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Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office

ACMRO News May 2023

109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2023

Pope Francis has released his message for the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be celebrated on Sunday, 24 September 2023.

The theme chosen by the Holy Father for WDMR 2023 is "Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay."

Pope Francis emphasised that "we are called to show maximum respect for the dignity of each migrant; this entails accompanying and managing waves of migration as best we can, constructing bridges and not walls, expanding channels for a safe and regular migration. In whatever place we decide to build our future, in the country of our birth or elsewhere, the important thing is that there always be a community ready to welcome, protect, promote and integrate everyone, without distinctions and without excluding anyone."

To read the full message please click here.

Online prayer service for Refugee Week 2023

We invite you to an online prayer service to commemorate Refugee Week from 18 to 24 June. The prayer service will be broadcast live at 7pm AEST on 20 June.

To register, please click here.

Insights Into How Trafficking Can Occur

Sr Taabeia Ibouri, a Good Samaritan Sister from Kiribati, explores the realities seasonal workers face in Australia.

Watch the video here.

Stories of Freedom

The people featured in Refugee Council of Australia’s (RCA) Refugee Week 2023 photography share what freedom means to them.

Read their stories here.

Limitless Detention of Refugees Is Inhumane and Must End

The United Nations’ torture watchdog has urged Australia to end its “inhumane” indefinite detention of asylum seekers and immigrants.

Figures released in March showed that the average length of detention in Australia is 780 days.

UN special rapporteur on torture Alice Edwards called for urgent action.

“It is inhumane to allow never-ending, unreviewable detention ... Australia needs to play its part in supporting people that are victims of human rights violations.”

Read more

 
 

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Submit your stories and photos from events and we will consider publishing in future newsletters at info@acmro.catholic.org.au

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Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office
GPO Box 2720
Canberra ACT 2601

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