The Australian National Maritime Museum will be hosting National Monument to Migration unveiling ceremonies this Sunday, 20 March at the Australian National Maritime Museum for those who registered to be on the Welcome Wall and their invited guests.
There will be three ceremonies to be held on the day ie 10am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm. The event which is also recognising Harmony Week through the unveiling of the 1,281 names (including 23 from the Philippines), representing 73 countries resulting from the 627 donations towards the Migration Heritage Fund which supports the Museum’s migration program. It is a fantastic news that the group of migrants from the Philippines who now call Australia home is ranked number nine in the countries represented at this unveiling.
The Monument is a major Museum initiative which promotes Australia’s multicultural identity Australia-wide. It features more than 30,000 migrant names engraved on a series of bronze panels which thread along our waterfront site at Darling Harbour. It is backed up by a database of migrant stories and we have exciting plans for a digital program in the future. Established in the early 1990s as the Welcome Wall, the bronze panels were renamed Australia’s National Monument to Migration by His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia at our unveiling ceremony in March last year. Please see National Monument to Migration - Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum)
At last year’s unveiling Violi Calvert was one of the speakers who shared their journey to migrating and becoming part of the Australian society.
Below is the video of the Speech of HE General David Hurley.
Australia's National Monument to Migration - YouTubeThe twenty-three members of the Fil-Aus community who are part of this year’s unveiling include The Australian Filipina's publisher Michelle Baltazar and her family, Emily Dingle Rudd, Linda Geronimo Santos and others.
Michelle Baltazar
Michelle has this to say about the event:
Migrants have contributed to so many aspects of the community, from arts and culture to the economy. I feel very fortunate to be part of Australia's story of development as a nation and I'm glad to see initiatives like the Migration Museum, which helps us share that story with future generations.
Others who had joined in the previous unveiling include Lolita Farmer, OAM; Zeny Edwards OAM; and Evelyn de la Pena Redimerio.
As part of the entertainment programme for the day Tina Ranoso Bangel will be performing three sets of songs. She commented:
What an honour to sing and represent the Philippines during the Australian National Maritime Museum unveiling of the newest names to the Welcome wall ~ Australia’s National Monument to Migration.
I migrated here at 3 years of age with my parents … who would have thought I would ever have this opportunity to sing for a wonderful celebration next Sunday I will be accompanied by Joventino Remotique on guitar.
The Australian Filipina congratulates the people who are part of the Welome Wall in the past, present and future. It is a meaningful way of giving something back to Australia which has adopted us and given us a life here as our second home.
Watch this space for information on the next appeal for registering and joining the National Monument for Migration.