The Hunter's refugee community and their friends have gathered this week to celebrate their cultures and new homes in Australia to mark Refugee Week 2026
Jesmond Park was packed today with colourful cultural costumes, the smell of cooking, song and dance, and children playing for the Refugee Week community picnic.
The crowd of more than 100 people who have escaped, war, persecution, famine, and natural disaster to build a new life in Australia, were treated to traditional performances ranging from Afghan Qarsak dance to Tibetan throat singing.
The event is organised by Settlement Services International (SSI), with the help of local refugee assistance groups such as Zara's House, Mosaic Multicultural Connections, STARTTS, and refugee health among others.
SSI regional manager Helen Larkin said this year's celebrations for Refugee Week were special as Australia marked one million refugees who had found a home on our shores since World War II.
"We want to celebrate those who have come here as refugees and have made Newcastle their home," she said.
"We like to acknowledge the diversity it brings to our community and the resilience of those people themselves."
"We want to share the journeys they have been on."
Ms Larkin said it was a beautiful way for the community to come together.
"We have many different refugee communities, people from Afghanistan, Iraq, Kurdistan, Tibet, The Democratic Republic of Congo and we all get to celebrate together," she said.
"We can share parts of their culture with the wider community, which also helps them build stronger connections in their new home."
Among the crowd were two girls, Dina Ahma, 9, and Zahra Sanity, 10, whose family travelled to Australia to escape the war and the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"I am a refugee but she was born here," Zahra said.
The girls were wearing traditional Kuchi dresses emblazoned with intricate embroidery and beading. The girls, and other Afghan children from their school, were part of a choir that performed at the picnic.
"These are dresses from Afghanistan, the beading is quite easy and our mum can also make them as well," she said.
Also enjoying the beautiful weather and celebrations was Aziza Anwari, who fled Afghanistan before resettling in Australia.
"I was blacklisted by the Taliban because I was a journalist," she said.
"I first travelled to India, where I was for five years before getting refugee status in Australia.
"Now I have made Newcastle my home."
Sister Diana Santleben, founder of Zara's House, said the event was what Newcastle represented.
"Coming together, everyone contributing, children playing, lots of hugs," she said.
"I have seen a lot of children who are six inches taller than the last time I saw them."
Sister Santleben said that refugees brought so much life to the community.
"Whether it is food, music, dance, they can contribute so much
"We all came from somewhere," she said.
"I am a descendant of convicts, I have German heritage, I have ancestors who travelled to America from Ireland to escape the famine who fought in the US Civil War before coming to Australia.
"Forget a monocultural society, this is what Australia and Newcastle are about."
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said Australia's refugee story was too often framed only by hardship.
"We see people defined by the moment they escape war or persecution, rather than everything that comes after. Being a refugee is not someone's whole story. It's a moment in time," she said.
"When people arrive in Australia, they bring skills, resilience and a deep commitment to contribute.
"Over time, their story grows far beyond their refugee experience.
"They are Australians, shaping our communities and helping others find their place, just as they once did."
