COMMUNITIES IN ACTION: Leading Between the Lines

A national conversation on connection, identity and the future of social cohesion

Communities in Action brings together community leaders, researchers, policymakers and practitioners for a day of deep dialogue, shared responsibility and collective leadership at a pivotal moment for Australia.

Presented by the ANU Centre for European Studies and Polaron Connect, and delivered in collaboration with NAATI, the Australian Baha’i Community, the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute and the Settlement Council of Australia, this forum explores how cohesion is built, strained and reshaped in an increasingly complex social landscape.

As the forthcoming Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion begins its work, this event creates space for multicultural perspectives to inform what comes next. Insights gathered across the forum will be shaped into a formal impact report and submitted to the Royal Commission.

Session 1: Beyond Polite Agreement

Power, History and the Hard Work of Cohesion
12:30 pm to 5:00 pm
 

Session 1 is a facilitated, participatory experience designed for meaningful engagement.

The afternoon opens with setting the scene from Eva Hussain, Founder and Director of Polaron Connect, Dr Katarzyna Williams, Deputy Director at the ANU Centre for European Studies, and Maria Dimopoulos, CEO of the Settlement Council of Australia. Together, they ground the day in context, responsibility and purpose.

Participants then move through three themed blocks. Each block begins with a provocation that connects research, lived experience and history, followed by reflections on future aspirations and guided roundtable workshops.

Part 1: Voice and Participation

This session explores whose voices are heard, how participation is enabled, and what genuine inclusion requires.

• Provocation:Dr Andrew Jakubowicz, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, UNSW
• Future aspirations:Vanessa Brettell, Co‑founder and CEO of Stepping Stone

Part 2: Belonging and Connection

This session focuses on trust, social attachment and the factors that strengthen or strain belonging across communities.

• Provocation:Anthea Hancocks, CEO of the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute
• Future aspirations:Breandax Lim, Senior Project Officer, Multicultural Community Health

Part 3: Empowerment and Leadership

This session examines leadership in complex environments and the conditions needed for communities to lead with confidence and agency.

• Provocation:Dr Katarzyna (Kasia) Williams, Deputy Director, ANU Centre for European Studies
• Future aspirations:Jana Ventura, Culturally Responsive Health Lead, True Relationships and Reproductive Health

Session 1 concludes with the presentation of Polaron Connect’s Community Empowerment Checklist, a community‑designed tool to support leaders in navigating responsibility and influence with clarity and intention, followed by a synthesis of key insights led by Maria Dimopoulos and Aleem Ali, CEO of Welcoming Cities.

Session 1 is intentionally curated for depth, dialogue and contribution. Places are limited and allocated through Expression of Interest.

Session 2: What Comes Next Is Up to Us

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
 

Session 2 is an evening keynote and panel conversation that brings national and international voices together to reflect on the day and look ahead.

The session features a keynote address by Tendayi Ganga, 2026 Canberra Citizen of the Year and Founder and CEO of Born To Shine, whose work centres empowerment, resilience and community strength.

She is joined by a panel of participants working across research, policy, lived experience and global leadership, including:

• Sashka Koloff — Award‑winning journalist and editor with over 20 years’ experience across documentaries, news and current affairs, examining media standards, language and public trust.
• Dr Sana Ashraf — anthropologist and author examining how belief systems shape identity, conflict and community dynamics
• Leigh Cox — language services and policy leader at NAATI, with deep experience in multicultural and humanitarian policy
• Nika Sinai — Director, Office of External Affairs, Australian Baha’i Community, contributing to national conversations on cohesion, inclusion and community‑building
• Dominik Grossalber — Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Austria, offering an international perspective shaped by humanitarian, security and foreign affairs experience
• Qin Qin — author of Model Minority Gone Rogue and cultural commentator exploring identity, belonging and the personal cost of social expectations
• Priyanka Rai — Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative, leading national work on health equity, systemic reform and the inclusion of multicultural voices in policy and practice

Together, these voices explore how language, identity, settlement and digital culture are shaping social cohesion today, and how leaders can act with clarity and confidence in times of rapid change.