Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Special Correspondent, Suprovat Sydney: Community Youth & Citizen Development Inc. (CYCDO) held a preparatory meeting on the evening of 15 November 2025 at Thaiburn Restaurant in Ingleburn to finalise plans for its upcoming Australia Day Celebration. Members of the preparatory committee attended the meeting, discussing each activity in detail and distributing responsibilities among the team to ensure smooth event delivery.
On the same day, the CYCDO President Md. Abdullah Yousuf met with Aboriginal leader John Dicksin, who expressed his full support and assured the organisation of all necessary cooperation for the event.
The meeting confirmed that CYCDO will host a meaningful and inclusive Australia Day community celebration on 26 January 2026. The program is expected to welcome around 200 community members from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. The event aims to promote unity, cultural diversity, and a shared sense of identity while highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, youth leadership, and community participation.
The celebration will open with the Unity Mural and Message Wall, where attendees will create a collaborative artwork using canvas, paints, markers, and recycled materials. Participants will be invited to write unity messages, add photos, and express what Australia means to them.
Heartbeat of Australia will showcase traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and dance, starting with a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country. Local performers will lead interactive dance elements and youth-focused workshops.
The final segment, Stories that Unite, will feature a storytelling circle involving Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, multicultural, and disability community members. A reflection wall will also capture participants’ thoughts and insights.
The event places strong emphasis on accessibility and inclusion, offering Auslan interpretation, live captioning, accessible facilities, and inclusive promotion. Local artists, photographers, caterers, and service providers will be engaged, and an Australia Day Ambassador will be invited to attend. The events are assisted by the Australian Government through the National Australia Day Council.
Distinguished community leaders and academics were present at the event, including:
- Clr Ibrahim Khalil Masud, Deputy Mayor, Campbelltown City Council, and President, Community Voice Australia
- Abul Bashar, an Agriculturalist and respected community leader
- Shibly Abdullah, Lecturer in Accounting and Business Studies at UTS; social and human rights activist; advocate for multiculturalism in Australia; researcher, writer, columnist, and community leader; member of the Muslim Community Core Team, Sydney Alliance
- Alamgir Islam, General Secretary, Bangladesh Association of Australia
- Professor Dr Shafiqur Rahman, International seminar organiser and convener of 35 global academic conferences
- Monowar Mridha, Community leader
- ANM Masum, State election candidate and YouTube live-stream host
- Mohammed Golam Mostafa, Chairman, Multimedia College, the largest multimedia education organisation in Bangladesh, operating 11 colleges
- Md Zamilur Rahman, Chairman, Probash TV Australia
- Giyash Uddin, Prominent businessman