The Women Lawyers Association of the ACT is pleased to present a lunchtime conversation with Nyadol Nyuon in honour of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at Parlour on Wednesday, 17 March 2021.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination.

Nyadol Nyuon is a lawyer, community advocate, writer, and accomplished public speaker. 

Nyadol Nyuon was born in a refugee camp in Itang, Ethiopia, and raised in Kakuma Refugee camp, Kenya. In 2005, at the age of eighteen, she moved to Australia as a refugee.

Since then, Nyadol has completed a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne.

Nyadol Nyuon is a vocal advocate for human rights, multiculturalism, the settlement of people with refugee experiences and those seeking asylum. She has worked and volunteered extensively in these areas with a range of organisations, while also working as a commercial litigator.  In 2020, Nyadol was appointed as the new chair of Australia's migrant and refugee women's coalition, Harmony Alliance.

Nyadol's efforts to combat racism have been widely recognised.  In both 2011 and 2014, Nyadol Nyuon was nominated as one of the hundred most influential African Australians. In 2016, she was the recipient of the Future Justice Prize.  In 2018, Nyadol was the recipient of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Racism. It Stops With Me Award. The prestigious award was in recognition of her advocacy and activism on behalf of the Australian-African and Melbourne’s South Sudanese communities.  In 2019, Nyadol was named in the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence for Diversity & Inclusion. Nyadol also received the Harmony Alliance Award for significant contribution to empowering migrant and refugee women, and was a co-winner of the Tim McCoy Prize for her advocacy on behalf of the South Sudanese Community. She also received the Afro-Australian Student Organisation‘s Unsung Hero Award.

Lunch, dessert and a drink will be provided with your ticket. Please advise if you have any dietary requirements when you purchase your ticket.

Please note that all of WLA ACT's events are child friendly. We also note that photos will be taken at the event for our social media and website. If you do not want your photo taken please just let the photographer know. If you have any questions, please email events@wlaact.org.au

This event is proudly sponsored by Hall and Wilcox.