The Canberra Multicultural Community Forum has paid tribute to its retiring co-patron, the Ambassador of Sweden, Her Excellency Karin Ehnbom-Palmquist.
CMCF Chair Sam Wong said it was accepted practice for the Forum to invite the current Dean of the Diplomatic Corps to be its co-patron. Ambassador Ehnbom-Palmquist had agreed with enthusiasm when approached to take on the role after she became Dean in January.
“While her time with us has been all too short, she has been a tremendous supporter of CMCF and multiculturalism in Canberra generally,” he said. “Her involvement with the National Multicultural Festival and the Forum’s Living in Harmony Project is especially appreciated.”
Mr Wong said there are strong links between the ACT multicultural community and the diplomatic corps. “Throughout her time here Ambassador Ehnbom-Palmquist has worked hard to ensure these links are maintained and enhanced.”
Appointed Ambassador of Sweden to Australia and New Zealand in 2003, Mrs Ehnbom-Palmquist and her husband, Lars, arrived in Australia in November of that year. The couple have two children, Sofia and Daniel, who have both studied in Canberra.
The new Dean of the Diplomatic Corps is the Ambassador of Mexico, Her Excellency Martha Ortiz de Rosas, and Mr Wong said he would be extending an invitation to her to take up the co-patron role.
CMCF’s other co-patron is Ellnor Grassby, a former Member and Minister in the ACT Legislative Assembly and wife of the Federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs in the Whitlam Government, the late Hon Al Grassby AM.