The 8th Sammilani of the Odia diaspora in Australia, ‘Aarohana’, will be held on March 25-27, symbolising the upward journey of the Odia community association Orioz Inc since 2005.
Orioz president Sujeet Jena said the Odia community of Australia is very proud of themselves for investing in building a single Odia community in a large country such as Australia. like the last Sammilani in 2014, this time also members from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory - Canberra, New South Wales and Queensland will come together for 2 days, showcasing Odia art, culture and traditions.
Hundreds of members of the community will meet at the Maroochy Waterfront Camp and Conference Centre in the Sunshine Coast region. The gathering is packed with both group and individual activities such as a river cruise, group dances, sole performances and health talks. A special cook has been engaged to recreate all the Odia dishes that would bring back the memories from back home.
Orioz executive advisor Dr Manoj Nayak said the Sammilani will live up to its name and will focus on the young generation who are brave enough to grow up with multicultural values but are still choosing to keep their unique Odia identity.