Refugee Week 2025: Basim Shamaon on diversity in community

This week is Refugee Week (Sunday 15 June to Saturday 21 June). Its theme, ‘Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community’ celebrates the strength that comes from embracing difference, and the power of inclusive, multicultural communities to help people rebuild their lives. We spoke to NSF Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Basim Shamaon, to hear how important a diverse community has been for his successful settlement journey.

At Navitas Skilled Futures (NSF), we see the power of diverse communities every day – in classrooms, community centres and conversations. One person who knows this firsthand is Basim Shamaon, NSF’s Stakeholder Engagement Manager, who came to Australia as a 15-year-old refugee from Iraq.

Basim’s journey has taken him from the trauma of war and the barriers of language to a place where he now empowers others to build the same sense of belonging he found.

Finding a multicultural community

When Basim arrived in Australia in 2005, he didn’t speak English and had lived through two wars. He describes those early feelings in two words: “scared and shy.”

“I was afraid to speak because I didn’t want to make a mistake. I didn’t know how people would react,” he said.

But what he discovered was a vibrant, multicultural community that embraced him.

“The Australian community — especially the multicultural community — was incredibly supportive. I realised I wasn’t alone. There were people from everywhere: Spain, China, Vietnam. I didn’t feel like a stranger anymore.”

Basim enrolled in an intensive English language course funded by the Australian Government before progressing through high school, then earning a Bachelor of International Studies and a Master of Arts in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

It was through these studies that Basim began to find not only his voice, but his place within the community.

“I now feel like I’m ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’. Because of what Australia has done for me and what Australia has provided me over the years – education, security, safety and with everything else – I feel like Australia is my country. Australia is where I belong to be honest.”

Basim Shamaon

Basim having come to Australia, already knowing Arabic, Chaldean and Assyrian, but not English, knows firsthand how important language courses are in helping people feel a part of a community.

“Language will make a person feel a sense of belonging. It will allow them to interact with other people in their daily activities, whether it is going shopping, seeing a doctor or finding a job.”

Giving back to the community

While on his journey to finding his community, Basim also found his purpose. During his studies, he began to give back to the community that had offered him so many freedoms and provided him with so much opportunity.

Basim has volunteered with more than 20 community organisations, including the Salvation Army and St Vinnies. His incredible work has been recognised with multiple community service awards, including Humanitarian Awards.

“Volunteering taught me how the community operates – and how to be part of it,” he said.

Basim celebrates the diverse community within Australia in any way he can. Even leading him to write a book entitled, From Iraq to Australia: Jewels from my Journey, which can be found on the National Library of Australia Website. The book is about his experience as a refugee, living through two wars and coming to Australia to find a home.

“I wrote my book to promote what Australia has done for my life and to promote that refugees are contributing to this country,” he said. “In conversations I always defend Australia. There are so many services to help migrants and refugees to settle here successfully and the communities in general are very welcoming.”

Building an NSF community

Basim has brought his passion for diverse communities into his professional life. As Stakeholder Engagement Manager for NSF he has created a number of initiatives that help new arrivals to the country feel welcome and a part of the community.

One initiative that Basim helped create was a digital literacy course for women, a course he felt allowed refugees and migrants make the most of the freedoms Australia provides.

“Being from a Middle Eastern background myself, I know that a lot of women don’t have digital literacy skills and when I did this project, in partnership with SSI (Settlement Services International), we had a group of more than 20 women every week attending a computer class and trying to improve their digital literacy,” he said.

“Now they can access services, apply for jobs, and connect with their communities. That’s real empowerment.”

NSF at Refugee Week 2025

Basim believes that the freedom to learn, speak, and participate in society is what makes Australia unique.

“We all come from somewhere else, and our diversity is what makes us stronger. Refugees bring so much — culture, experience, and resilience. All they need is a chance.”

As we celebrate Refugee Week this year, we’re proud to stand alongside people like Basim who have helped build our own diverse community at NSF as well as a stronger, more inclusive Australia.

For those seeking English language training for themselves or their loved ones,

visit navitas-skilled-futures.com.au