‘Your concerns will be heard’
The new appointees held their first meeting on March 6 at Parliament House in Canberra.
Long a champion of interfaith dialogue and promoting social cohesion, the ARK Centre’s Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann was recently appointed to the Australian Multicultural Council (AMC).
A ministerial body under the Department of Home Affairs, the AMC provides the government with independent advice.
Rabbi Kaltmann will serve until 2028. The new appointees held their first meeting on March 6 at Parliament House in Canberra.
Asked how the AMC plans to address antisemitism, Kaltmann said, “As the Victorian and sole Jewish representative on the council, I am committed to working closely with the chair and fellow members to ensure that we effectively combat antisemitism both in Victoria and across the country. A key priority for the AMC is to engage with the special envoy to combat antisemitism.
“The council has also defined its role as a united, national voice, informed by the diverse expertise and lived experiences of its members. I am truly honoured to be part of this important federal committee, and I want to assure the Jewish community that your concerns will be heard. I look forward to working with all communities to ensure that mutual respect remains at the heart of our national identity.”
Amid fracturing social cohesion, Kaltmann commented, “I strongly believe that education and collaboration with multicultural communities are essential to preserving and strengthening the social cohesion that defines Australia.”
Kaltmann brings significant experience to the role having served as a board member of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, along with his extensive work in intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Each year the ARK Centre’s Pillars of Lights brings hundreds of Jewish and non-Jewish people together to celebrate Chanukah at Federation square. Kaltmann is also involved with the Together for Humanity Foundation, which facilitates interfaith dialogue for students, teachers and communities.
Others on the AMC include: Christine Castley (chair), Izabela Barakovska, Simon Chan, Malaemie Fruean, Peter Gutwein, Rosemary Kariuki, Helena Kyriazopoulos, Hussain Razaiat, Enzo Sirna, Dr Preethi Suraj, Professor Sivaram Vemuri, Hang Vo and Aimen Jafri.
Jafri is the immediate past chair of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania and a director of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia, on X it appears Jafri (@aimenjafri) commented on the Israel-Gaza conflict, posting on November 23, 2023, “It’s that simple…. #IsraelTerrorist #Gaza #auspol #politas”, and on November 14, 2023 “Either you are with humanity or your [sic] are as good as the walking dead” along with videos of pro-Palestinian protests.
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