REFUGEES from all over the world filled Broadmeadows Migrant Resource Centre last week to celebrate Refugee Week.

To help in the celebrations, Northern Melbourne Institute of Tafe (NMIT) English students displayed a photography exhibition titled Through My Eyes.

The photos, which were displayed in the Belfast street centre, were on themes that were meaningful to the 15 student photographers.

Noemi Garcia, youth and family worker at the Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues worked with the students to develop the exhibition.

“We came up with the idea to give people an opportunity to talk about their resettlement and connection to school, family and friends,” Ms Garcia said.

The students involved in the project were predominantly from Africa, Turkey and Iraq and were given two weeks over the school holidays to take photos with disposal cameras.

Adan Abdi, who arrived in Australia last year after leaving his wartorn country, Somalia, took photos of the Hume multicultural tree planting day to show how his Somalian culture is part of Australian culture.

The 18yearold has been studying English at NMIT.

He hopes to complete Certificate IV in English at Kangan Batman TAFE next year before going on to study accounting in 2007.

Adan is currently living in Craigieburn with his mother, brother and two sisters.

Refugee Week is set up by the Refugee Council of Australia.

It provides an opportunity for communities to celebrate the contribution refugees and asylum seekers make to the Australian social, economic and cultural fabric.