative was successful in genuinely engaging the Australian Muslim community through partnerships with all the Islamic Councils led by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC). AFIC has expressed a strong interest in further progression of this initiative. There was also strong interest and support from the business sector including the Prime Minister Community Business Partnership, IBM Asia Pacific, ActewAGL, and the Muslim Community Cooperative Australia (MCCA). MCCA, a Muslim Bank in Australia, has agreed to sponsor future symposiums.
After the successful implementation of the initiative, the publication, Sharing Our Achievements, Outcomes from the Symposiums on Australian Muslims February – June 2007, was launched by FaCSIA Secretary, Dr Jeff Harmer on 16 August 2007.
The outcomes from the symposiums proved that the Muslim community is strong, vibrant and highly committed to integration within Australian society and is continuing to build on the wonderful contribution made to this country by their forebears over the last
150 years. This contribution was recognised and applauded during the Sharing Our Achievements Symposiums.
The Muslim community continues to provide a strong economic contribution to Australia. The Halal Meat Industry contributes around $5 billion to the Australian economy each year and employs 30,000 people.
The Halal Meat Industry has a strong sense of corporate social responsibility. An example of Muslim community contribution to a good cause was at the Queensland symposium and expo where nearly $50,000 was donated to the Leukaemia Foundation.
FaCSIA was pleased to have provided leadership for this very successful initiative to enhance the social inclusion and participation of Australian Muslims by focusing on their positive contribution and sharing their achievements, using a strengths based approach under its Bringing Communities Together strategic framework.
More further information about the initiative Sharing Our Achievements: Symposiums on Australian Muslims can be accessed by emailing socialparticipation@facsia.gov.au
