The Welcome Reception will be held tonight, in the Civic Centre Function Room on Todd Street from 5.30pm, and will be attended by various multi-cultural migrants living in Alice Springs. It will also provide an opportunity for the invitees to meet local politicians and the Mayor and Aldermen from Alice Springs Town Council.

“I am really excited to be able to host and welcome those who have made such long journeys from their home lands, to settle in Central Australian and call Alice Springs their home,” said Mayor Fran Kilgariff.

There will also be a large amount of important information at the Welcome Reception, from New Resident Kits to information on banking, home loans and the first home buyers grant.

The idea to hold the event was one that came from Council Alderman Marguerite Baptiste-Rooke, who herself migrated to Australia from the Seiychelles Islands, and is now resides in Alice Springs.

“I realised last year that there were over 200 people in Alice Springs who had migrated from overseas, some of which are highly skilled and work in important areas such as nursing, specialist fields and engineering,” said Alderman Baptiste-Rooke.

“I think by officially welcoming these people, it is a very special way to acknowledge the fact that they are an integral part of our widely multicultural community,” said Alderman Baptiste-Rooke.

The Welcome Reception will help kick off Alice Springs’ Harmony Day celebrations for 2007, in addition to the free community Harmony Day event being held at the Civic Centre Courtyard and Function Room on Sunday 25 March at 3.30pm

For further information contact:

Mayor Fran Kilgariff (08) 8950 0525 or 0419 376 060

Alderman Marguerite Baptiste-Rooke (08) 8952 8776 or 0407 188 523

ASTC Chief Executive Officer Rex Mooney (08) 8950 0525 or 0427 161 956

ASTC Media Officer Fionn Muster (08) 8950 0546 or 0417 884 449