Tracing one’s relatives or connecting with long lost friends is a popular hobby for many Australians, especially those who migrated here, which is nearly all of us.

For anyone keen to find out more about their ancestors or their family’s journey to Australia, the National Archives’ Multicultural Family History Fair on Sunday 20 February (10am to 4pm), provides the golden opportunity.

This day of talks and activities with a real multicultural flavour will enable visitors to find out just what migration records the Archives keeps and how they can be accessed.

Keynote speaker Henri Szeps (ABC TV’s Mother and Son) will talk about his journey from Paris to Australia involving six changes of nationality and parenting by the time he was eight. Henri knows intimately what it’s like to be foreign, fostered, and in orphanages.

Experts from the Archives will talk about the vast range of family and local history records in their collections.

This key event of the Multicultural Festival is free and invites visitors to:

• hear Henri Szeps tell his story of coming to Australia (11.15am and 1pm)
• listen to former Labor Immigration Minister, Al Grassby (2pm)
• find out how to research your own family with help from Archives staff
• bring your keepsakes to the conservation clinic for specialist advice
• witness the citizenship ceremonies
• enjoy the international food stalls
• talk to representatives of cultural and history associations
• see the display of vintage European cars and motorcycles
• watch the performances of Sri Lankan, Indian and Hungarian dancers
• treat yourself to gourmet coffee.

The National Archives is located in the beautifully refurbished old Post Office building on Queen Victoria Terrace in Parkes, ACT, just behind Old Parliament House.