As we approach Palm Sunday, 29 March 2026, we join in prayer and action for compassion, welcome and peace in our communities and across the world.
Palm Sunday marks the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and the celebration of God's kingdom drawing near – a kingdom in which those who are poor, persecuted, and mourning find hope.
For the past decades, Palm Sunday has been a moment for people across Australia, Christian and non-Christian alike, to stand together to call for justice and dignity to be shown towards refugees here in Australia and for people seeking asylum around the world.
We approach Palm Sunday in 2026, thankful to be celebrating that this year Australia will welcome our one millionth refugee — an enormous milestone that speaks to who we are as a nation. This legacy is one of our greatest strengths.
However, we also come to this moment deeply grieved seeing growing division across our communities, and around the world, that seek to ‘other’ and diminish the humanity in our neighbour.
We are reminded of the deep love we are called to through Christ - a love that seeks the wellbeing, care and flourishing of our neighbour, and turns towards each other with compassion, generosity and grace.
We long for the day when those who come to our shores for safety are welcomed with the kindness and compassion that Jesus teaches.
Heartbreakingly, ongoing conflicts across the world, including those in the Middle East, Syria, Haiti, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine and Sudan, have driven forced displacement across the globe. For the last decade, the global number of forcibly displaced people has continued to rise year on year. The latest figures show there are 123.2 million people who have been forced to flee for their lives. That is 1 in 67 people globally. Meanwhile, this government has fallen short of its own commitment to increase the humanitarian intake.
We invite you to consider how you can join together with your community this Palm Sunday in love and compassionate action, calling together for dignity and justice to be shown towards those seeking asylum and safety on our shores, and around the world.
Share your story with us!
In 2026, Refugee Week (17 - 23 June) will be celebrated with the theme of ‘A Million Stories’ to mark the one million permanent humanitarian visas Australia has issued since international calls in 1947 to help resettle people after the horrors of WW2. This remarkable legacy of welcome is one we should be deeply proud of, and one that has woven a rich tapestry of friendship and shared experience into the heart of our communities and culture.
To join in these celebrations we would love to share stories from across the Common Grace movement of people who have been blessed to welcome or have been welcomed into Australian communities over the past 79 years.
Please share your story with us!
Find out more and share your story with us here.
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Join in Prayer
We invite you to join in prayer this Palm Sunday for people seeking asylum, led in a prayer for peace written by Gershon Nimbalker for Palm Sunday 2026. Explore further prayers for justice for people seeking asylum here: https://www.commongrace.org.au/asylum_pray
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Stand in Solidarity and Welcome
Explore Palm Sunday events happening around the country below.
Stay tuned as we will be updating this list regularly in the lead up to Palm Sunday, 29 March 2026.
VICTORIA
Melbourne - Stronger Together: Walk for justice, respect and kindness
Sunday 29th March, 1:00pm - 3:30pm, Princess Bridge, Melbourne
Further details on Facebook page
ACT
Canberra - Palm Sunday Rally: Refugees and Migrants Welcome Here
Sunday 29th March, 1pm - 2:30pm, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra ( Outside of the ACT Legislative Assembly)
Organised by Canberra Refugee Action Campaign.
Further details can be found here.
QUEENSLAND
Brisbane - Palm Sunday Rally for Peace & Justice
Sunday 29th March, 3pm, King George Square, Brisbane
Organised by Refugee Action Collective (Qld), Just Peace Queenslandand Justice for Palestine Magan-djin
Further details on Facebook
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Perth - Who is My Neighbour? Prayers for Peace in a Fractured World
Sunday 29th March, 12pm - 1pm, St George's Cathedral Lawn
Organised by Anglican Social Responsibilities
Further details on Facebook
NEW SOUTH WALES
Sydney - Palm Sunday Rally and March
Sunday 29th March, 2pm, Belmore Park (near Central Station), Sydney
Further details on Facebook
Wollongong - Palm Sunday Rally for Refugees
Sunday 29th March, 2pm, Wollongong Town Hall
Organised by the Refugee Action Collective Illawarra
Further details on Facebook
If you are organising a Palm Sunday gathering that is not listed above, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Go Deeper
Gershon Nimbalker, Common Grace's National Director, and James Harris, Common Grace's Justice for People Seeking Asylum Coordinator, have written a three-part blog series in response to the increasing conflict in the Middle East and growing displacement crisis across the globe. Gershon's first blog in this series reflects on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday pointing us to the way of love over fear, and peace over empire. Read Gershon's reflection here.
We invite you to listen to the sixth episode of Common Grace's 2026 Lent Podcast Series, ‘Changed Heart/Changed World’, as ecological ethicist Byron Smith and James Harris, Common Grace’s Justice for People Seeking Asylum Coordinator, reflect on the story of the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 5:1–20.
In this episode, Byron and James dive into one of the more strange and confronting stories in the Gospels - and discover just how rich and relevant it really is. What might seem confusing at first unfolds into a powerful picture of liberation, as they explore the deeper political, social, and spiritual layers behind Jesus’ encounter with the man called “Legion”. Find out more and listen to this conversation here.
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