On Saturday 22 June, Welcome to Australia will be holding their annual Walk Together events in cities and regional centres all over Australia. An expected 700 Novocastrians will gather and walk together as a symbol of their support of seeing Newcastle become a more welcoming and generous place.

Welcome to Australia is inviting everyone who is a part of the Australian community to again Walk Together in recognition of the fact that we've all walked different paths to form part of the Australian story.

The theme for 2013 is 'if we're all people, we're all equal' and the event will be a celebration of diversity and a loud declaration that thousands of Australians believe we can become a nation known for our compassion, generosity and welcome.

Welcome to Australia exists to "engage everyday Australians in the task of cultivating a culture of welcome in our nation".

The organisation began as a conversation between a number of individuals and not-for-profit organisations who believed there needed to be a positive voice in the public conversation around asylum seeking, refugees and multiculturalism that was not politically aligned or focused on policy - but rather invited Australians to join in dreaming of the Australia that could be.

The Newcastle Walk Together event will start from Newcastle Museum and finish at Civic Park with a large festival celebrating the cultural diversity of Newcastle. The event will begin with a welcome to country and will include keynote speeches from refugees, Aboriginal Australians and migrants old and new. The event will also feature live music and dance, art exhibitions, service provider stalls, cultural handicraft stalls and food.

WHEN: 1pm - 4pm Saturday, 22 June

WHERE: From Newcastle Museum (Workshop Way, Honeysuckle) to Civic Park

For more information visit the Walk Together Newcastle Facebook page.