Cairns Multicultural Islamic Ladies Association

28/10/2026

We celebrate diversity, but are we truly prepared to accept it?

We proudly call Australia a multicultural nation, celebrating different cultures, faiths and traditions. Yet, when diversity walks through the door wearing a hijab, suddenly qualifications, ambition and potential become irrelevant to some.

And we wonder, how many others have faced similar prejudice - only to be rejected with a polite excuse?

We cannot claim to value diversity while allowing prejudice to determine who gets an opportunity.

It’s time to move beyond celebrating diversity to actively defending it. Discrimination must be challenged, accountability demanded, and equal opportunity upheld. Silence only allows prejudice to thrive.

A fair go is not a privilege. It is a right — and we must stand up for it.

27/10/2026

A Day of Prayer for Peace, Unity and Harmony 🕊️

Today, CaMILA was honoured to be part of the World Day of Prayer for Peace at St Monica’s Cathedral, bringing together people of different faiths, cultures and backgrounds in a shared hope for peace and harmony in our region and across the world.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Catholic Diocese of Cairns, Andrea Obeyesekere and Bishop Jo for the invitation and for creating this wonderful opportunity to bring our diverse communities together.

In a time when negativity and political divisions can sometimes drive people apart, gatherings like these remind us how important it is to come together, listen to one another, and recognise our shared humanity.

One of the most beautiful messages from today was that, despite our different faiths and traditions, the message shared by our faith leaders was remarkably similar: peace, compassion, justice, love and harmony.

The Holy Quran offers a beautiful invitation in Surah Ali ‘Imran (3:64):

“Come to a common word between us and you.”

This reminds us of the importance of seeking common ground, recognising the values we share, and building bridges of understanding and respect. We may differ in our faiths and cultures, but rather than focusing on the differences that can divide us, let us celebrate the values that unite us.

Peace begins when we recognise one another not as strangers or opponents, but as fellow human beings deserving of dignity, kindness and respect.

May we continue to strengthen these bonds of friendship and understanding in our region, and may peace prevail in our communities and throughout the world. 🕊️

Different faiths. Shared humanity. One hope for peace.

11/10/2026

25/09/2026

🌸 Ladies Social Gathering 🌸

What a wonderful afternoon spent with our CaMILA sisters, reconnecting with familiar faces and warmly welcoming newly arrived women to our community.

We may come from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, and we may not all speak the same language, but friendship, kindness, and sisterhood need no translation. ❤️

It was lovely to see everyone come together, share stories, laughter, and support, while building new connections and strengthening our community.

A special thank you to Centacare Connect for providing transport support and helping connect newly arrived women with our CaMILA community. Your support plays an important role in creating opportunities for women to connect, belong, and thrive.

Thank you to all the sisters who attended and helped make the afternoon so special. We look forward to many more gatherings together. 🌷

29/08/2026

CaMILA proudly walked in the Cairns Annual Parade today under Cairns and Region Multicultural Association Inc - CARMA banner.

What a beautiful feeling to be part of a community that celebrates and embraces diversity. 💕 Seeing the support from the Cairns community reminded us that our differences don’t divide us — they make us stronger.

Living together in harmony, celebrating each other and creating a sense of belonging for everyone is what makes Cairns such a special place to call home. 🏡❤️

Different cultures. One community. One Cairns. 🌏🤝

23/08/2026

What a wonderful evening celebrating Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day 🇮🇩❤️

Thank you to CIAA for a beautiful celebration filled with culture, food, music and community. It was lovely to be part of such a vibrant evening and celebrate alongside the Indonesian community in Cairns. 🇮🇩✨
Cairns Indonesian-Australian Association Inc.

21/08/2026

CaMILA was very happy to be part of Centacare FNQ Multicultural Extravaganza this year.

It was a lovely evening bringing so many different communities together to celebrate our cultures, share food, enjoy performances and simply spend time together. It was especially nice to see new arrivals from different parts of the world being welcomed into our community.

The evening was also a very special one for Andrea Obeyesekere, as this was her last Multicultural Extravaganza with Centacare Connect after almost 10 years of service.

Andrea has been such an important part of the multicultural community in Cairns. Over the years, she has supported many communities, built strong relationships and always made people feel welcome and included. Her kindness, patience and genuine care for people will be remembered by many of us.

And what made the night even more special was celebrating CARMA’s incredible 25 years of supporting and bringing our community together. ❤️

Cairns and Region Multicultural Association Inc - CARMA

04/08/2026

CAMILA was pleased to attend the Multicultural Leaders Dinner hosted by Centacare FNQ as part of Multicultural Month.

It was a wonderful evening celebrating the diversity that makes our community so strong, while connecting with community leaders, organisations and volunteers from across Far North Queensland.

Thank you to Centacare FNQ for hosting such a meaningful event and for bringing people together to strengthen partnerships and celebrate our multicultural community. We look forward to continuing to work together to support our diverse communities.
Centacare Connect
Kenyans in Cairns - KIC
Cairns Indonesian Muslim Community
Cairns and Region Multicultural Association Inc - CARMA
GOPIO Cairns Inc.
Sri Lankan Society Cairns
Cairns African Association
Cairns Regional Council
Tej Man Monger Rayaka
Hong Ma

19/07/2026

What a beautiful afternoon! 🌼

We had so much fun at our Craft & Sip event, welcoming new Muslim families to Cairns. It was an afternoon filled with creativity, laughter, great conversations, and new friendships.

A big thank you to Centacare FNQ Centacare Connect for helping transport the families to the event. Your support made a real difference and helped make the day even more special.

Looking forward to many more gatherings like this! 💛

18/05/2026

The best 10 days of the year are here

Take a look at what someone created with ChatGPT.