Food has the ability to open up conversations. Whether it's sharing recipes, getting to know one another, discussing art or offshore detention.
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That's why Refugee Action Collective Eurobodalla (RACE) is promoting this year's Refugee Week theme, "Share a meal, share a story".
RACE and the Eurobodalla Shire Council hosted a panel discussion and free lunch at The Bas, Moruya, on Saturday, June 15, to start a conversation about the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers.
Panellists included Hazara-Afghan refugee, Abbas Hussaini, who founded a school for children at the Indonesian refugee camp he lived at before settling in Australia.
Panellist and Bungendore author, Zac Quinn, lived at Manus Island for six months and wrote about his experiences in his novel "Sanlundia".
Panellist RACE convenor Bernie Richards was a senior investigator in AFP's People Smuggling Strike Team and conducted intelligence analysis interviews with refugees.
She said sometimes Australians could be bigoted - without even realising - but sharing food opened up a pathway of understanding.
"If a person from a different culture moves in next door and you start sharing food, that kind of opens up the pathway of understanding ... and being more tolerant of people from different backgrounds," she said.
"It takes a bit of the angst out of the air, so it's more relaxed and people can get to know each other a little bit better and share the meal and their story."
She said people who are refugees were usually grateful when they arrived in Australia but were still "in limbo".
"They're living in two places. They're living in Australia but they've still got their families at home. That's really difficult for them and creates more stress," she said.
She said RACE was made up of church groups, artists, teachers and others who had worked or volunteered at Nauru or with refugees and asylum seekers.
"We do awareness-raising sessions, stalls at the market, talk to people about refugee issues, fundraisers and we do refugee week events aswell. We try to lobby politicians and write to our local MP," she said.
Refugee Week's website said the week was an opportunity for the nation to celebrate the contribution refugees make to society, while raising awareness, remembering and honouring "the often perilous journey that refugees have taken to reach Australia".
"Refugee Week provides an opportunity to meet a refugee for the first time. Through storytelling we have the chance to educate the Australian community to better understand the courage and contribution that refugees make in our society," the website said.
"Given that there are 68.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide as of June 2018, the need to draw attention to the challenges facing refugees is incredibly urgent. We are on a mission to engage more Australians in Refugee Week than ever before in 2019."
For more information, go to www.refugeeweek.org.au
