Chilean Community Video Project

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Collection SummaryThe Chilean Community Video Project is a local history initiative dedicated to capturing and preserving the personal stories of Chilean refugees and migrants who settled in Australia following the 1973 military coup in Chile. DescriptionThe project focuses on documenting the lived experiences of individuals who fled persecution under the Pinochet regime and found refuge in Australia—many of whom initially lived in the Villawood Migrant Hostel before resettling in suburbs across Fairfield, Liverpool, and Campbelltown.

Central to the collection are video interviews with Elizabeth Rivera, President of the Salvador Allende Monument Committee in Fairfield, and Vlaudin Vega, a long-time community organiser, former Greens candidate, and original committee member behind the erection of the Allende monument. Both have been prominent figures in the Chilean community since the 1970s and offer invaluable insight into the collective journey of exile, resilience, and rebuilding.

This project is especially timely, marking 50 years since the Chilean military coup—a pivotal event that led to thousands of Chileans seeking asylum abroad. Australia became one of the main destinations for resettlement, and the resulting migrant wave helped shape the multicultural landscape of Western Sydney.

Through this collection, the project seeks to:

Document the personal and collective histories of Chilean refugees and migrants

Highlight their contributions to the social, cultural, and civic life of the region

Promote cultural understanding and inclusion

Provide a lasting educational resource for future generations

The project recognises the urgency of capturing these testimonies while many first-generation migrants are still able to share their stories. By preserving these oral histories in digital format, the collection will serve as a permanent record where many Chilean families first found a new beginning.

Ultimately, this project honours a community that is deeply woven into the fabric of Australian society, ensuring their journey is remembered, acknowledged, and shared for years to come.

Video

Vlaudin Vega story

Elizabeth Rivera story

Connections

CollectionVideo interviewsOral Histories

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