Palm Sunday 2024

Palm Sunday 2024 is Sunday 24 March

Listing of Palm Sunday Events      Plan a local event   Join the BigWalk4Refugees     Social media     Lobby politicians     Action by faith communities     Background Information     Make a donation

Justice for Refugees Palm Sunday actions and events will be held cross Australia on 24 March 2024 to raise public awareness of the injustices experienced by thousands of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia.

Be a part of the 2024 National Day of Action on Sunday 24 March, calling for Justice for Refugees and Permanent Protection for All Refugees   (#justice4refugees   #PermanentVisas )

Take Action and join the call for an end to the cruel and harmful policies that have been in place for far too long. All people seeking protection as refugees need to be treated fairly and with compassion. See more detail in the Background Information

Even if you can’t attend an event, you can always lobby politicians and ask them to support the call for Justice for Refugees:   Send a letter or postcard, or email MPs and Senators.

ALSO the virtual Big Walk 4 Refugees is still happening !  You can register at www.bigwalk4refugees and make sure you join a team to make your steps count!  Once you register you can sync or manually log all the steps/kilometres you walk every day and contribute to the effort to support the call for permanent visas for refugees.   Local walks are being organised right through March, including on Palm Sunday – see listing of walks at  https://www.bigwalk4refugees.au/events

Palm Sunday Events:  

Email details of your event to be added to this list austrefugeenetwork@gmail.com

ACT

  • Canberra – Palm Sunday Rally: Justice for Refugees – Permanent Visas Now
    Sunday 24 March 1.00pm Garema Place, Civic
    Contingents to gather at Petrie Plaza (the merry-go-round) at 12.30pm
    Find out more on Facebook Events

 

NSW

  • Sydney – Palm Sunday Rally and March – PEACE not WAR – Permanent visas for refugees
    Sunday 24th March 2.00pm Belmore Park – (near Central Station, march to Victoria Park)
    Find out more on Facebook Events

 

  • Armidale – Palm Sunday, 24 March   8.30am- 12.30pm
    Visit us at the Armidale Markets
    Look for the ARAR stall in the central Mall, next to Tatts Hotel
    Organised by Armidale Rural Australians for Refugees (ARAR)
    Enquiries:  arar@une.edu.au

 

  • Bowral – Big Walk 4 Refugees on Palm Sunday
    Sunday 24th March  at 2pm
    Meet at Cherry Tree Walk, Mittagong Road Bowral.  We will walk to Glebe Park and then return, a distance of approximately 3.6kms. The walk is paved and mostly flat so an easy walk for most. Please bring your signs supporting refugees. We will have Big Walk 4 Refugees signs printed as well.
    Organised by Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) Southern Highlands
    Find out more on Facebook Events
    Contact for information:  rarsouthernhighlands@gmail.com

 

VICTORIA 

  • Melbourne – Walk for Justice and Peace
    Sunday 24 March  10.00am – 12.30pm
    Meet at Parliament Gardens, Spring Street
    Walk goes to the city centre and returns to Parliament Gardens
    Refugee Advocacy Network Victoria
    Find out more on Facebook Events 

  • Ararat  – Sunday 24 March at 11.30am
    Alexandra Gardens meet at the café 
    Walk for Justice for Refugees
    Afterwards all welcome to stay for coffee or lunch
    Organised by Gariwerd RAR
    Contact email : 59bloss@gmail.com

  • Bendigo     Sunday  24 March   12 noon

    Lake Weeroona  (Near the Rowing Club)
    Organised by Bendigo Churches, Rural Australians for
    Refugees, Amnesty International and Grandmothers for Refugees
    Enquiries: rarbendigo@gmail.com
    Poster is here

  • Ballarat    Sunday 24 March   2pm – 3:30pm

    McDonald Bandstand, Lake Wendouree Foreshore
    Opposite Floral clock Botanical Gardens, between Pipers and large playground
    Organised by Rural Australians for Refugees
    Enquiries: rarballarat@gmail.com
    Poster is here

 

QUEENSLAND  

  • Brisbane – Palm Sunday Rally for Peace and Refugees
    Sunday 24th March 3.00pm King George Square
    Find out more on Facebook Events

 

  • Cairns – Sunday March 24     Meet at 3.45pm
    At the Fun Ship (locally known as Pirate Ship) Playground (Northern end of the Cairns Esplanade – top of Smith St)
    Walking to the Lagoon and back – be sun smart !
    Facebook event:  Cairns’ Big Walk for Refugees

 

  • Townsville – Palm Sunday Walk for Peace and Justice for Refugees
    Sunday 24 March on the Strand in Townsville.

    We will meet at the Gregory Street Amphitheatre at 4pm and walk from there to Strand Park and return.
  • Warwick – Sunday 24th March at 10am
    Southern Downs Refugee and Migrant Network(SDRAMN) a member of RAR
    will be completing their BIGWALK 4 Refugees on Sunday 24 March,
    starting from Tiddalik in Federation Park and finishing at the Band Rotunda in Leslie Park . The walk commences at 10am.


WESTERN AUSTRALIA


TASMANIA


SOUTH AUSTRALIA


NORTHERN TERRITORY

  • Darwin – Sunday 24th March at 5.00pm
    Darwin Walk for Refugees
    Meet at Nightcliff Pool carpark
    Walk along the Foreshore to Seabreeze concrete pad, near Nightcliff Jetty

    Organised by DASSAN (Darwin Asylum Seeker support and Advocacy Network)
    Further info board@dassan.org
    Poster is here

Plan your local event

Actions will be held right across Australia.  Event organisers are encouraged to incorporate a Walk into Palm Sunday actions, to contribute ‘virtual’ kms to the BigWalk4Refugees. See more information here: www.bigwalk4refugees.

Please make sure you email here with a short description of the action you are planning in your area. This will be added to the listing on this webpage.

Templates and resources are provided to assist you in planning and promoting your local Palm Sunday activities:

ARAN will also work towards national media coverage for the National Day of Action prior to Palm Sunday.  If you are organising an action or event and would like your event listed in the media release, please send details no later than 18 March – make sure you include a phone contact for media contact.

 

On the day – please share photos and highlights on your social media and tag the ARAN Facebook page.

Ideas for planning your actions:

Link up with other social justice groups in your area to plan a simple action. See below resources to help you publicise your event including poster and leaflet.

Some ideas you might want to consider are:

  • A Walk for Justice in your community invite school groups, church and faith groups, refugees in your community and your local councilors to join the Walk.   You can make your Palm Sunday event also count for the BigWalk4Refugees.  Register your event as a ‘Team’ and add the combined kilometres on the BigWalk4Refugees website. Let us know about your local walk by completing the form here:  https://www.bigwalk4refugees.au/event-template
  • Choose a prominent place in your town and do a standing display of posters, placards and banners – take photographs and video and share on social media
  • Print postcards and encourage people to send to politicians
  • Plan a mini concert to draw attention to the issue of justice for refugees
  • Invite local churches to include a prayer for refugees in their services, put a message on their outdoor noticeboards – eg Welcome Refugees, Justice for Refugees, or display a banner – see more resources for churches below
  • Run an information session at your local school/s or library – invite a refugee to speak, and / or a refugee advocate
  • Don’t forget to invite your local media to your event !   Use the Sample Media Release as a starting point and make changes to include details of your local action to promote to your local media. Don’t forget to add your group’s name, a contact person’s name plus their mobile number. A sample media release will be posted here.

Social Media

Follow the ARAN Facebook page and share posts and information through your network.

Create a Facebook event page for your Palm Sunday event, and tag the ARAN Facebook page

Post the Palm Sunday memes in the lead up to Palm Sunday – and on the day post pictures from your event and tag the ARAN Facebook page

Lobby politicians – visit in person, or send and email or letter

Request a meeting, send an email or write a letter to Labor MPs, the Prime Minister and senators

Email a postcard to your local Labor MP and federal Labor Senators – see links below for contact detail

See below the Background Information on the issues to raise with your local Labor MP and the Labor senators for your state.

Contact details for all MPs and Senators are on the Australian Parliament’s website.

We suggest you focus on Labor and progressive Independent MPs and Senators.   You can use this list Selected Federal Senators by State:    Selected Federal Senators by State

Points to make in your letter or email:

Right now, thousands of people who came for safety over a decade ago are being denied a clear pathway to the permanence they need to rebuild their lives.

When the last government stacked our refugee system against people who crossed the sea in search of safety, they called their system “fast track” – but it wasn’t fast, and it wasn’t fair.

 It robbed people who came for safety of the chance to have life and death decisions checked in a fair way.  A decade on, thousands of men, women and children have been left living in fear of being taken from the towns and suburbs they’ve called home for a decade or more.

Refugees need permanent protection visas – not more years of uncertainty.


Online action

Sign the ASRC online letter urging politicians to give permanent visas to refugees. Take Action Now

Action by Faith communities

Call for Justice for Refugees in  Palm Sunday services:

Click here for the Information Kit for churches

Display a Palm Sunday Poster and make the Palm Sunday leaflets available:

 

  • Use the ideas and resources in the Kit , and the Schools Resource to include a mention of refugees in your Palm Sunday service
  • Print copies of the Palm Sunday leaflet and have available for your parishioners
  • Ask your members to attend local events – see details on this webpage
  • Print postcards and encourage people to send to politicians – to be added to this webpage
  • Encourage parishioners to donate to support a refugee support service in your area
  • Ring the bells for refugees.   It’s important to let people know why you are ringing the bells!
  • Hang a banner outside your church to show your community you welcome refugees – You can order a Justice for Refugees banner. See details on how to order here.

Teaching Resource for Christian schools (powerpoint file)

Background Information

 

Palm Sunday is the day to come together and stand up for Justice for Refugees.

JUSTICE FOR REFUGEES means:

  • Permanent visas and family reunion for all refugees
  • Fair and timely assessment of all claims for refugee status
  • Health care, work rights, income support, and access to education for all seeking asylum
  • Freedom – Release ALL refugees from detention
  • Resettlement in Australia for refugees still remaining in Papua New Guinea (PNG)
  • Resettlement of UNHCR registered refugees trapped in Indonesia
  • An end to offshore processing and detention
  • An increase in the humanitarian intake of refugees

While the Labor Government has brought some positive change, and the High Court has put an end to indefinite and arbitrary immigration detention, there are still thousands of refugees and people seeking asylum waiting for a safe and secure future.

ALL Refugees need permanent visas and access to family reunion:   In February 2023 the government announced that 19,000 people on temporary TPVs and SHEV visas would be granted permanent visas. However, under the flawed so-called ‘Fast Track System’, around 10,000 people have waited years to have their claims for refugee status determined, and many have been unfairly denied. The process is neither fast nor fair. These people need a fair and thorough review process that acknowledges the changing conditions in the countries they fled. All People seeking recognition as refugees need fair and timely assessment processes

People who are seeking recognition as refugees need work rights and support in the community:   People on bridging visas have no access to income support if they can’t work enough to support themselves and their families.  Being on short term visas they often find it difficult to find permanent work. Many do not have work rights or Medicare. They are often struggling in poverty and living in substandard and insecure housing. Adults who want to undertake further training are not eligible to build their work skills.

People who do not have permanent visas are unable to undertake tertiary study unless they pay international student fees. Young children cannot access early childhood education and people with disabilities are being denied NDIS funding.

All people who are seeking asylum need supports and opportunities to live in dignity, and not be at risk of destitution, while they wait for their refugee claims to be assessed.

No refugee or person seeking asylum should be deprived of their liberty:  The Albanese Government has released a number of people from long term detention under very punitive conditions.  Many of these people have not committed serious crimes, and some have never been charged been accused of committing of any crime.  Anyone who has served a prison sentence in Australia should not be further deprived of their liberty but rather, they should be offered rehabilitation and allowed to live in the community.

 

Australia has abandoned 50 people seeking asylum in PNG and they are now desperate:  Having been held in PNG for over 10 years and detained in terrible conditions for much of that time, these people have been abandoned.  They need immediate pathways to safe resettlement here in Australia.  Australia has spent billions of dollars detaining them in PNG and has a moral and legal duty of care for their welfare.

 

Offshore processing must end:  Around 60 people are now being held on Nauru.  They are facing offshore detention and years of uncertainty, paid for by Australians.  We cannot allow this to continue. Around 1200 refugees who were held in detention in PNG and Nauru, before being brought here for medical treatment are now living on bridging visas indefinitely in Australia because our government refuses to grant them permanent visas.  Most of these people are now working in Australia, paying taxes, and need to be offered secure futures.

 

Australia needs to provide resettlement for refugees stranded in Indonesia:  Around 14,000 refugees and people seeking asylum from Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have been stuck in Indonesia since 2014 when the Australian Government refused to offer resettlement, even those registered with UNHCR. These people cannot be resettled in Indonesia and cannot return to their home countries. Australia must give equal opportunity for resettlement in Australia.  Many of these people already have family members here.

 

The Australian government needs to significantly increase the quota for resettling refugees:  The Albanese government has committed to increase the number of refugees to be resettled, and it is encouraging to see that in 2023-24 the quota will be raised to 20,000.  Thousands of refugees are desperately waiting for resettlement, and we hope the government will continue to increase the humanitarian intake.

 

Make a donation

Donate to help Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project to support people seeking asylum with housing and essential living expenses   Donate here

Donate here to support the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre so they can continue their work in supporting refugees and people seeking asylum.

 

 

 

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