Chilean Australian Association Incorporated
A Chilean organisation in Sydney
The Chilean community in Australia, in particular in the State of New South Wales (NSW) has contributed new generations of Chilean- Australians, who have assimilated completely into the society that has welcomed Chilean families. They carry out a large range of activities, while at the same time maintaining an affectionate link with their family roots and their country of origin.
One factor that may be inhibiting the collaboration of new generations could be the absence of an organization with objectives that adequately represent their areas of interest and respond to the new challenges of a globalized society, by means of new methods of communication and information.
The Chilean community is also part of a multicultural society. This makes it necessary to promote a new focus on a kind of relationship that will serve both to promote integration and unity in the Chilean community, as well as serving as a catalyst of Chilean-Australian friendship and at the same time promoting the creation of synergy in the diverse initiatives undertaken individually by new generations of our fellow countrymen.
According to the Australian 2011 Census the number of inhabitants born in Chile is 24,946, of which 50.6%, or 12,625 people, are found in the State of New South Wales. However, despite the official figures, it is necessary to take into account those who are Chilean by virtue of kinship. This could increase the number to approximately 32,000 people.
Following the above-mentioned distribution pattern, half of them would be found in NSW.
There is a growing interest among the new generations in establishing a relationship with the country of origin of their ancestors as well as in learning about their cultural roots, in the same way as Australians who feel affection for Chile wish to maintain a connection with the country. However, at this time no organization exists that could satisfy that ever growing collective need.
The elements described above allow us to deduce that it would be possible to promote the establishment of an organization that could propagate the Chilean cultural patrimony for both the new generations and our Australian friends, while serving as a bridge between the two nations and as a unifying and fraternal factor among Chileans. A project of this kind could gather together at least one thousand people, without considering the numerous friends of the country of various nationalities that make up Australia multicultural society.
From a financial point of view, upon gathering together a group of people as mentioned above, it would be possible to count on the minimum requirements to set up a chilean-australian organisation that would be democratic, comprehensive, based on modern communication technology, to be set up by means of an attractive, inclusive and bilingual community.