PM praises Aliir Aliir at United Nations

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, sharing the inspiring story of Sudanese refugee and Sydney Swans star Aliir Aliir.

Turnbull used Aliir’s family story to highlight the important role migrants have played in the multicultural makeup of Australia,

Alliir was born in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya after his parents had fled the civicl war in Sudan. After seven years in the camp Alliir and his family moved to Australia to begin the next chapter of their lives.

“For Aliir, his family, and 150,000 other men, women, and children, Kakuma refugee camp was their home,” Mr Turnbull said.

“The camp provided the bare necessities of meals and shelter, but sports equipment was unimaginable. Aliir and his friends would improvise with a balloon wrapped with strips of old clothing to serve as a football.

“Tall, fast, agile, Aliir was a natural for Australian Rules Football and once he took up the game hasn’t looked back.

"Now 22, Aliir is one of the first Sudanese immigrants to play AFL and has become a role model in our multicultural nation, especially for young people in Sydney.”

Prime Minster Turnbull stressed the importance of compassion when addressing the global refugee crisis, citing success stories like Aliir and plenty others in Australia, who have helped grow and develop the nation.

“Australia would not be the country it is today without their contribution. Their stories are our stories, their successes are our successes,” he said.