Multicultural Honour Roll

Ulla Bartels was a volunteer at the Fairfield Neighbourhood Centre who began teaching English to refugees from Indochina in 1978, drawing on her own experiences as a migrant from Germany. Her students turned to her for help with a wide variety of settlement issues such as housing, employment, pensions and filling in government forms.

Before long, Ulla Bartels found herself working full-time helping newly arrived families from her home in Carramar. She gradually enlisted more volunteers to help with the workload, who then formed the South-East Asian Community Assistance Centre (SEACA).

Over the next few years, the organisation grew in size and scope to become the Cabramatta Community Centre, which today employs more than 250 staff.

Ulla Bartels passed away in July 1990.

Born in Calabria, Frank Calabro was more than just a trailblazer in becoming the first Italian-born member of the NSW Parliament in 1970. His selfless commitment to make a difference in people’s lives saw him put Fairfield on the map, helping it develop into one of the most diverse cities in Australia by serving as a councillor and mayor for more than a decade.

Known as the people’s champion, Frank Calabro helped new migrants from many ethnic backgrounds. In 1970 he was elected to the Legislative Council where he served with distinction for 18 years.

Knighted and appointed a Commander of the Republic of Italy in 1971, he was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2003. He will be remembered as a compassionate, hard worker who was dedicated to his community.

Frank Calabro passed away in January 2011.

Multicultural Honour Roll Wadim (Bill) Jegorow, AM, MBE

Of Russian origin, Bill and his family fled to Australia from a refugee camp in West Germany in 1951 when he was aged 16. In Sydney, he studied social welfare and later law, eventually joining the New South Wales public service as a lawyer.

Bill became involved in local government and was an alderman of Ashfield Council from 1959 to 1987. His contribution to the municipality was recognised by Council with the naming of a park in his honour in the suburb of Haberfield.

During the Seventies and Eighties he was member of the multicultural advisory bodies to Prime Ministers Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke.A pioneer in Australian multiculturalism, Bill Jegorow began working with immigrant communities in the early 1970s and was foundation president of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW.

In 1977 he was appointed as part-time Deputy Chair of the Ethnic Affairs Commission (the precursor to the Community Relations Commission) and later full-time Deputy Chair of the Ethnic Affairs Commission until 1986.

He championed the needs of migrants to all levels of government.

He contributed to the establishment of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia, representing the interests of Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and served as its foundation Chairperson.

In 2004 he received the CRC medal in Gold.

Until his last days, Bill Jegorow fought for the rights of immigrants at state and federal level and his exemplary service to multiculturalism has lasting results today.Bill Jegorow passed away in April 2006.

Multicultural Honour Roll Father Atanasio Gonelli

Father Atanasio Gonelli was born in 1923 in Catignano, Italy. In 1949 he volunteered to come to Australia as a friar.

He was a guiding figure in Sydney’s growing Italian migrant community. Whether it was help with finding a job or a home for those new arrivals, Father Atanasio was instrumental in the establishment of this now and proud Sydney Italian community.

His community involvement continued for the next 60 or so years through activities including sport and recreation for immigrant children; the La Fiamma newspaper for which he was an editor-in-chief; and the establishment of the Italian Committee of Assistance which has been so important.

Fr. Gonelli passed away in February 2012.

Multicultural Honour Roll The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue

The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue was ordained as a young monk at the age of 16 and fled Vietnam seeking religious freedom, as so many of his fellow citizens did, and came to Australia.

When he arrived in 1980 he was this nation’s first Vietnamese monk. He was someone who reminds us that we are not just a multicultural community - we are also a multi-faith community.

While he contributed much to the Vietnamese Buddhist community, and made this his home, Thich Phuoc Hue also made his mark internationally as a high ranking member and elder of the World Buddhist Sangha Council as well as the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

Most Venerable passed away in January 2012.

Multicultural Honour Roll Jim Miltiades Samios

Jim Miltiades Samios was born in Brisbane two years after his family migrated to Queensland from the Greek island of Kythira.

His public contribution included almost 19 years as a member of the New South Wales Parliament, but extended nationally through his work with bodies such as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, the Ethnic Communities Council of New South Wales, and the Migrant Settlement Council of New South Wales.

In 1989 Jim Samios, when a member of the New South Wales Parliament, moved the racial vilification clauses in the State’s anti-discrimination legislation that were adopted.

He was also responsible to the then Premier for the creation of the Charter of Principles for a Culturally Diverse Society that evolved into the Principles of Multiculturalism contained in the Community Relations Commission and Principles of Multiculturalism Act.

Mr Samios passed away in July 2011.