MESSAGE

On 26 January, Australia Day, Australians around the world celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. These celebrations reflect our contemporary Australia: our diverse society and landscape, our remarkable achievements and our bright future.
Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world.  It is diverse and harmonious: our people come from close to 200 countries.
For more than 40,000 years, Australia was cared for by the nations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Theirs are the oldest continuing cultures on earth. They are the first Australians, and we respect and honour them on our national day.
Australia's strengths have long been reflected in its engagement with the international community. Drawing on its democratic traditions, Australia is seeking a seat on the Human Rights Council. Our inaugural candidacy reflects our commitment to the aims and purposes of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to the ongoing promotion and protection of human rights.
Australia and Bangladesh are old friends, sharing Commonwealth traditions and strong people-to-people links. Australia was among the first countries in the world to recognise Bangladesh after it achieved independence in 1971.
The ties between us are forged by migration, family, business and education. Almost 30,000 Bangladeshi-born people live in Australia. Our two-way trade has grown rapidly in the last year to over AUD2 billion, reflecting Bangladesh's significant economic growth and the complementary strengths of our economies.
There are significant opportunities for Bangladeshi-born people to undertake education opportunities in Australia.  Australian universities are internationally well-regarded for high standards of academic excellence, offering a world-class education to students from around the world. Over 6,000 Bangladeshi students are studying in Australia at any one time.
This year, Australia will provide an estimated AUD51.6 million in development assistance to Bangladesh, with a focus on education, gender equality, social protection and skills development.  Since Bangladesh's independence, Australia has provided more than 2,000 scholarships and fellowships for Bangladeshi nationals.
We see education as the foundation for economic development and an important component to Bangladesh's journey to middle income status. We believe in providing quality education and skills to build the next generation of leaders in Bangladesh.  Knowledge and skills are also key drivers for competitiveness in a globalised world. Australia is proud to be an effective partner with Bangladesh on its path to building high-performing and inclusive education systems to support its economic growth goals.
I am proud today to reflect on the expansion of our warm relations and what we have achieved together.

Julia Niblett
Australian High Commissioner to the People's Republic of Bangladesh