Jam for Refugees returns with a new beat

AN ANNUAL concert aiming to raise funds and awareness for the refugees living in Geelong will make its return this month, in a brand-new format organisers hope will increase its impact.

Jam for Refugees, an initiative launched by Terence Norman more than eight years ago that has previously taken the form of a single 10-hour concert, will this year be divided into a series of concerts and community activities, to be held at venues across region.

The event’s launch, which will be presented by the Bluebird Foundation, will take place on June 19 at the Pivotonian Cinema and feature performances by local artists, including Congo-born and Zambia-raised rapper Baraka The Kid.

“A large part of what we’re trying to do is raise awareness of the desperate straits in which so many refugees find themselves and hopefully raise some money to do something about it,” Mr Norman said.

“We’ve just lived through a federal election, and I didn’t ever hear anybody making any mention of refugees. We might say ‘This reflects poorly on the politicians’, which it does, but by the same token, if we, the electorate, were passionate about refugees, then the politicians would do something about it.”

Following this month’s launch, Jam for Refugees will then continue through August with four Sunday afternoon events, including an intimate concert featuring Baroque flutist Greg Dickman on August 10 and a salsa dance in Portarlington on August 31.

“We know there are a lot of people who are struggling, who are really doing it tough, but by and large, I think, most Australians are in a very privileged position. Most of us might not be rich, but most of us are comfortable.

“I feel that it’s my Christian duty to assist those people who are in need. I think the same applies whether you’re a Christian, whether you’re a Buddhist or a Hindu or an atheist.

“We’re all members of the human race and it seems to me that if we are comfortable, it’s a duty really to do what we can to help those people who are in need and, to me, it’s hard to imagine people who are in greater need than refugees and asylum seekers.”

All proceeds from Jam for Refugees will be donated to the Combined Refugee Action Group.

For tickets to Jam for Refugees’ launch, head to Humanitix, and for updates on the next events in the jam series, head to craggeelong.com