"How can you fix an institution (or system) when it wasn't designed with you in mind?"
— Dr Kathomi Gatwiri
Who are we?
"Modern Australia and multicultural Australia are the same thing."
— Tony Burke MP
Social Cohesion
"The strength of relationships and sense of belonging within a society, where individuals and groups feel connected, valued and supported. It is characterised by mutual trust, inclusivity and a shared commitment to social stability and wellbeing."
— Office for Social Cohesion, Connections That Matter
Difference + Belonging
"When we are taught that safety always lies in sameness, then difference, of any kind, will appear as a threat. When we choose to love, we choose to move against fear - against alienation and separation. The choice to love is the choice to connect - to find ourselves in the other.”
— bell hooks
Binaries
Us vs Them
Left vs Right
Progressive vs Conservative
Socialist vs Capitalist
Goodies vs Baddies
QLD vs NSW
Young vs Old
'Woke' vs 'Deplorable'
Relational or Transactional?
Relational
welcome = join
↓
include = stay
↓
belong = contribute
Transactional
contribute welcome
↓
stay include
↓
join belong
Why do some cultures have Elders, but others have the elderly?
"Australia is facing a shortage of at least 110,000 direct aged-care workers within the next decade."
Foundational Principles
(Inherent) Dignity
+
Belonging (for All)
Values
People over Productivity
Curiosity over Assumption
Conversation over Silencing
Creativity over Consumption
Kindness over Indifference
Courage over Complacency
Brave Conversations
Agree not to fight fire with fire
Be relentlessly inclusive
Know the facts, but share the stories
Pass the mic.
Share a vision worth striving for
Problem → Solution → Benefits
The Problem
Diversity enriches communities, but it can also create challenges. Without clear guidance, inclusion efforts falter, risking division and weakened social cohesion.
The Solution
Provide practical tools and build networks that empower communities to embed inclusion, creating welcoming spaces where everyone can thrive.
The Benefits
Welcoming cultures foster social connection, economic success, and a positive reputation, ultimately making communities stronger, fairer, and more inclusive.
Act Locally
“Complacency is the enemy of social cohesion”
— Jon Faine
Think Systemically
“If it is true that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it also true a society is only as healthy as its sickest citizen and only as wealthy as its most deprived?”
— Maya Angelou
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
— Arundhati Roy
Hope is found in the Possible
Hope is found in Kindness
"... it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread, only kindness that raises its head from the crowd of the world to say It is I you have been looking for, and then goes with you everywhere like a shadow or a friend."
— Naomi Shihab Nye
1
Belonging Beyond Binaries?
Aleem Ali
CEO, Welcoming Australia
2
3
4
5
Institutional + Systems Design
"How can you fix an institution (or system) when it wasn't designed with you in mind?"
— Dr Kathomi Gatwiri
6
Who are we?
"Modern Australia and multicultural Australia are the same thing."
— Tony Burke MP
7
Social Cohesion
"The strength of relationships and sense of belonging within a society, where individuals and groups feel connected, valued and supported. It is characterised by mutual trust, inclusivity and a shared commitment to social stability and wellbeing."
— Office for Social Cohesion, Connections That Matter
8
Difference + Belonging
"When we are taught that safety always lies in sameness, then difference, of any kind, will appear as a threat. When we choose to love, we choose to move against fear - against alienation and separation. The choice to love is the choice to connect - to find ourselves in the other.”
— bell hooks
9
Binaries
Us vs Them
Left vs Right
Progressive vs Conservative
Socialist vs Capitalist
Goodies vs Baddies
QLD vs NSW
Young vs Old
'Woke' vs 'Deplorable'
10
Relational or Transactional?
11
Relational
welcome = join
↓
include = stay
↓
belong = contribute
12
Transactional
contribute welcome
↓
stay include
↓
join belong
13
Why do some cultures have Elders, but others have the elderly?
"Australia is facing a shortage of at least 110,000 direct aged-care workers within the next decade."
14
Foundational Principles
(Inherent) Dignity
+
Belonging (for All)
15
Values
People over Productivity
Curiosity over Assumption
Conversation over Silencing
Creativity over Consumption
Kindness over Indifference
Courage over Complacency
16
Brave Conversations
17
Agree not to fight fire with fire
18
Be relentlessly inclusive
19
Know the facts, but share the stories
20
Pass the mic.
21
Share a vision worth striving for
22
Problem → Solution → Benefits
23
The Problem
Diversity enriches communities, but it can also create challenges. Without clear guidance, inclusion efforts falter, risking division and weakened social cohesion.
24
The Solution
Provide practical tools and build networks that empower communities to embed inclusion, creating welcoming spaces where everyone can thrive.
25
The Benefits
Welcoming cultures foster social connection, economic success, and a positive reputation, ultimately making communities stronger, fairer, and more inclusive.
26
Act Locally
“Complacency is the enemy of social cohesion”
— Jon Faine
27
Think Systemically
“If it is true that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it also true a society is only as healthy as its sickest citizen and only as wealthy as its most deprived?”
— Maya Angelou
28
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
— Arundhati Roy
Hope is found in the Possible
29
Hope is found in Kindness
"... it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread, only kindness that raises its head from the crowd of the world to say It is I you have been looking for, and then goes with you everywhere like a shadow or a friend."
