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A project aimed at eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians was launched by acting Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Bill Jonas in Sydney on 21 March 2003 to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

I would like to begin by acknowledging and paying my respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the land where we meet today.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission was established in 1986. The Commission's goal is to foster greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups. We have a particular focus on race, sex and disability discrimination, as well as the rights of Indigenous Australians. It is an independent statutory organisation and reports to the federal Parliament through the Attorney-General.

I would like to begin by acknowledging the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the land where we meet today.

I would particularly like to thank members of the Isma project reference group who have come to support our project launch today. I am the convenor of the reference group whose members our new community liaison officer, Ms Omeima Sukkarieh, will introduce to you shortly.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines the Middle East as: Bahrain, Gaza Strip and West Bank (Palestine), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. North Africa is defined as: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and the Western Sahara. ‘Arab’ includes: Algerian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Moroccan, Palestinian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Tunisian.

Over the past year increasing trends of prejudice and harassment of particular groups in our community has continued to be an area of significant concern for me. As noted in the 2002-03 annual report, I launched the Isma project in March 2003 in response to increasing concerns expressed by Arab and Muslim organisations about the rise in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice in Australia.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines the Middle East as: Bahrain, Gaza Strip and West Bank (Palestine), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. North Africa is defined as: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and the Western Sahara. ‘Arab’ includes: Algerian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Moroccan, Palestinian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Tunisian.

The Muslim Council was established in January 2003 and has about 22 member organisations. It is recognised by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and represents Muslims in NSW.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines the Middle East as: Bahrain, Gaza Strip and West Bank (Palestine), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. North Africa is defined as: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and the Western Sahara. ‘Arab’ includes: Algerian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Moroccan, Palestinian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Tunisian.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines the Middle East as: Bahrain, Gaza Strip and West Bank (Palestine), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. North Africa is defined as: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and the Western Sahara. ‘Arab’ includes: Algerian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Moroccan, Palestinian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Tunisian.

The meeting was chaired by Ms Mia Zahra, Project Officer, Youth Partnership with Arabic Speaking Communities and facilitated by Omeima Sukkarieh, Community Liaison Officer, HREOC. It was attended by 10 invited participants.

The meeting was attended by eight invited participants: officers from each of the host organisations, from the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department, from the Australian Federal Police (ACT Policing) and the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and by representatives of two community organisations. It was facilitated by Omeima Sukkarieh and Susanna Iuliano from HREOC.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines the Middle East as: Bahrain, Gaza Strip and West Bank (Palestine), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. North Africa is defined as: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and the Western Sahara. ‘Arab’ includes: Algerian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Moroccan, Palestinian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Tunisian.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Diane Sisely, CEO of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission, and facilitated by Dr William Jonas, Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, and Ms Omeima Sukkarieh, Community Liaison Officer, from HREOC. It was attended by 21 invited participants.

The meeting was chaired by Mr Ali Roude, chairperson of the Islamic Council of NSW, and attended by 16 invited participants. Mr Roude and Dr Bill Jonas, Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner, HREOC made brief opening presentations. Also attending from HREOC were Susanna Iuliano, Omeima Sukkarieh and Meredith Wilkie (notes).

The meeting was chaired by Ms Fatme Hamdan, Chairperson, Al Zahra Islamic Council and facilitated by Omeima Sukkarieh, Community Liaison Officer, HREOC (notes). Also attending were Susanna Iuliano, Policy Research Officer, HREOC and 200 of the invited participants (present for a separate religious event). The consultation was conducted in Arabic.

The meeting was chaired by the South Australian Equal Opportunity Commissioner, Ms Linda Matthews. Ms Omeima Sukkarieh, Community Liaison Officer, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (notes) facilitated the meeting. It was attended by 21 invited participants.