Lebanese Muslim Association and the Brotherhood of St Laurence partner to build stronger communities

The Brotherhood of St Laurence and Lebanese Muslim Association today announced they have formally partnered to work on joint projects and youth focused advocacy programs.

The two organisations, who have signed a memorandum of understanding, share common goals to support Australian communities from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, including refugee and newly arrived migrants. The collaborative approach aims to help build resilience within CALD communities and young people.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence, headquartered in Melbourne, was established by Anglican priest Gerard Tucker in 1930 in the depths of the Great Depression to help the poor and campaign for social justice. It has a large footprint among diverse communities in Melbourne’s north.

The Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), based in western Sydney, was established in 1962 by a group of Lebanese migrants, to provide social, religious, educational and recreational services for the Muslim community.

"As a national organisation dedicated to tackle poverty and disadvantage in communities, our model is based on seeking out like minded partners to advance our objective for an inclusive Australia. The Brotherhood and LMA can learn from each other and share knowledge to secure practical outcomes for our young people," said Sally James, head of youth programs at the Brotherhood.

Lebanese Muslim Association spokesperson Ahmad Malas also welcomed the opportunity for both organisations to work together.

“In our role as a central community body in Sydney, we are always looking for ways to build upon our services, expand our reach and extend our hand to new communities. This partnership will help us develop initiatives to better support local communities in both NSW and Victoria,” Mr Malas said.

The organisations will work together on key research and policy goals, and will endeavour to ensure that communities across Melbourne and Sydney benefit from this newly established partnership.

Media contacts:

Mostafa Rachwani LMA media representative media(at)lma.org.au

Brotherhood of St Laurence media(at)bsl.org.au 0428 391 117