Mariam Veiszaheh | Nicole Abadee
This event is co-presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and the Kaldor Centre.
Australians pride themselves on living in a country where anyone can have a good life and feel they belong. But is that the reality for those who have to start from scratch with a new language, new culture and new home? At a time when political grandstanding and immigration scapegoating spill over into everyday attitudes, how can we build a society where people forced to leave their homeland can get a fair go?
Join Mariam Veiszadeh as she reflects on her journey from fleeing Afghanistan as a young girl, to building a life in Australia as a lawyer, advocate and human rights champion. Across countries, cultures and languages, Mariam’s story is a powerful testament to resilience and paying it forward.
In a keynote talk and conversation with host Nicole Abadee, Mariam will share her views on how we need to reframe the debate on belonging – and what it might take to ensure all Australians have the same opportunities.
LIVE EVENT & VENUE INFORMATION
Leighton Hall is located inside the John Niland Scientia Building at UNSW Sydney's Kensington campus (G19). Please note this is a live event only, and will not be available via livestream.
TICKETS
ACCESS
Wheelchair Access
The closest accessible drop off point to Leighton Hall is via Gate 11, Botany Street. More information on getting there can be found via our interactive accessibility map available here.
Assisted Listening
Leighton Hall has hearing assistive technology available. Patrons wishing to utilise this service must collect a Roger™ inductive neck loop receiver from the venue staff, and this system can be used with a hearing aid or cochlear implant with a T-coil, or with headphones.
Captioning
Live captioning on personal devices will be available at this event.
Auslan
Auslan interpreting services can be provided for selected talks upon request.
Contact
To book and discuss access services, please call the Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485 or email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT & PARKING
Leighton Hall (John Niland Scientia Building) is easily accessible via public transport. The closest light rail stop is the UNSW High Street (L2 line) and the closest bus stop is UNSW Gate 14, Barker Street (303). For more information please call the Transport Infoline on 131 500 or visit transportnsw.info.
Free parking is also available in the Botany St Car Park (Gate 11) from 5.30pm. For access to free parking, event patrons must park in the UNSW Permit Holder bays, available on all levels. The Botany St Car Park (Gate 11) parking station is located here.
Paid casual and visitor parking is offered via the CellOPark App and ‘pay by plate meters’ in all other UNSW car parks. The Botany St Car Park (Gate 11) parking station is the closest to the venue, and is located here. For more information head here.
PROGRESS FOR ALL
Social cohesion, the connectedness of people to each other and their trust in the institutions that give society structure, is an important element of societal stability and security. As challenges to social cohesion increase, bridging divides to foster inclusive communities becomes an increasingly urgent and critical issue.
In the next decade, UNSW will continue efforts to strengthen societal resilience, security and cohesion. This will build on our significant education and research into human rights, justice, resilience, cohesion and inequality across Australia and the Asia Pacific region. We will focus on enabling access, ensuring equity and building trust in the digital age, through active participation in policy development, our deep research expertise, and genuine engagement with the people, communities and partners throughout our region.
You can read more about our objectives in our UNSW Strategy: Progress for All.
CONTACT
For all enquiries, please email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au or call the Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485.
The Centre for Ideas is happy to receive phone calls via the National Relay Service. TTY users, phone 133 677, then ask for 02 9065 0485. Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 02 9065 0485. For more information on all other relay calls visit here.
Mariam Veiszadeh is an award-winning executive, lawyer and human rights advocate. She came to Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan and has spent more than a decade working on anti-racism, belonging and cultural diversity, including as a spokesperson for the Afghan Australian Advocacy Network during the fall of Kabul. She is Executive Director at MindTribes, founder and Chair of the Islamophobia Register Australia, and former inaugural CEO of Media Diversity Australia. A TEDx speaker and experienced non-executive director, Mariam was named the 2023 Most Influential Asian-Australian of the Year.
Nicole Abadee is a freelance journalist and event moderator who writes for the Sydney Morning Herald and Harper’s Bazaar. Nicole is a regular moderator at writers’ festivals including Sydney Writers’ Festival, Adelaide Writers’ Week, Canberra Writers’ Festival, the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival. She has been a literary judge, podcaster and a guest on ABC Radio to discuss books. Nicole is a board member of the Eleanor Dark Foundation, which runs Varuna, the National Writers’ House, and is on the Advisory Council of the Sydney Women’s Fund.
