Daily Archives: July 16, 2026
Beyond the Pitch: The One Powerful Move Every Community Can Make This Year
By Dabessa Wakjira
The roar of the crowd, the electric atmosphere, the shared chants echoing through stadiums and living rooms—the FIFA World Cup 2026™ has once again proven that when people unite around a common passion, magic happens. On the pitch, players execute perfect passes; in the stands, strangers embrace like lifelong friends. Across SBS platforms and community gatherings, Australians from every conceivable background have dissolved their differences in favor of a single, unifying language: the beautiful game.
Yet, as the final whistle blows and the stadium lights dim, a new opportunity is kicking off—one that requires the same level of energy, teamwork, and civic participation to ensure the future of our multicultural nation.
Participation is one of the most powerful ways we contribute to our communities. And right now, the Census 2026 is calling on all of us to get on the field.
The Lineup for Our Future
Just as every player has a role in a winning team, every individual has a part to play in building a representative Australia. The Census 2026 is more than just a bureaucratic formality; it is a powerful snapshot of our nation’s diverse fabric. The data collected within its pages influences decisions that impact our daily lives—where hospitals are built, how schools are funded, where public transport routes run, and how future planning unfolds.
David Hua, Director of Audio and Language Content at the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), emphasizes the necessity of communal engagement. “Participation is one of the most powerful ways we contribute to our communities,” Hua states. “By taking part and encouraging others to do the same, we help ensure Australia’s diverse communities are represented, recognized and supported.”
Why “Showing Up” Matters
When communities actively participate in the Census, they do more than just check a box. They build the evidence needed for better services and stronger advocacy. Data translates into dollars and policy. It determines whether your suburb gets a new aged-care facility, whether your language group receives translation services at local hospitals, and whether your cultural events receive government support.
Every voice matters. Every response counts. Every community deserves to be seen.
But what if you’re hesitant?
Tackling the Fears
It is completely normal—and understandable—for individuals to feel uncomfortable sharing personal information. This sentiment is particularly prevalent in communities that might have had varied or difficult experiences dealing with governments in the past. Concerns about data security, privacy breaches, and how information will be used are legitimate and should not be dismissed.
This is where community leaders and organizations step in as the ultimate referees.
SBS, through its trusted platforms, is working to ensure that no one is left in the dark. Initiatives like SBS Learn English are designed to equip people with practical ways to talk about the Census. They provide clarity on data security measures, offer step-by-step guides on protecting personal information, and help demystify the process for those who feel excluded by language barriers.
Your Call to Action
This year, we invite you to channel the same spirit that fills the World Cup stadiums into completing your Census form. But don’t stop there—become a champion for your community. Encourage your neighbors, your sports club, your faith group, and your extended family to participate as well.
The 2026 Census isn’t just about counting numbers; it’s about ensuring every story is heard.
By taking part and sharing this vital information with your networks, you are helping to build a stronger, fairer, and more inclusive Australia. Let’s make sure everyone has the opportunity to be counted, supported, and recognized.
The game doesn’t end on the pitch. It continues with us, in our homes, and in our communities.
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For more information and resources, including support for data security and language assistance, visit the official Census 2026 website or tune into SBS.
The Next 50 Years: Honouring the Past, Building the Future
As we reflect on half a century of the Oromo liberation struggle, we look forward with hope and determination to the generations who will carry our culture, strength, identity, and resilience into the future.
There are moments in the life of a nation when the past and the future converge. When the struggles of previous generations meet the hopes of those yet to come. When the sacrifices of the present become the foundation upon which the dreams of tomorrow are built.
For the Oromo people, this is such a moment.
As we honour the past 50 years of the Oromo freedom struggle, we are called not only to remember—to honour the sacrifices, to celebrate the victories, to mourn the losses—but also to look forward. To imagine what the next 50 years might bring. To prepare the next generation to carry forward the torch of liberation.
The Journey of Half a Century
The Oromo liberation struggle is not a recent phenomenon. It stretches back more than a century to the late 19th century, when the Oromo people fell under the yoke of colonial domination. Yet the past 50 years represent a particularly significant chapter in this long history—a period of organized resistance, of growing political consciousness, of sustained struggle for self-determination.
From the establishment of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in 1973, the Oromo people have waged a principled struggle for their rights.
The past five decades have witnessed:
- The articulation of a clear political vision for Oromo self-determination
- The mobilization of Oromo communities across the globe
- The documentation of Oromo history and culture
- The cultivation of Oromo leadership and political consciousness
- The resilience of the Oromo people in the face of immense challenges
This is not merely a political struggle—it is a struggle for the soul of a people. It is a struggle to reclaim what was taken: land, culture, language, identity, and dignity.
How Far We’ve Come
“As we honour the past 50 years Oromo freedom struggle journey and recognise how far we’ve come…”
The distance traveled is remarkable. Fifty years ago, the Oromo language was suppressed, Oromo identity was denied, and Oromo political expression was criminalized. Today, Afaan Oromo is widely spoken and written, Oromo culture is celebrated, and Oromo voices are heard on the international stage.
The journey has been long and arduous, but the progress is undeniable.
- Political Awareness: Oromo political consciousness has grown exponentially. The Oromo people understand their history, their rights, and their potential more clearly than ever before.
- Cultural Revival: The Oromo language and culture have experienced a renaissance. Afaan Oromo is now taught in schools, used in media, and celebrated in literature and the arts.
- Global Recognition: The Oromo cause is now known and supported internationally. Human rights organizations, governments, and civil society groups around the world have recognized the legitimacy of the Oromo struggle.
- Organizational Strength: The Oromo liberation movement has developed sophisticated organizational structures, political programs, and strategic capabilities.
- Resilience: Despite immense challenges, the Oromo people have demonstrated extraordinary resilience. They have survived repression, displacement, and attempts at cultural erasure.
Looking to the Future
“…we also want to look ahead to the next 50, our future generations of children and young people who carry our culture, strength, identity and resilience into the future Oromia.”
The struggle for Oromo liberation is not a one-generation project. It is a multi-generational endeavor that requires each generation to do its part, to make its sacrifices, and to prepare the next generation to continue the work.
The future of Oromia belongs to the children and young people who are growing up today. They are the inheritors of our culture, the carriers of our strength, the guardians of our identity, and the embodiment of our resilience.
The Responsibility of the Current Generation
We who stand in the present moment have a profound responsibility to the generations yet to come. We must ensure that:
Our culture endures. The Oromo language, traditions, and way of life must be passed on to the next generation. This requires not only preservation but also innovation—adapting our culture to new circumstances while maintaining its essence.
Our strength is sustained. The resilience that has carried the Oromo people through centuries of oppression must be nurtured in the younger generation. They must know their history, understand their rights, and have the courage to claim them.
Our identity is understood. The younger generation must know who they are, where they come from, and what they are fighting for. They must have a clear sense of Oromo identity—not as something to be ashamed of, but as something to be celebrated.
Our resilience is passed on. The capacity to endure hardship, to persist in the face of adversity, and to maintain hope in the darkest of times—this is the legacy we must leave to the next generation.
The Future Oromia
What does the future Oromia look like? What are we working toward?
The future Oromia is one in which:
- The Oromo people are free—free from colonial domination, free from political oppression, free from economic exploitation, and free from cultural suppression.
- The Oromo people are equal—equal to all other peoples, with the same rights, the same opportunities, and the same respect.
- The Oromo people are prosperous—able to develop their resources, pursue their aspirations, and build a better life for themselves and their children.
- The Oromo people are united—not divided by regionalism, not fragmented by factionalism, but united by a common history, a common culture, and a common vision.
- The Oromo people are proud—proud of their identity, their heritage, and their contributions to the world.
- The Oromo people are peaceful—living in peace with their neighbours, contributing to regional stability, and building a just and democratic society.
The Role of Children and Young People
Children and young people are not just the future—they are the present. They are already contributing to the struggle in their own ways.
- They are learning their language and culture, ensuring that they are not lost.
- They are studying their history, understanding the sacrifices of those who came before.
- They are organizing and advocating, making their voices heard in their communities and beyond.
- They are building the institutions and structures that will sustain the struggle into the future.
We must invest in our children and young people. We must educate them, empower them, and support them.
A Call to Action
As we honour the past 50 years of the Oromo struggle and look forward to the next 50, we are called to action:
To the current generation: We must continue the struggle, making the sacrifices necessary to achieve liberation. We must also prepare the next generation, ensuring that they are ready to carry the torch forward.
To the next generation: You are the hope of our people. You carry our culture, strength, identity, and resilience. You are the future Oromia. You must learn from those who came before, build on their achievements, and chart your own path.
To the Oromo community: We must work together, united in our purpose and committed to our cause. We must support our children and young people, investing in their education, their health, and their well-being. We must build institutions that will serve future generations. We must create a society in which Oromo children can thrive.
Conclusion
The next 50 years will be shaped by the choices we make today. If we invest in our children and young people, if we pass on our culture, strength, identity, and resilience, if we continue the struggle with determination and unity, then the future Oromia will be everything we have dreamed of.
The Oromo people have survived the worst that history has thrown at them. They have endured colonisation, suppression, exile, and attempts at cultural genocide. Yet they persist. They continue to struggle. They continue to hope.
“As we honour the past 50 years Oromo freedom struggle journey and recognise how far we’ve come, we also want to look ahead to the next 50, our future generations of children and young people who carry our culture, strength, identity and resilience into the future Oromia.”
The past 50 years have been a journey of struggle and sacrifice, of resilience and hope. The next 50 years will be a journey of rebuilding and renewal, of liberation and flourishing.
May the Oromo children and young people of the future look back on this moment and say: “They prepared the way for us. They gave us the foundation upon which we built our freedom.”
The struggle continues. The future awaits. And the Oromo people will prevail.
Advocacy for Oromia 