Media releases

The National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice at Federation University Australia has received $450,000 funding from the Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing to develop the Roads to Reconciliation: Activating Multicultural Victoria project that will engage regional and metropolitan multicultural communities across Victoria on reconciliation, truth, and justice.

The Roads to Reconciliation project was officially launched by Federation University Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Reconciliation, Professor Andrew Gunstone on Tuesday 8 August at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Federation Square, Melbourne.

The event, hosted by Professor Gunstone, included a Welcome to Country from Sue-Anne Hunter, Commissioner and Deputy Chair of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, speeches from Rob Hyatt from the Koorie Heritage Trust, and The Hon Colin Brooks MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and a panel discussion moderated by Maria Dimopoulos AM, with Sue-Anne Hunter, Mo Elrafihi, CEO, Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, and Mohamed Mohideen OAM JP, Commissioner, Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).

The Roads to Reconciliation project will be led by Maria Dimopoulos AM and Shankar Kasynathan, both Adjunct Senior Research Fellows at the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice. Professor Andrew Gunstone will also be involved in the project.

The project team brings together expertise in multiculturalism, intersectionality, equality, and inclusion, and significant experience working with local governments, community service providers, and the people who live, study and work in multicultural communities.

Roads to Reconciliation is the latest project to be launched by the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice, which was established by Professor Gunstone in March this year, to provide national and regional leadership on reconciliation matters through a program of research, education, engagement, outreach, and advocacy activities.

Quote attributable to Federation University Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Reconciliation, Professor Andrew Gunstone

“We are very excited to be undertaking this significant and innovative project. Roads to Reconciliation: Activating Multicultural Victoria will engage Victorian metropolitan and regional multicultural communities in reconciliation, truth, and justice. The project will be led by two eminent multicultural leaders, Maria Dimopoulos AM and Shankar Kasynathan, who I am delighted have joined the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice as Adjunct Senior Research Fellows. We are grateful to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and the Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing, for their generous funding for this very important project.”