The Mayors of three major Sydney councils – Waverley, Inner West and Liverpool – will today jointly host a mayoral roundtable to bring together local government leaders in response to growing concerns about social harmony and the alarming rise of antisemitic attacks.
Will Nemesh (pictured, centre), a Jewish Mayor from Eastern Sydney, together with Ned Mannoun (pictured, left), a Muslim Mayor from Western Sydney, and Darcy Byrne (pictured, right), a Mayor from the Inner West of Sydney invited all metropolitan Sydney mayors to participate in today’s roundtable.
In a statement, the Mayors said the roundtable will demonstrate the critical role of local government in safeguarding the wellbeing and resilience of communities and show strong leadership on social cohesion.
The proposed roundtable will provide a platform for Mayors to collaborate on solutions to ensure everyone feels safe and secure. The focus will be on proactive measures to strengthen social cohesion, foster unity and address community concerns.
“Australia has long been celebrated as a tolerant multifaith and multicultural nation. However, recent events and especially the escalation of antisemitism is fracturing our social cohesion and making our community feel less safe. We must work together across our diverse communities to combat hatred and division,” said Mayor Nemesh.
Mayor of Liverpool, Ned Mannoun says Mayors were uniquely placed to bring communities together.
“By working together all across Sydney, we can build bridges, foster understanding, and create a stronger, united future no matter your postcode,” he said.
“Across Sydney antisemitic vandalism, graffiti and threats are getting out of control and social cohesion is breaking down. We’re calling on all mayors and councils to join us in a grassroots effort to combat extremism and protect our multicultural, multi-faith city from growing division,” said Inner West Council Mayor, Darcy Byrne.