SydWest Multicultural Services marked a major milestone on Thursday, November 27, celebrating 40 years of service and community impact alongside its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Novotel Parramatta.
The event brought together over 200 attendees, including past and present leaders, staff, partners, and community members, to honour four decades of courage, connection, and resilience.
The celebration featured heartfelt reflections from key figures who shaped SydWest’s journey. Maria Teresa Landivar, representing one of the organisation’s first-ever employees, described the early days of the Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre (as SydWest was formerly known) as “not just a weekly gathering but a lifeline.”
The Hon Stephen Bali MP shared a personal story, noting that his father found “a new lease on life” through SydWest after facing health challenges.
Former Chair Noel Hiffernan credited SydWest’s success to its people, saying, “The secret sauce to 40 more years of impact is our staff”
The event welcomed Sneha Chaterjee (First Assistant Secretary for the Office of Multicultural Affairs) who shared Minister Dr. Anne Aly’s message and spoke about the shared commitment with SydWest to welcoming diversity, and former Centre Manager Irene Ross who spoke about SydWests’ enduring vision where all people have equal opportunities to grow and thrive.
CEO Elfa Moraitakis thanked everyone in the room for their impact saying, “Your fingerprints are on every life we have touched. Every elder who has lived with dignity. Every young person who found direction. Every woman who found safety. Every newcomer who found purpose. Every family who found hope.”
As SydWest enters its fifth decade, it remains committed to driving positive change through advocacy, strategic collaboration, and innovation.
Visit https://sydwestms.org.au/news-and-events/annual-reports/ to read SydWest’s latest annual report showcasing their client’s growth stories, inspiring community messages and SydWest’s 40-year journey.
