join us and celebrate our cultures
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WHO WE ARE
We are proudly a non-for-profit community organisation that focuses on celebrating the diverse Asian cultures of Australia. Through events, festivals and fundraisers we endeavour to showcase our passion of bringing to light the positive impact of our communities. At ACOA our vision is to become Australia’s leading NFP event and charity organiser. Our mission is to create awareness, positive impact and celebrate the beautiful Asian cultures and their people that call Australia home.
OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
SEPTEMBER LANTERN FESTIVAL
\\ POSTPONED //
Come out and experience this year’s September Lantern Festival with ACOA in collaboration with the City of Melbourne. This will be an epic event across two days featuring exciting performances and food & drinks. Update 01/09/2022 – this event is now postponed.
KEY DETAILS
DATE:
POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
LETTER FROM ACOA:
ACOA Letter of Postponement – September Lantern Festival 2022
LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL
20 & 21 / January / 2023
Join ACOA as we celebrate the Year of the Rabbit in January 2023. This two-day free event welcomes friends, families and kids to come out and enjoy the various food stalls, performances and festivities highlighting this special occasion.
KEY DETAILS
DATE:
FRIDAY 20TH JANUARY 2023
TIME:
Friday (20/01/23): 5PM – 1AM
Saturday (21/01/23): TBC
LOCATION:
Queensbridge Square
3 Queens Bridge St, Southbank VIC 3006
Our main sponsors for the September Lantern Festival 2022
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OUR RECENT EVENTS
ACOA LAUNCH FUNDRAISER & GALA DINNER
Thank you everyone for coming out and joining us launch ACOA. It as a successful night filled with great shows, presentations and good memories. We look forward to hosting the next event soon!
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, LUAN WALKER
Luan Walker
President of ACOA
Dear Members, Sponsors and Colleagues,
Firstly, I want to thank the Asian Community Of Australia (ACOA) for allowing me to serve as President and be a part of an organization that gives back to the Asian community in Australia and allows friendships to be created within these networks.
The next couple of years will be a challenge for myself and the Board of Directors as we continue developing and improving our Services to the Community. Both I and our board are excited about the opportunity to give back to our communities.
We will do our utmost best to serve and support our fellow Asian communities in Australia, whether it be a major festival, fundraiser, or event, we will focus on our purpose and philosophy which is to deliver the best services to the community.
There will be many opportunities throughout the year for me to meet all of you. Networking is a key factor of our organization, and I want to take this opportunity to extend my invitation to all who wish to be part of this exciting journey with our team at ACOA.
For our current members, sponsors, colleagues, and prospective members I want to assure you that my intention, and that of the Board of Directors, is to grow ACOA without limits. We will stay focused on remaining a benefit to our communities whilst also staying current and true to our Values and Purpose.
I look forward to a productive successful presidency and invite each and everyone to participate, and most importantly become involved with us.
MEET THE TEAM
Luan Walker
President
President
Luan was born in Vietnam just after the Vietnam War. His father died when he was just eight years old, his aunty and her Australian husband decided to adopt me in 1990 and this is how the surname Walker came about, just in case you are wondering. At the age of 12, Luan travelled with his new parents to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and other surrounding Asian countries. This allowed him to see what most people don’t get to experience in their lifetime, and it has certainly changed his perspective of life, this is why I want to connect and work with all Asian Communities in Australia to promote and advocate for better unity within Asian Community of Australia.
Sean Nguyen
Head of Communications
Head of Communications
Sean was born in Vietnam and immigrated to Australia when he was 3 years old. His family took the treacherous journey via a rickety boat to Indonesia where they were detained for 3 years. The journey to start a new life in a foreign country is a very common story for many immigrants to Australia. With a greater appreciation for life and opportunities, Sean has made it his life’s purpose to add value to people’s lives. Through his experience and work in tourism and finance he has been able to further give back to the local community. As an ACOA member, Sean looks forward to celebrating his culture and making a difference in the wider community.
Donna Tran
Event Executive
Event Executive
Arriving in Australia as a Refugee baby I was welcomed into the ‘country of milk and honey’ where Freedom & Equality are for all citizens. This opportunity and new lease on life allowed my family to start anew and become the grateful Australians we are today. I remain humble of my heritage and proud of the Australian that I have become and I feel strongly about giving back to my community. My compassion and kindness towards people allows me to be relatable and I find great reward in working with others which fits right in with my Events Manager Role.
Elisa Huynh
Secretary Coordinator
Secretary Coordinator
Elisa was born in Melbourne, Australia after her parents migrated from Vietnam in the late 1970’s. In her lifetime she has studied printmaking, leadership, counselling and education. She currently works as a full time educator. Elisa has had extensive experience in the community where she has contributed to many different organizations in Victoria. This varies from The Vietnamese community in Victoria, Braybrook community gardens, Dual Identity Leadership Program and many more.
Jenny Tran
Director of Finance
Director of Finance
Jenny is privileged to born in Melbourne and a proud Australian born Chinese. Her parents migrated from Vietnam in the early 1980s however growing up in Australia she stills deeply rooted in her heritage. Being of Chinese decent, she understands the stigma being placed on the Asian community and feels that we need build a stronger Asian community here in Melbourne to highlight all the wonderful stories and achievements.