Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV)
The Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) mission is to work to ensure that we remain a member driven peak body committed to empowering people from culturally diverse backgrounds. We strive to give voice to multicultural Victoria. We strive to advocate for human rights, freedom, respect, equality and dignity for ethnic and multicultural communities and in building a socially cohesive and inclusive Victorian community.
The organisation advocates and lobbies all levels of government on behalf of multicultural communities in areas like human rights, access and equity and improving services. As our core business we advocate on any issue that is of concern to our members.
We are proud to have been the key advocate for culturally diverse communities in Victoria since 1974.
Recent News
Chairperson’s Message: Refugee Week – 16th – 22nd June
ECCV stands firmly with refugees and in support of this year’s theme for Refugee Week #WithRefugees. We extend our hand and open our mind and heart to welcome refugees into our community, to learn from their experience and stories, and to celebrate their contribution.
This theme of inclusiveness, respect and social cohesion is reflective of just some of the many principles and values ECCV espouses and continues to advocate for.
ECCV is proud to have held many events in the past that celebrate Refugee Week. A recent example of this was where we partnered with Welcome to Australia and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to present ‘Campfire Stories’ telling poignant stories of journey, struggle and triumph.
An exciting development at ECCV is the development of the video ‘Sharing our Stories’ – a series which features a range of people, including our Intercultural Young Advocacy Leaders (IYAL), who share their experience of migration and settlement from a refugee perspective. This project along with an ECCV policy paper on Asylum Seeker and Refugee Mental Health will soon be launched to mark Refugee Week. Watch this space!
There are many outstanding Victorians who have come from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds. These people are celebrated for their contribution to the economic and social fabric which constitutes the rich tapestry of our society. As Australians we are proud when Australia honours its obligations under international conventions to welcome refugees and asylum seekers. ECCV has supported and advocated for this over a long period of time.
I would strongly encourage all people within Victoria to become aware and participate in the many wonderful events and activities that are part of Refugee Week celebrations.
Warm regards,
Cr. Kris Pavlidis
ECCV Chairperson
ECCV in the news: “Urgent need to tackle gambling problems of risk groups including migrants”
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria’s recent Gambling Harm Forum at the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne provided a platform for community leaders, subject matter experts and problem gamblers to discuss the impacts of this $24 billion a year industry.
ECCV says more needs to be done to tackle gambling harm in CALD communities
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria in partnership with RMIT will be holding a televised forum on the impact of gambling harm across culturally diverse communities on June 6 at the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne.
ECCV commends the Andrews Labor Government on Increased Budget Spend for a successful Multicultural Victoria
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) welcomed the announcement of a further $63.1 million in funding to support Victoria’s multicultural communities as part of the State Budget 2019/20.
ECCV urges Morrison Government to demonstrate zero tolerance of racism and hate speech
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) congratulates the Federal Coalition on its return to Government following Saturday’s election but calls on the Government to make it a priority to address the racism and hate speech that continue to blight Australian society.
Vale Bob Hawke
9th December 1929 – May 16 2019
On behalf of the ECCV Board, staff and membership, Chairperson, Cr Kris Pavlidis would like to express our great sadness at the passing of former Australian Prime Minister, Robert James Lee Hawke, universally know as ‘Bob Hawke’ or simply ‘Hawkie’.
ECCV holds Federal Pre-Election Community Forum and audience Q & A to canvas major parties Multicultural policies
ECCV Chairperson, Cr Kris Pavlidis, said her organisation was very pleased to hold a Federal Pre-Election Community Forum recently, so that people, at the grass-roots level, could ask questions of candidates from the major parties about their multicultural policies.
The Forum was held at the Brunswick Town Hall on Monday 6 May. The three political representatives were: Adam Pulford, the Greens candidate for Wills, Peter Khalil, Labor Member for Wills, and Senator Scott Ryan, Liberal Senator for Victoria.
Cr Pavlidis said the Forum provided an ideal opportunity for members of the public and community leaders to have a greater understanding of the major parties’ multicultural polices and to ask questions on issues of importance to them.
Each of the panellists was given approximately ten minutes to provide an overview of their respective parties’ policies, and after that there was a Q & A session where audience members were able to ask panellists specific questions.
ECCV says political parties need to promote a ‘fairer’ migration program
ECCV calls on Australia’s political parties to commit to a fair and equitable migration program that ensures sufficient support is provided to all people choosing to make Australia their home.
‘Citizenship’, ‘Islamophobia’, ‘Social Cohesion’, are poignant themes, which emerged at the recent community forum hosted by the ECCV in the lead up to the Federal election
Members of the public and community leaders were able to ask questions of political representatives on issues of importance to them at a recent Federal Election community forum hosted by the ECCV in Brunswick.
ECCV in the news: ECCV urges voters to assess multicultural policies of parties during election
ECCV encourages members of multicultural communities to carefully assess the multicultural policies of political parties, speak to their local candidates about what is most important to them and to choose those representatives who they believe will take the best action to address their needs.
ECCV in the News: “Push grows for Liberals, unions to put One Nation last in outcry over racist speech”
ECCV Chairperson, Kris Pavlidis along with other ethnic community leaders calls for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation to be put last on how-to-vote cards at the upcoming federal election as pressure builds on all sides to take a tougher stand against the minor party and other candidates that promote “racism and hate speech” in the wake of the Christchurch terror attack.
ECCV in the news: “A vibrant election forum at Melbourne’s multicultural suburb of Brunswick”
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria, in partnership with the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia and Greek Australian non-profit community services organization “Pronia” hosted a “Meet Your Candidates” community forum on Monday 6 May at Brunswick Town Hall. (SBS Greek Language radio podcast)
#FactNotFiction: Join our Anti-Racism Campaign
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) is proud to have launched #FactNotFiction at a community state pre-election forum held on Thursday 15 November.
Cr Kris Pavlidis Chair of the ECCV stated “The ECCV thanks the State Labor Government for their generous support of this new anti- racism leadership initiative.”
Now, more than ever, we need to take a strong stance against racism and continue to celebrate the goodness and diversity that lives within our community and is integral to our neighbourhoods.
We call on our political leaders to make statements based on rigorous evidence and not play to populist prejudices. We can and we must do better.
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Ms Marian Lau, ECCV Secretary, pictured below with Ms Melanie Eagle, Chair of Respect Victoria. Hon. Luke Donnellan, Minister for Ageing and Carers and Ms Colleen Pearce, Public Advocate, at the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day breakfast.
“Many asylum seekers around Australia are facing winter without adequate shelter, medicine and food, due to government funding cuts. Please consider donating to the ASRC Winter Appeal to make a difference to the lives of people seeking asylum.”
The film Final Quarter, covering Adam Goodes’ experience of racism as a football star, premiered in Sydney last Friday with standing ovation. Combined with the Australian Human Rights Commission’s guide.
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We are proud to recognise the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, as the first Australians, cultural leaders and traditional custodians of the land from which we advocate for ethnic community groups. We pay our respects to their elders, past & present.
ECCV Statement: Recognising the Rights of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders
Connect with ECCV
Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria
Suite 101, 398 Sydney Road,
Coburg VIC 3058
Phone: 9354 9555
Email: eccv@eccv.org.au
