Members Statement: Hume Interfaith Network

Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — I rise to acknowledge the important work being undertaken in my community by the Hume Interfaith Network youth ambassadors through the youth community connections project team. The team has been working with the diverse range of communities in the Hume municipality, including in the electorate of Yuroke. It was terrific to recently meet with the team, including youth ambassadors Mohamed, EJ and Sal, and to receive their recent report entitled One Community, Many Faiths. It is also terrific to see them in the chamber today. This report highlights the need to engage young people in positive intercultural and interfaith dialogue. It recommends that an interfaith youth group be established and supported in Hume and that more programs, activities and platforms for young people to connect be made available.

I congratulate the team on its work to date, in particular the Hume City Council staff and the youth ambassadors, including the current chair of the Hume Interfaith Network youth group, Salat Youhana (Sal), who is studying a bachelor of education at Victoria University; Elgaili Mangati (EJ), who has worked with Spectrum and the Centre for Multicultural Youth’s Shout Out program, promoting young multicultural voices for change; Mohamed Yussuf, who studied political science and sociology at Latrobe University and now works as a trainee for Hume City Council; Phillip Di, who is currently studying at Kangan Institute and volunteering in the office of the member for Broadmeadows; and Nisal Karawita, who is studying at Monash University and is a facilitator in the Bahai junior youth spiritual empowerment program. I look forward to continuing to work with these inspiring and passionate young people and to seeing their network expand in the community.