From 25 to 30 November, CLAIR Sydney held its annual Australian Multicultural Seminar in Melbourne. This seminar provides an opportunity for staff from Japanese local governments and other relevant organisations to learn about Australia’s leading multicultural policies and practices. The insights gained aim to support multiculturalism projects in Japan.
This year marked the fourth time the seminar has been held in Melbourne, and we were thrilled to welcome 17 delegates from across Japan—the largest group of attendees to date!
During the seminar, we visited nine organisations, including government agencies such as the Victorian Department of Multicultural Affairs and Monash City Council, as well as various NPOs supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. These visits provided valuable insights into initiatives grounded in multicultural policies across diverse areas, including education, community support, welfare and healthcare, employment and job support, and disaster prevention.
Many participants are actively involved in multicultural coexistence projects and directly support non-Japanese residents in their local communities. Their expertise enriched the Q&A sessions and discussions as they explored topics such as service delivery, cross-sector collaboration, and ways to engage with CALD communities. Participants gained invaluable first-hand information and were impressed by Australia’s advanced multicultural services and policies.
CLAIR Sydney extends its sincere thanks to all the organisations that hosted us and supported this seminar. We also thank the attendees for their enthusiastic participation, which made the seminar so productive.
We remain committed to introducing Australia’s diverse and inclusive multicultural policies to Japanese local governments. If your organisation is interested in participating or supporting future seminars, we warmly welcome your involvement!
From the 3rd to the 13th of December, eight selected swimmers from the Fukuoka Swimming Association visited NSW, where they participated in joint training sessions with a local school and competed in the 2024-25 Speedo NSW Senior State Age Championships.
