Md. Abdullah Yousuf: The ‘Understanding the Voice’ community forum held in the Canterbury-Bankstown area was an enlightening event marked by profound discussions and active community engagement. It made a tangible impact, shedding light on the pivotal role played by multicultural communities in this historic moment on Thursday, 5 October 2023, at 7 pm in the Orion Function Centre in Campsie, Sydney.

A multitude of local residents came together, joining Hon Tony Burke MP and prominent leaders from various multicultural communities to participate in this community forum. This event was organised through a collaborative effort of several community organisations, including Settlement Services International, the Australian National Imams Council, Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, Sydney Alliance, and Welcoming Australia.

Suprovat Sydney, the only Bangladeshi newspaper published in Australia, has made a steadfast commitment to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its call for “voice, treaty, and truth.” We acknowledge that not everyone may share our perspective, but we firmly believe that a city cannot be genuinely inclusive unless all its residents have a say in decisions that affect them. The primary purpose of the “Voice” is to provide a clear avenue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to express their views.

Mohammed Zakir Hossain and Taslima Jahan, representing Suprovat Sydney, participated in this momentous event.