Unpolished Gem 20th anniversary — Alice Pung in conversation

Celebrate Refugee Week and the 20th anniversary of Alice Pung's memoir, in-conversation with Bruno Lettieri.

The evening begins with a poetry reading by Flora Chol, setting the tone for a celebration of storytelling and migration. Alice Pung and Bruno Lettieri will then engage in an in-conversation discussion exploring Alice’s groundbreaking memoir—a story that deliberately "does not begin on a boat."

They will examine the witty, moving portrait of a Chinese-Cambodian family pursuing the Australian Dream and explore themes of identity, belonging, and the everyday struggles and triumphs of family life.

This event is part of Refugee Week’s “A Million Stories” theme and offers audiences a chance to reflect on how personal stories, like Alice’s, continue to resonate two decades later, while enjoying poetry that complements the themes of migration, resilience, and community.