Parramatta to Penrith and up to the Mid North Coast, Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi communities are quietly reshaping New South Wales through humility, hard work, and strong community values. Their contributions are powering local economies, strengthening social ties, and proving that cultural cohesion is built through daily actions—not headlines.

The Indian in Sydney Community hosted a robust gathering of faith leaders, state Cabinet and Shadow Ministers, media personalities, and policymakers at NSW Parliament House on May 14.

In a powerful appeal to guests, Nadeem Ahmed, Founder of Indians for Sydney—a vibrant community representing over 100,000 Australians of Indian and South-East Asian heritage—called for a deeper recognition of the role of faith in Australia’s public life and urged for a shared commitment to daily action.

Ahmed shared, “Let tonight be a promise—not just an event. A promise that when headlines are dark, we will be the light,” he urged.

“Let’s take this opportunity to unite in our belief and faith,” said Ahmed. “Cohesion is a daily act. It’s about teaching our children empathy, or supporting longer travels—not higher fences.”

His remarks came as part of a broader message on the night that emphasised unity, empathy and respect, particularly in New South Wales, as communities reflect on the intensifying crises unfolding overseas in India and the Middle East.

Kumud Merani, India’s first TV News Presenter in Australia and a former SBS Radio producer, actor, and winner of the Premier’s Multicultural Media Award, shared her insights with guests while moderating a diverse interfaith panel. She urged guests to move beyond the confines of religious boundaries and toward the common ground where faiths intersect. “When we move beyond fear and fanaticism, ignorance and intolerance, there is a valley of hope and faith,” she said.

The panel, composed of five leaders representing the Hindu, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith communities across New South Wales, included: Rabbi Danny Yaffe of CBDChabad Sydney; Pandit Kumar Bhatt, Priest at Sri Mandir and Community Leader in the Australian Hindu Community; Sheikh Dr. Ali Alsamail, Scholar, Educator, and Healthcare Professional in the Australian Shia Community; and Reverend Dr. Manas Ghosh, Interfaith Advocate and Minister at St John’s Uniting Church, Wahroonga.

A childhood story shared by Ghosh highlighted the common and binding power of faith explored by each of the leaders—the essence of humanity that connects us all. The story, familiar to members of the Indian community, centred on a wise sage and his advice to students about when night ends and day begins. The lesson was more about faith and not geology. A faith-based moral challenge, it emphasised the importance of staying connected with others on a core level. “When you look into another’s eyes and see the reflection of your brother or sister, until then, it is still dark.”

The panel of faith leaders offered personal reflections. Rabbi Danny Yaffe challenged the fear-driven mindset of the younger generation, reminding guest, “FOMO doesn’t exist. Your purpose is right here, right now. That’s where God wants you to be.” Pandit Kumar Bhatt emphasised the centrality of inner and communal peace, simply stating, “Peace is what I want to focus on.” Sheikh Dr. Ali Alsamail echoed a message from the Quran, “Always repel what is evil with what is good,” highlighting the power of compassion and justice in response to conflict.

Consul-General of India, Dr. Janakiraman Sarvesvaran, also spoke to the theme of unity, reflecting on the unique contribution of Indians both globally and within their national communities. He highlighted India’s exceptional, yet complex country—a global village that celebrates the vibrant ethnicities, religions, traditions and cultures coexist.

“India, as the world’s largest democracy, stands as a living example of unity in diversity,” shared Sarvesvaran. “Just look at the number of churches, mosques, and temples across our land—each one a testament to the deep-rooted tolerance we have nurtured over centuries. Ours is a civilization where people of countless faiths live side-by-side, not merely in coexistence, but in shared community.”

Warren Kirby, State Member for Riverstone in the New South Wales, home to one of the largest Indian and South East Asian diasporas in Australia, expressed his hope to see more events, like the Interfaith Dialogue Seminar hosted by the Indians in Sydney community, become a more regular part of everyday life in Australia.

“My electorate is home to one of the largest and most diverse South-East Asian populations in NSW,” said Kirby. “We have strong and engaged communities that celebrate harmony and knowledge sharing. Multicultural communities don’t just happen by accident. More than 1,000 new residents call my electorate home every month.”

“As the North West of Sydney continues to develop, we need to do more to support locals and families in accessing better infrastructure, especially as more people make Australia their home. A lot of the time, families from Indian and South-East Asian backgrounds come into my office and ask, ‘How can we help our Australian community?’ This reflects the strong foundation of our multicultural and multi-faith community.”

Charishma Kaliyanda, State Member for Liverpool and the first Indian-born elected state member from the electorate, offered further perspective into supporting greater social inclusion, highlighting the power of empathy and communication in building bridges to new communities.

She shared, “It is often said, if you speak to someone in a language, you speak to their mind. But if you speak to them in their language, you speak to their heart.”

While the event centred on interfaith dialogue, it also created space for broader discussions—spanning the economy, migration, and sport—offering deeper insight into the contributions and potential of the growing South-East Asian diaspora in Australia.

Jeff Gilling, Founder of the India Business Opportunity in Australia, spoke about the significant economic potential of partnering with India, from tapping into a vast and multi-talented workforce to pursuing commercial investments and business ventures. “We are at an inflection point in Australia’s history where India is experiencing rapid growth,” Gilling said. “While Australia, like much of the western world, is grappling with an ageing population, India offers access to a large pool of educated, skilled, and technologically savvy talent.”

Gurnam Singh, Founder of the Australian Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society (AISECS), highlighted the role of sports in connecting new migrants, Australian families, and international sports fans. Singh said, sport acts as a unifying force, “a glue that binds people across all parts of Australia and the rest of the world.”

Other community leaders acknowledged the significant and positive contributions of the Indian community in Australia, while calling for greater education and inspiration to support families—particularly in areas such as mental health awareness and violence prevention. Usha Dommaraju noted, “The Indians in Sydney community is a fantastic example of a group engaging with more and more communities across Sydney through its outreach and events. It’s important that we lead by example. We need everyone learning from one another so that issues like mental health are given the priority they deserve within our communities.”

Rosemary Kariuki, Board Member for Multicultural NSW and a proud resident of Kellyville, a suburb in Sydney’s North West, encouraged more events like the interfaith dialogue as a way to learn from other cultures and celebrate the similarities among diverse communities.

“The key takeaway for me today is that South-East Asian communities are strong connectors who bring people together,” Kariuki said. “At its core, we are all the same—the focus is on our shared humanity.”

Other notable guests and speakers included Chris Minns, Premier of NSW; Gurmesh Singh, Member for Coffs Harbour and Deputy Leader of the Nationals; Hugh McDermott, Member for Prospect and NSW Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General; Julia Finn, Member for Granville; Nathan Hagarty, Member for Leppington and Government Whip; and Mark Coure, Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism and South-Western Sydney. Members of the Legislative Council in attendance included Labor’s Rose Jackson and the Liberal Party’s Jacqui Munro.

Also present were prominent community advocates for anti-racism and social cohesion, including Broadcaster, Human Rights Advocate, and former Socceroo Craig Foster; Melissa Monteiro, CEO of the Community Migrant Resource Centre; and John Cleary, representative of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation and veteran ABC broadcaster.