The Vietnamese Museum of Australia's vision is: To honour the journey of freedom and the contributions of the Vietnamese community to the fabric of Australia. After the events of April 30 1975, thousands of Vietnamese fled the country by foot or boat in search of freedom despite the dangers of storms, pirates, diseases, and starvation at sea. UNHCR statistics for 1975 to 1997 indicated that although 839,228 fleeing Vietnamese had arrived at refugee camps, 200,000 to 400,000 had died at sea. It was an unforgettable catastrophe for the survivors. The generosity of the late Malcolm Fraser and his immigration policies permitted the first wave of 56 000 Vietnamese refugees into the country. Despite the language barriers and differences in culture and lifestyle, the first wave of Vietnamese refugees was committed to assimilating with their new community to teach and lead the way for future coming refugees. The museum will be built to honour the hardships experienced by Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon in April 1975. It will preserve and display the historical artefacts collected from Vietnamese boat people during their journey to Australia. This project is an initiative of the Vietnamese Community in Australia Victoria Chapter (VCA VIC) and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Vietnamese refugee settlement in Australia. The Museum's progress and successes result from the passion and dedication of past, present and current volunteers in the community. We invite you to join this exciting project.