The Karen community in Perth celebrated the Karen New Year on 29 December 2016, the first day of Th'lay 2756 in the Karen calendar. An estimated 1,000 people attended, most of them Karen people living in Western Australia, including many from the eastern side of the state. A Member of the Western Australian Parliament was invited as a guest speaker.
The celebration ran from 10 am to 2 pm. The Member of Parliament and the Karen New Year Committee gave speeches, followed by songs from church groups. The Australian Karen Organisation's WA branch organised four groups of traditional Don dance performers, and gifts were presented to community members aged over 70. Lunch of Karen and Burmese curries was served during the Don dance.
The celebration was organised by social, religious and political groups in Western Australia, and was enjoyed by everyone who attended.
