Retired paediatrician Dr John Yu arrived in Australia as a three-year-old refugee after being smuggled out of China during the outbreak of civil war.
He combined his love of art and commitment to caring for sick kids in establishing the world class Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney's west.
He remembers his early days in Australia fondly.
“I don’t recall ever feeling discriminated against. People can’t believe that and say to me ‘but surely kids and other people called you names.’ None of my friends and none of my classmates ever called me names.”
Being awarded Australian of the Year in 1996 was a timely and powerfully symbolic gesture.
Shokufeh Kavani escaped a repressive regime in Iran and came to Australia as a 27-year-old.
“I just wanted to have a new life. I love the democracy, freedom and you know sort of lifestyle that western people enjoy. And that was a good opportunity for me to come because I had a nursing degree, so I wanted to migrate to a new country and have better opportunities in my life.”
Understanding the Aussie accent was a challenge...
But the disarming friendliness of complete strangers in those early days was profound.
“I said ‘I’m sorry Sir, I don’t understand what you say’ and he said ‘no worries mate, you’re welcome here’. And it was so funny and so liberating. I never forgot that moment, that phrase and that gentleman.”
Dr Fares Samara embodies Australia's multicultural spirit.
The Syrian born, German trained ophthalmologist worked with Fred Hollows a year after arriving in Australia in the early 1980s.
His first memory of his new country was one of breathtaking beauty.
“I literally was crying. I don’t know whether it was just happiness because of the beauty of it or maybe because I knew then that this is where I want to stay”
He's devoted much of his career to working to improving the health of indigenous Australians.
