The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) has re-opened its headquarters in Canberra following renovation works and has invited members, partners and stakeholders to visit the new ACFID House.

ACFID’s President, Susan Pascoe, welcomed ACFID’s members and partners on Thursday evening (13 June) after 10 weeks of improvements which were made to ACFID House. (Header image: (L-R) Cheryl Johnson, Assistant Secretary of the NGOs and Volunteers Branch, DFAT, ACFID President, Susan Pascoe, and ACFID CEO, Marc Purcell, stand in the new reception area at ACFID House.)

Local Ngunnawal Elder, Tina Brown, led a traditional Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony to mark the opening.

Local Ngunnawal Elder, Tina Brown, prepares the Smoking Ceremony to mark the opening ceremony.

Addressing guests, ACFID’s President, Susan Pascoe, said:

“This building has been a global meeting place. It has hosted Governor Generals, Australian Foreign Ministers, UN delegations, visiting delegations, dignitaries, partners, activists, campaigners and those who have shared their experiences with us from every corner of the globe.

“Only a few months ago, ACFID hosted a group of young Yazidi people here in ACFID House to speak about the repression they faced and their campaign to free the Yazidi women still held captive in Baghouz in Syria.

“In 1963, when ACFID was first formed a key, founding purpose was: cooperation and providing hospitality for visitors. That will undoubtedly continue.”

ACFID President, Susan Pascoe, addresses guests in ACFID’s new boardroom.

ACFID’s President, Susan Pascoe, recognised ACFID’s invaluable partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Cheryl Johnson, Assistant Secretary of the NGOs and Volunteers Branch, who attended the opening on behalf of the department.

The changes to ACFID House are the first renovations undertaken since it was opened by former Governor-General, Bill Hayden, in 1992.

The renovations have been planned for over two years following a people and culture strategy for the organisation in which improving the working environment was deemed a priority.

The renovations include a more open and spacious office space, modern and light interior design, more meeting spaces for staff and improved technology for videoconferencing.

ACFID’s Director Business and Corporate Partnerships, Mark Carpenter, who oversaw the renovations, would like to thank the ACFID Board, membership and staff for their support and architects, Clarke Keller, and main contractors, Rork Projects, for delivering the project. He invited ACFID’s members and stakeholders to visit the new office:

“We warmly invite all of our members, partners and stakeholders to visit our new HQ.”

ACFID’s new reception area between the two new refurbished staff areas.

ACFID’s new kitchen and dining space for staff.