A newly-renovated Democratic Kurdish Community Centre (DKCC) in Sydney鈥檚 West was officially opened by federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese and NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge on April 24.
The centre has been operating for 41 years, in various locations, but the current premises in Kings Park have been extensively renovated over the last year by the community.
Members of Kurdish community brought their skills such as carpentry, painting, plumbing and electrical work and聽cooking delicious home-made Kurdish food to feed the hungry volunteer workers, the large crowd was told. The community also raised the funds needed.
Albanese told the gathering that 鈥渢he democratic world did not repay the struggles and sacrifices that Kurds made fighting ISIS鈥. He pledged to remain a good friend of the Kurdish community.
Shoebridge also pledged聽the Greens support for the Kurdish struggle for justice.
鈥淲e will always demand that the Kurdish people鈥檚 struggle for self-determination be recognised and supported by the Australian government and we will always demand that the Kurdish leadership be freed from political detention 鈥 whether it is a mayor in Turkey or whether it is Abdullah聽脰calan, who for two decades has been facing unwarranted political imprisonment by the Turkish government.鈥
In her speech, DKCC co-chair Gulfer Olan acknowledged the constant and strong support of the Rojava Solidarity 鈥 Sydney group and the Socialist Alliance.
Also present at the launch were the Reverend Bill Crews, Greenway ALP MP Michelle Rowland and Liverpool ALP MP Paul Lynch.