Imam Ahmed Nadeem, Jennifer Huppert, Soofi Aziz, Neil Pharaoh and David Marlow

The evening brought together the Jewish, Assyrian, Ahmadiyyan, Armenian, Baha’i, Kurdish and Coptic communities, with speakers from each community, explaining features of their communities, and exchanging stories of diverse faiths, persecution, immigration how their communities have grown in a free, welcoming, safe and multicultural society.

JCCV President Jennifer Huppert stated, “The aim of the evening, which brought our communities together for the first time, was to show how each of our communities can be strengthened by working together.  Cooperation across communities creates alliances and friendships which we can all leverage from to create a more cohesive and harmonious multicultural Victoria for us all.”

Members of the Baha’i and Ahmadiyyan community with members of B’nei B’rith and David Marlow

“We sincerely thank our wonderful speakers – Jane McLachlan (Baha’i), Imam Ahmed Nadeem (Ahmadiyyan), Fr Abanoub Attalla (Coptic), Valentine Aghajani (Assyrian), Asbed Boymoushakian (Armenian), Maral Tchorbadjian (Armenian) and Dr Shorsh Ali Ahmed (Kurdish/Zoroastrianism).”

“We are greatly appreciative of the Victorian State Government for their financial support of this event. It was also wonderful that Shadow Minister Inga Peulich, VMC Commissioner Walter Rapoport and ALP Candidate for Prahran Neil Pharaoh showed their support by attending this event.”