International Human Rights Day 2025 On 10th December each year, we observe International Human Rights Day, marking the date the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. Human rights can sometimes feel like an abstract, distant idea; something reserved for world leaders and landmark moments, but most of us experience them in far … Continue reading The Threads That Hold Us Together
Empowering Women and Strengthening Communities Cafe Stepping Stone based in Canberra, and founded by Vanessa & Hannah, is more than just a cafe serving delicious vegetarian food and coffee. It is a social enterprise driving the initiative to provide employment and focused training for new migrant and refugee women struggling to find work. Moving to … Continue reading Empowering Women and Strengthening Communities
On 15 August 2021, the Taliban seized control of Kabul, marking their return to political power and a devastating turning point for the people of Afghanistan. Nearly four years later, the consequences remain profound, within the country and across the world. As of mid-2025, Afghanistan continues to face a humanitarian crisis: more than half the … Continue reading Four Years Under Taliban Rule: What Has Changed for Afghanistan?
Refugee Week in Australia, which ran last month from 15th to 21st June 2025, is a time to celebrate people from refugee backgrounds. This year’s theme, ‘Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community’, reminds us that ordinary acts of kindness can have extraordinary ripple effects. But the work of inclusion doesn’t begin or end with this week. … Continue reading Why Supporting Refugee-Owned Businesses is Year Round Activism
Refugee Week’s theme, “Finding Freedom - Diversity in Community,” feels tailor-made for Afghan-Australian designer and advocate Anjilla Seddeqi, a woman whose story weaves together strength, dignity and creativity in every thread. Anjilla is a lawyer-turned-fashion designer whose journey from refugee child to acclaimed advocate is deeply rooted in her Afghan heritage and a lifelong sense … Continue reading Community, Craft and Courage: Afghan-Australian Designer and Advocate, Anjilla Seddeqi on the Power of Representation
As we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend in Australia, we’re reflecting not only on the love and strength of mothers and mother figures everywhere, but the generational stories, recipes, and resilience they’ve passed down. This piece is based on questions prepared by fellow blog writer, Nrutya Sangdhore. Arifur Rahman, via Unsplash We spoke with two … Continue reading ‘A Mother to All’: honouring the women who shaped us, this Mother’s Day
As the Federal Election draws closer, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by campaigns, manifestos, and headlines; especially with fear-mongering surrounding refugees and people seeking asylum fuelling certain political agendas. Despite this targeted misinformation, we invite you to choose community over division this weekend. Across Australia, people from displaced backgrounds are enriching our culture, building businesses, … Continue reading Refugees, Rights, and The Ballot Box
As we mark our fifth birthday at Welcome Merchant, it is the perfect time to reflect on our journey, celebrate our successes, and envision the future of our refugee advocacy. From our humble beginnings as an Instagram page run solely by founder, Marjorie Tenchavez, Welcome Merchant has since blossomed into an award-winning social enterprise, bridging … Continue reading It’s Our Birthday! Celebrating Five Years of Welcome Merchant
The name Mahshid Babzartabi is synonymous with Iranian cuisine. Through her various culinary ventures, including her first book, she’s already introduced us to the rich history and flavours of Persian cooking. However, Mahshid’s latest release, Stop, Next Chapter, takes an autobiographical turn, inviting her readers into a deeply personal narrative: her own extraordinary journey. The … Continue reading Mahshid Babzartabi: A Journey of Resilience, Food, and Storytelling
Emmanuel Asante is a visual artist residing in Western Sydney, I caught up with him a couple of weeks after he’d won the Kirk Robson Award for Community Arts & Cultural Development at the 2024 Creative Australia Awards (formerly known as Australia Council for the Arts). Act of Giving, Emmanuel Asante, 2018. Naturally, I was … Continue reading Catching Up with Emmanuel Asante
