Georges River Council is proud to be a Refugee Welcome Zone.  

A Refugee Welcome Zone is a local government area which has made a commitment to:

• welcoming refugees into the community 

• upholding the human rights of refugees 

• demonstrating compassion for refugees 

• enhancing cultural and religious diversity in the community.  

Refugee Welcome Zone Councils must show their commitment to engaging and supporting the local refugee community. This includes developing programs in consultation with the community. Programs aim to welcome refugees, raise awareness, promote the positive contributions of refugees in our community and build a sense of belonging to the Georges River region.  

Some initiatives to date include:

• Short films screening, a cruise around the Georges River, art workshops, information stalls, public speakers, exhibitions about the experiences of refugees, sports competitions to engage young people and creative writing competitions. 

• During 2017 Refugee Week celebrations we launched our inclusion on the Welcome Scroll, confirming our commitment to welcoming refugees into our communities. 

• Schools Refugee Forum - Awareness Advocacy Action: a high school forum bringing schools from Sutherland Shire, Georges River and Bayside local government areas together to increase awareness and plan actions to create more welcoming schools for refugees and people seeking asylum.

We partner with local services working directly with refugees and people seeking asylum to develop community support networks and initiatives.