10th July 2026
This annual event invites academics, researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community members to share insights and propose solutions to the challenges faced by Asian language speakers in Australia. The symposium promotes linguistic diversity and multiculturalism in Australian society.
In Australia, Asian languages tend to be validated for their economic and strategic utility, rather than as culture bearers. Similarly, Asian history, which used to be central to Australia’s understanding of Asia, has given way to an ahistorical concept of Asian culture within Australian education. As Indigenous languages and histories are intrinsic to Indigenous cultural identity, Asian languages should be taught and learned alongside their histories to provide a more holistic understanding of Asia and Australia.