A compelling new book tells the inspirational stories of second-generation migrant Australians, who share their families’ settlement journeys and their own search for identity.

Titled ‘At the Heart of Identity’, the book reveals the both inspirational and heart-wrenching stories of migrant families as well as the sense of hope and opportunity that characterises Australia’s migration history.

Contributors include South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, whose family hails from Lithuania, and former Socceroo Archie Thompson, who has a New Zealand-born father and mother from Papua New Guinea.

Also sharing their stories are federal MP Cassandra Fernando, whose parents are from Sri Lanka, and Victorian state MP Lee Tarlamis, who has Greek heritage.

Artist Saidin Salkic, whose father was a victim of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia, is also a contributor, along with others from Africa, Kurdistan, Vietnam, Malta, the former Yugoslavia, Burma, Italy and Ukraine.

Published today as part of migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia’s annual ‘Heartlands’ cultural project, the book is a reflection of Australia’s long and diverse history as a nation of migrants.

Launching the book, Victorian MP Lee Tarlamis said it was a privilege to have been asked to contribute to the publication.

“The publication focuses on the personal experiences of growing up with migrant parents in Australia and creating a new life and a new heart of identity,” he said.

“We all know how important our heritage and experiences are in shaping our identity – but it’s also important to remember that our identity is not a static thing as we continue to evolve with each new experience.

“This collection of powerful stories highlights that whilst each of our journeys are different – they share many common threads that we can all relate to and understand.

“That’s why opportunities like this initiative are so important. They provide a vehicle to create a better understanding and an opportunity to empower those who have overcome so much through the telling of their stories.

“And I’ve come to see how important it is for migrants and their descendants to retain their heritage while also integrating into a new society.

“For me, this balance – holding onto my Greek roots while embracing my broader Australian identity – has become a lifelong journey of understanding, continued learning and growth.

“It’s important that we continue to embrace all that is around us – to take all the opportunities to learn from the many cultures and faiths that surround us each and every day – and to embrace the things that unite us all.

“After all – no matter where you have come from, what languages you speak or what faith you practice we are all one humanity on a journey together,” Mr Tarlamis said.

AMES CEO Cath Scarth said the book was timely at a point in history when polarisation and divisiveness are on the rise across the globe.

“Stories of settlement in Australia, no matter where you have come from, are things that unite us,” Ms Scarth said.

“These stories are reflection of how migrants have helped to build Australia and helped to create the successful brand of multiculturalism we enjoy along with the high levels of social cohesion that we have built,” she said.

One of the contributors is Carmen Capp-Calleya, who came to Australia from Malta with her parents in 1958 – surviving a shipwreck along the way.

“The tragic incident, the first major shipping disaster since the end of WWII, had an enduring impact on me and my family. It left us with an indelible sense that we were indeed migrants who had crossed the seas to make a new life,” she says in the book.

Former Socceroo Archie Thompson tells of his trouble childhood.

“I grew up in country town in NSW and I was pretty much the only dark-skinned kid in town. That made things difficult at times, but I was able to find a community through football,” he says.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas’ family came to Australia in 1949 escaping war-torn Europe.

“When my grandparents got married, they bought a block of land on Trimmer Parade, Seaton, where they built their home and, for many years, operated a fish and chip shop. I distinctly remember as a young boy standing at that fish and chip shop my grandfather built with his own bare hands as he told me about the importance of taking opportunities,” he says.

Federal MP Cassandra Fernando tells of growing up in a vibrant multicultural community.

“I loved the diversity in South-East Melbourne, a cultural melting pot of Greeks, Italians, Vietnamese, and more. Here, I learned the true meaning of community as people from

different backgrounds came together,” she says.

Victorian MP Lee Tarlamis tells of reconnecting with his heritage.

“I became determined to reconnect with Greek culture. Embracing both the Greek community and my wife’s Vietnamese culture helped me value diversity and the importance of preserving it,” he says in the book.

Park Ranger James Brincat, whose parts came from Malta in the 1950s, says racism was part of his childhood.

“Growing up in a migrant family was challenging due to racism and being unsure of my identity because of the media’s mixed messages. These experiences strengthened me and now guide my work with refugee communities,” he says.

Architect and artist Maru Jarockyj’s parents fled Ukraine after WWII and settled in the UK. She came to Australia as a young woman.

“Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent devastating war has sparked some deep latent emotions in me and reignited a sense of patriotism. Ukrainian culture

has always been important to me, and I’ve been involved in folk music and art throughout my life,” she says.

‘At the Heart of Identity’ will be available early next year.