Anti-racism messaging makes a permanent mark on Sydney streets

The City of Sydney has installed street signs displaying anti-racism messages on prominent inner-city streets.

You'll see the signs near Central Station on Eddy Avenue, in Haymarket on Dixon Street, at Loftus Street near Circular Quay, and at Sydney Town Hall on the corner of George and Park streets. A fifth sign will soon be installed on George Street in The Rocks.

We've placed the signs in these popular locations to ensure everyone who lives, works in and visits our city feels welcome and to make it clear that racism in any form is not accepted.

Starting a conversation about a difficult issue

The signs are one outcome of our endorsement of the Racism Not Welcome campaign in March 2021.

The campaign was first launched by Inner West Council following a grassroots campaign led by Inner West Multicultural Network. It was a response to growing incidents of racism in the community. The campaign’s objective was to acknowledge the existence of racism and validate people’s lived experiences.

The street signs are part of this broader campaign. They are a public demonstration of the need to publicly call out racism and make all racist behaviours unwelcome.

City of Sydney, Woollahra and Waverley are among a number of Sydney councils to get behind the campaign, as well as Inner West Council.

In June 2021, national support for the campaign was won at the Australian Local Government Association conference in Canberra. The organisation represents 537 local councils across the country.

Signalling strength in our diversity

We hope the signs strengthen a sense of community and encourage understanding and appreciation of the wonderful cultural diversity in our local area.

In 2020 we provided funding to two organisations, Democracy in Colour and Our Race, to provide free community workshops on anti-racism. Registrations are now open for the final series of online workshops Countering cyber racism in February and March 2022.

In 2021, we also hosted a series of anti-racism and by-stander action free workshops for the community, to complement the signs and the campaign.

The City of Sydney has taken a leading role in the NSW Anti-Racism Working Group, an initiative of the Local Government Multicultural Workers’ Network.

We value the contribution made by all people in our community and believe this diversity strengthens our city. Read more about our diversity and inclusion programs and policies.