Australia unveils 'boat people' memorial

FOOTSCRAY, Australia, June 21 (UPI) -- Australian officials have unveiled the country's first memorial to refugees who arrived in the 1970s fleeing the communist takeover of Vietnam.

The memorial, erected in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray, is a boat design meant to honor the so-called boat people, many of whom died while braving perilous sea voyages to arrive in Australia, The Australia Broadcasting Corp. reported Saturday.

"It's a monument that's really a symbol that will continue to preserve and promote the Vietnamese boat people's heritage and culture for generations to come," Acting Victoria Premier Rob Hulls told the network.

"It's a boat design, it's very clever and emotional really` and the message is simple: As human beings we are all in the same boat," Hulls said.