The Australian government has announced a national initiative – Home for Dinner: Australian families offering hospitality to Indian students – that will provide a positive experience for Indian students studying and living in Australia and strengthen community engagement with international students. Rotary, through its districts and clubs in Australia have agreed to implement the initiative through an Australia-India Rotary Club Friendship Program. The program will see Indian students and community members offered the opportunity to establish positive links through shared informal dinners and barbeques hosted by Rotary members in their local area.

Rotary will have their club members invite an international student living in their area around for dinner. The program will be facilitated by partnerships with Indian student groups and Rotary.  John Lawrence, Rotary International Director from Brisbane said this was a positive initiative and it had the full endorsement of Rotary, which has a proud history of welcoming and hosting young people from all over the world.

Globally every year 12,000 young people travel on Rotary student exchanges to experience another culture. This move is in line with one of Rotary’s objectives of building goodwill and promoting world peace. Australia welcomed over 400,000 international students last year from more than 190 countries last year. These students make a real contribution to Australia’s multicultural diversity, the academic life of our institutions and people-to-people linkages across the world.

Students have made it clear – through the International Students Roundtable hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister in September, as well as through other forums – their sense of belonging within the community is vital to their social and educational experiences in Australia. The Home for Dinner initiative is a simple idea which will put students in touch with their neighbours and local community, and will help build a shared sense of understanding and appreciation between international students and the Australian community.