Maribyrnong to hold an Anti-Racism Panel Discussion

Council will acknowledge the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) with a community breakfast and a moderated panel discussion. 

The Anti-Racism Panel Discussion event on Thursday 19 March, forms part of Council’s Anti-Racism Project, delivered in partnership with Victoria University, and reflects Council’s commitment under the Intercultural Maribyrnong Strategy 2023-26 to foster an inclusive, respectful and culturally-safe community. 

This structured conversation will bring together local government leadership, research, community health, and lived-experience perspectives to explore how racism is experienced locally – and how anti-racism requires active, everyday practice at the community and institutional levels.  

The panel will involve:

• Mayor, Cr Mohamed Semra
•  Associate Professor Mario Peucker (Victoria University), lead of Council’s Anti-Racism Project
• Shweta Kawatra Dakin (GenWest), community health perspective
• Donna Sherwani, Founder of Kind Rebel, keynote speaker and local businesswoman 

The discussion will be moderated by Dr Ananth Gopal (Polykala), who will guide a reflective and culturally-safe conversation focused on shared responsibility and practical local action. 

The event will open with a First Nations–led grounding that situates the conversation locally, acknowledging the ongoing impacts of colonisation and centering truth-telling as a core element of anti-racism work. 

Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own role, behaviour and spheres of influence, and to consider how small, local actions can contribute to meaningful change.