Dr Widyan Fares

Dr Widyan Fares migrated to Australia in 1995 after leaving Rafha refugee camp in Saudi Arabia, where she was born after her parents escaped from Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Widyan is currently a Senior Policy Adviser at the NSW Premiers Department in the Connected Communities team. Widyan has worked in the public service sector for over 10 years. Widyan has extensive media experience including working at Network Ten and SBS. In 2014, Widyan was selected as an SBS cadet reporter as part of SBS’ prestigious cadetship program. During her time at SBS, Widyan worked in Radio, TV and online. Widyan soon became one of the first veiled reporters on national television, making her debut in March 2014.Widyan has just been awarded her PhD at Sydney University, her research focused on the use of alternative media by the Australian Shia community and its role in shaping identity, belonging and the impact on social cohesion. Widyan was also successfully selected to deliver a presentation on her PhD research at an interdisciplinary conference on migration and integration at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.