Transformations Conference 2005
Culture and the environment in human development
Transformations: Culture and the environment in human development conference was held from 7-99 February 2005. Co-convened by the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA), the Australian National University (ANU), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), ALGA and the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), Transformations was the first international conference of its kind looking at global and local trends in cultural diversity and sustainable development.
Guided by an exploration of the global framework for action - The universal declaration on cultural diversity (PDF 796 kB) - Transformations was a great opportunity for local government to share cultural diversity programs and policies and learn from international experience.
As the sphere of government closest to the community, local government plays a fundamental role in building social capital and facilitating the inclusion and participation of all residents. Through keynote speakers from local government and local government symposia, Transformations drew attention to local governments considerable expertise in inclusive decision making, open consultation and policy and program development for culturally diverse communities.
See also:
- ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell's speech.
- Media Release: ALGA co-hosts Transformations - a major international conference on cultural diversity.
The Transformations awards for local government in cultural diversity
The inaugural Transformations awards were held as part of the Transformations conference. The conference co-convenors supported the awards, which pay tribute to local governments that have achieved excellence in developing policies or programs to foster cultural diversity in the community.
The Australian Government Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, The Hon Peter McGauran MP, presented the awards at a ceremony in Sydney on 31 March 2005.
All local governments that participated in the Transformations conference were eligible to enter the Awards. They were invited to submit a project that demonstrated a positive and sustainable impact in their local community and that was relevant as a model for other Local Governments in Australia and abroad.
The Local Government Association of Queensland and Holyrod City Council were judged award winners with the following entries:
- Local Government Association of Queensland
- The Local Area Multicultural Partnership program (LAMP) was a ground breaking partnership between the State Government of Queensland, 16 councils throughout the state and the Local Government Association of Queensland. Under LAMP participating councils are developing local plans and strategies to improve social cohesion by working to promote multiculturalism and improve community relations in their local areas.
- Holroyd City Council
- Holroyd City Council's Community Education program was established to provide multicultural communities with information on Australia's democratic system and local government services and facilities, assist residents to feel comfortable in accessing council services, introduce councillors and staff to communities and enhance council's relationships with communities.
The quality of entries was so impressive that the judges also awarded Highly commended certificates to Fairfield City Council, City of Greater Dandenong, Wyndham City Council and Darebin City Council:
- Fairfield City Council
- Fairfield City Council's Place Relations consisted of two separate but related projects that are transforming a geographic place and connecting diverse communities in Bonnyrigg in the Fairfield local government area. The projects aim to explore and reflect the multiple backgrounds and beliefs of the people of Bonnyrigg and to develop a sense of place through collaborative, constructive and sustainable initiatives.
- City of Greater Dandenong
- The Many Faiths One People video project brought together the City of Greater Dandenong and the Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong to produce an information video to educate the community about the city's diversity of faiths. The production promotes the work of the Interfaith Network, encourages respect for different beliefs, cultures and traditions, promotes harmony and educates the community through sharing information about the diversity of faiths and beliefs in the city.
- Darebin City Council
- The Cramer Street Neighbourhood project was a partnership between the Darebin City Council and representatives from the Cramer Street neighbourhood. The central aim was to tackle racial tension amongst people from diverse backgrounds living in the project area. The target area included approximately 700 households surrounding Cramer Street in Preston, Victoria. One of the central aims was to build understanding of diverse cultures through dialogue by bringing local people together in social settings such as events, celebrations, open days, community BBQ's and seminars to reduce previously held prejudices and misconceptions.
- Wyndham City Council
- The development of Wyndham City Council's Cultural Diversity Policy and action plan helped to shape Wyndham's Diversity Policy, which is a whole-of-organization plan that sets the strategic direction for council's responsiveness to cultural diversity. It has led to a number of initiatives within the local government area.
