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The Romanian Community in Australia The Romanian language is much closer to classical Latin than other Romance languages. The grammar and vocabulary are well preserved, although some Slavonic words were incorporated in the 7th to 10th Centuries . Speakers of French, Italian and Spanish find it hard to understand spoken Romanian but are likely to find the written language quite familiar. Romanian writer, Nichita Stanescu, once described language as a "wonderful homeland". For Romanians around the world, many of whom have been forced to flee their homes as refugees, language is the link between generations disrupted by war and political upheaval. Arrival and Settlement According to The Australian People, edited by James Jupp, among the first Romanians to settle in Australia was Vasile Teodorescu, born in 1853. He changed his name to Theodore and was the father of Edward Granville Theodore. Edward became president of the Australian Workers' Union and later, Premier of Queensland from 1919 to 1925. He also served as Federal Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. More than 2,000 Romanian refugees settled in Australia after the Second World War, between 1947 and 1951. By the 1980s the population was estimated at around 15,000. The third wave of Romanian migrants occurred with the break up of the Soviet Union, after 1991. They came to Australia under the Independent or the Family Reunion Category, bringing with them skills that eased their entry into the Australian community and employment. Australia's largest Romanian community is in Melbourne. Special Events Calendar SBS Radio's Romanian Program presents special coverage of the following events throughout the year. January 24 Unity Day January 26 Australia Day March 8 International Women's Day December 1 Romania's National Day December 21 Romanian Revolution Day |
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