Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

Namaskaram and hello. Recently, the Malayalee Association of Victoria held its golden jubilee, celebrating its 50-year anniversary. Holt is home to the largest Malayalee community in Australia. That is why I am thrilled to join them in their celebrations. Since being established 50 years ago, MAV has celebrated large festivals, run sports competitions and raised money for charitable endeavours. As a migrant, I know too well the impact that cultural organisations have had in keeping me connected to my culture, and MAV has done a fantastic job in providing this for thousands of members of the Australian Malayalee community.

My first time attending a MAV event was the 2022 Onam at Springvale Town Hall, where I was impressed by the scale and intricacy of the festivities. Thank you to President Madanan for inviting me along. The success of MAV and the celebration of Onam, outside of Kerala, shows how far Australia has come in becoming a multicultural society—a society where everyone brings a little piece of themselves to build this great nation of ours. Happy 50-year anniversary!

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