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– Members’ Lunch with Cr Stephen Mayne
- Sold out
Hosted by:
May 28, 2018 - May 29, 2018
– Nyadol Nuyon, Becoming an Australian – a personal journey
Nyadol was born in a refugee camp in Itang, Ethiopia, and raised in Kakuma Refugee camp, Kenya. In 1991, her family was forced to flee a new outbreak of conflict in Ethiopia, crossing into Kenya via Sudan.
During this time Nyadol’s sister, who was barely a month old, nearly died during the 40-day walk through a quagmire. It was raining heavily and her mother had carried her younger sister on her head in a plastic tub. Sadly, her sister had stopped breathing and with the help, she eventually she started breathing.
‘The horrible thing about it all is, I asked my mum what would have happened if she actually died and she said, “We would have just left her there.”
Since then she has completed a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne. She is now a commercial litigator with Arnold Bloch Leibler and a community advocate.
Outside her work, and through the experiences of her family and community, Nyadol has developed an interest in issues concerning human rights, multiculturalism, the settlement of refugees and those seeking asylum. She has volunteered extensively in relation to these areas has worked with governmental and non-governmental organisations.
In terms of advocacy, Nyadol has presented at varies conferences and forums on issues impacting the settlement of African Australia in Victoria and Australia in general. She regularly appears on the media including recent appearances on the ABC Drum and as a panelist on ABC Q and A.
You are invited to join us for this extraordinary lunch on Monday 28th May 2018 where Nyadol will speak openly about her journey on becoming an Australian.