International Metropolis Conference a big success

The 12th International Metropolis Conference, hosted by the Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements and the Australian Multicultural Foundation from 8 - 12 October, was described by Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins as "fabulously successful" and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Edwina Cornish, as "a triumph".

Seven hundred delegates from Australia and around the world, including more than 100 from Canada, attended the five-day event at the Sofitel, Melbourne.

Fourteen plenary and 75 workshop sessions were held under the theme of Migration, Economic Growth and Social Cohesion.

The Premier of Victoria, John Brumby opened the event.

The conference was research based and included the launch of three Monash associated publications, among them Social Cohesion in Australia funded by the Scanlon Foundation, published by Cambridge University Press and launched by Victorian State Government Minister James Merlino.

Other ministers who addressed the conference included Li Wenliang, Special Commissioner, State Ethnic Affairs Commission (People's Republic of China), Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Kevin Andrews, and the Victorian Minister for Skills and Workplace Participation, Jacinta Allan.

A welcoming reception was held for conference delegates at Government House at which the Governor Professor David de Kretser spoke.

Lord Mayor of Melbourne John So hosted a dinner for delegates at the Town Hall, and also addressed the conference in the Mayor's Forum.

A reception for the conference, hosted by the Victorian Multicultural Commission, was held at the National Gallery of Victoria, and Mr Richard and Mrs Jeanne Pratt hosted a dinner at their Kew home, Raheen, for members of the Metropolis International Steering Committee.

The Metropolis 2007 Conference in Melbourne marked the first time in the history of the series of twelve that the venue was held in the southern hemisphere.

A special highlight was the strong Chinese presence, including a group of fourteen chairs of ethnic and multicultural commissions in China.

An exquisite exhibition of Chinese masks was put on display at Melbourne's Immigration Museum in honour of the Metropolis opening.

The event received extensive publicity with The Age publishing a 28-page lift-out featuring articles by leading conference speakers. The newspaper also ran an essay competition to establish the Metropolis Youth Ambassador, which was won by Friyana Billimoria, a year 11 student from Kingswood College. Her winning essay is published here.

An initiative of the Monash Institute for the Study of Global Movements, the Conference Steering Committee was chaired by its Director, Professor John Nieuwenhuysen, and was organised by Monash Events Management Centre under the leaderhip of Mrs Irene Thavarajah