ELINA
MANJREKAR
The Platform
As of 2019, there were 79.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, with the current global pandemic and economic crisis this would have significantly increased in 2020.
Despite this staggering amount, there is still a misconception about the legibility of refugees and asylum seekers in the greater society which is further perpetuated by the Australian government policy to ‘stop the boats. The treatment of asylum seekers is born out of bigotry, xenophobia and racism with remarks from the public of refugees taking peoples careers, Medicare facilities and prohibiting affordable housing.
Australia has only resettled 1.39% of the global total, with less than 50% of skilled and qualified refugees finding work in their area of expertise, due to the lack of recognition of their previous qualifications.
Thus, in the #YearOfWelcome, THE PLATFORM was born out of the necessity to highlight the reset-tled refugees and disable the stigma around this community.
THE PLATFORM seeks to create a welcoming space towards members of the refugee and asylum seeker community, their extended family, as well as members of the local Rozelle and greater Syd-ney community. THE PLATFORM houses presentation, learning and maker spaces to strengthen the bond between these groups to stop the discrimination and inequality experienced by asylum seek-ers and refugees.
