Australia Day means different things to different people.
For some, it is a day of pride, reflection, and celebration. For others, it is a day of pain, grief, or deep discomfort. For many Australians, it sits somewhere in between - layered, confusing, and unresolved. The Conversations at the Crossroads Australia Day event creates space to acknowledge these realities honestly, without denial, blame, or division.
This conversation is for anyone who wants to understand more deeply - whether you celebrate, mourn, feel conflicted, or simply want to listen. It is for those who believe that avoiding difficult conversations weakens us, but holding them with care can strengthen us. By bringing together First Nations leadership, cultural voices, and community perspectives, we aim to unpack why Australia Day carries such complexity and how we can sit with that complexity respectfully.
Rather than debating who is right or wrong, this discussion focuses on shared humanity, lived experience, and respectful listening. We will explore how history, identity, and belonging shape our responses to Australia Day, and why acknowledging multiple truths is essential if we are to move forward together as a nation.
At its heart, this event is about celebrating the unity within our diversity - recognising that Australia’s strength lies not in erasing difference, but in learning how to live alongside one another with dignity, empathy, and care. By creating space for real people and real conversations, we hope to model how Australians can move forward together - not as separate groups, but as a shared community committed to understanding, cohesion, and a more inclusive future.
You can join the conversation via our Facebook page, at 6pm. If you would like to be sent a link, complete the expression of interest form with your name and email
JOIN US, IN CONVERSATION WITH:
Uncle Gene Blow
Uncle Gene Blow is a respected First Nations Elder from Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Queensland, and a long-standing cultural leader, educator, and advocate for truth-telling, healing, and respectful dialogue. With deep connections to Country, community, and lore, Uncle Gene has spent decades working across education, community, and cross-cultural spaces, sharing wisdom grounded in lived experience, responsibility, and care for future generations. He brings a calm, honest, and deeply human voice to conversations about Australia’s past, present, and shared future, and is widely respected for his ability to hold difficult conversations with dignity, generosity, and hope.
Dya Singh
Dya Singh is an internationally acclaimed musician, author, and social raconteur whose work has long bridged cultures, faiths, and communities. Born in Malaysia and now proudly Australian for over 4 decades, Dya Singh is widely respected for his contributions to interfaith dialogue, multicultural understanding, and social cohesion through music, storytelling, and writing. He is co-author of the long-running column Truth Be Told, published in Star Newspapers, and has performed and spoken across Australia and internationally, using music and narrative to explore identity, belonging, and shared humanity. Known for his warmth, humour, and deep cultural insight, Dya Singh brings a lived, generational perspective to conversations about unity in diversity and what it means to truly live alongside one another with respect.
Professor Emeritus Joseph Camilleri OAM
Joseph Camilleri OAM is Professor Emeritus at La Trobe University, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, and Convener of Conversation at the Crossroads. He has authored or edited over thirty books and written over 120 book chapters and journal articles, covering issues of security, dialogue and conflict resolution, religion and culture. and the Asia-Pacific region. He has researched and lectured in many countries, and convened several international dialogues and conferences. He is a frequent contributor to Pears and Irritations and other media, and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Order of Australia
Medal and the Premier's Award for Community Harmony.
Facilitated by:
Dr Jamel Kaur Singh
Jamel Kaur Singh is a proudly Australian Cultural Intelligence scholar, educator, and practitioner, and the Founding Director of the CQ Cultural Education Institute. With over 30 years’ experience working across education, business, interfaith, multicultural, and First Nations contexts, Dr Singh specialises in translating Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and values-based education into practical systems, policies, and everyday practice. Her doctoral research, CQ: Cultural Education as a Framework for Policy Formation, focuses on culturally and racially sensitive policy-making and how policy can be brought to life in schools, workplaces, and communities. Known for her calm authority, warmth, and action-oriented approach, Dr Singh facilitates courageous, respectful conversations that strengthen social cohesion and help communities navigate complexity with dignity and care.