Canberra Celebrates Harmony Day 2010

Canberra Celebrates Harmony Day 2010

19 March 2010

Thousands of people around the ACT will join together this weekend to showcase their cultural diversity in Harmony Day celebrations.

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans said Harmony Day on March 21 is an opportunity for people across the nation to promote the benefits of a multicultural society.

"Harmony Day is an event at the heart of Australian communities, which have increasingly taken ownership of this special occasion throughout its 11-year history," Senator Evans said.

In the ACT, more than 150 Harmony Day events have been registered, while thousands more are happening across the border in NSW.

The University of Canberra is hosting a week of Harmony Day events, such as a campus art tour, trivia night, film festival and sports activities.

Students at Radford College junior school will today wear different colours and spell out the word 'harmony' on their school oval, while on March 21, the Italian Cultural Centre in Forrest will host a Harmony Day festival of market stalls, food, dance and music from around the world.

Among the other celebrations happening around Canberra are market days, costume balls, fashion parades, BBQs, morning teas, trivia nights and cultural festivals hosted by schools, charities businesses, community centres and individuals.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, said Harmony Day was part of the Diverse Australia Program, which helps local communities to address cultural, racial and religious intolerance and works with different levels of government and community organisations to empower grassroots action.

"The theme for Harmony Day 2010 is express yourself, a message encouraging people to demonstrate their culture through food, action, fashion and performance," Mr Ferguson said.

"The ongoing Harmony Day message of 'everyone belongs' reflects the importance of community participation, inclusiveness and a sense of belonging for everyone."

Harmony Day 2010 is supported by iconic Australian organisations such as the Australian Football League, Girl Guides Australia, Scouts Australia and Woolworths. Valuable corporate support is provided by Unisys, Universal McCann, Adcorp, Leba Ethnic Media and Spots and Space.

For more information on events, visit www.harmony.gov.au. Broadcast-quality audio is also available online at: www.newsroom.immi.gov.au.

Media contacts:
Simon Dowding (02) 6277 7860 or 0411 138 541 (Senator Evans)
Carla Wilshire (02) 6277 4920 or 0432 755 935 (Mr Ferguson)


SOURCE: Senator Chris Evans and Laurie Ferguson MP