Written by Kaisa Golding, RHP Oceania Co-Facilitator
| RHP Oceania 2019 Roundtable The first annual Refugee Highway Partnership Oceania Roundtable was held on October 10-11, 2019 at the Garrison Church in Sydney, Australia. Hosting approximately 30 participants from a variety of churches and faith-based organisations, as well as a few individual refugee response players, the conference was well received and plans were put in place for further annual Roundtables. Speakers at the Roundtable included: James Grunau from Journey Home (Canada), a member of the RHP Leadership Team; Judi Bastin from Migrant Pacifica Education/ESOL at Mairehau Primary (New Zealand) and RHP Leadership Team member; Jude Simion from BREAD and RHP Global Leadership Team; as well as Angus Skeoch from Restore Mission (PNG) who is also the South Pacific RHP Representative. The conference spanned two days, including dinner together after the first conference day. The Roundtable concluded with plans to hold the 2020 Annual Roundtable in Melbourne, Australia. There was general positivity for more active connecting among the participants and a contact list was created and shared among the participants after the conference. Participant feedback was very positive and there was a general consensus that the Roundtables added value to the important work they were doing among refugees and asylum seekers. |