Diverse Australia Program - everyone belongs
Initiative of the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Harmony Day 21 March each year
Advertiser since:
11 March 2009 (this is a sponsored listing provided by Newcomers Network and we have hosted related content on our website free of charge since June 2003)
Organisation Name:
Diverse Australia Program - everyone belongs
Online at:
http://www.harmony.gov.au
Email harmonyday@immi.gov.au
Contact:
Bob Crawshaw
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
Telephone:
In Australia: 1800 33 11 00
International: +61 2 6264 1111
Mobile/Cell:
In Australia: 0401 063 387
International: +61 401 063 387
Details:
This information has been collected from the Diverse Australia Program Website on 11 March 2009, from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and from information collected by Newcomers Network since 27 May 2003.
Harmony Day and Cultural Diversity information from around Australia
Australia-wide
Taste of Harmony 16-22/3/09
Organise a multicultural meal with people you know
See details at http://www.tasteofharmony.org.au
Diplomatic and Consular Corps in Australia
http://protocol.dfat.gov.au
National Library of Australia Multicultural Documentary Heritage Project
http://www.nla.gov.au/multicultural/links.html
Australian Culture and Recreation Portal
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au
Victoria
Cultural Diversity Week 15-21/3/09
Various events across Victoria including Viva Victoria at Federation Square on 21 March 2009
See details at http://www.culturaldiversity.vic.gov.au
All of Us – new Victorian Government Initiativehttp://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/web25/cdw.nsf/HeadingPagesDisplay/All+of+Us+campaign?OpenDocument
Melbourne’s Cultural Diversity Week
http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Whatson/cdw/Pages/cdw.aspx
Victorian Women’s Link
Launch on
Friday 20/3/09 with the Hon Laurie Ferguson MP
1:30 – 3:30pm Multicultural Hub Link, 506 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
http://www.virwc.org.au
Victorian Multicultural Commission
http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au
Multicultural Resources Directory
http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/directory
Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria
http://www.eccv.org.au
Vicnet Community Information Portal
http://www.vicnet.net.au
New South Wales
Community Relations Commission New South Wales
http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au
List of Community Organisations in New South Wales
http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/communities/NSW_Community_Organisations
Ethnic Communities Council of New South Wales
http://www.eccnsw.org.au
Queensland
Multicultural Affairs Queensland
http://www.multicultural.qld.gov.au
Queensland Multicultural Resources Directory http://www.multicultural.qld.gov.au/services_and_resources/resource_directory/index.aspx
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland
http://www.eccq.com.au
Queensland Government Work, Live, Play - Migration and Skills Recruitment http://www.workliveplay.qld.gov.au
Western Australia
Office of Multicultural Interests
http://www.multicultural.wa.gov.au
Kulcha - Multicultural Arts of Western Australia
http://www.kulcha.com.au
Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia
http://www.multicultural.online.wa.gov.au/eccwa/
South Australia
Multicultural South Australia
http://www.multicultural.sa.gov.au
Multicultural Communities of South Australia
http://www.mccsa.org.au
Short description of Diverse Australia Program:
The Diverse Australia Program promotes respect, fairness and a sense of belonging for everyone. Harmony Day 21 March each year
Harmony Day Fact Sheet
- 125kb PDF file
Harmony Day Audio Explanation
- 32 second MP3 audio file 505kb
Harmony Day Audio Indigenous Explanation
- 28 second MP3 audio file 447kb
Harmony Day Andrew Demetriou Chief Executive Officer Australian Football League
- 29 second WMV movie file 1MB
Harmony Day Laurie Ferguson Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services
- 29 second WMV movie file 2MB
Harmony Day Melba Marginson Executive Director Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition
-
27 second WMV movie file 3MB
Harmony Day has YouTube videos at:
Parliamentary Secretary Laurie Ferguson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L69rpjsGao
(Parliamentary Secretary Laurie Ferguson encourages people to take part in Harmony Day 2009)
AFL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1tZoL8VAU
(CEO of the AFL endorses Harmony Day 2009)
Local Government:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bytiV4gVSzM
(The President of the Australian Local Government Association explains how Councils promote community harmony).
Community organisation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lrSFBnX9t4
(A community volunteer urges people to have harmony in their hearts)
Teacher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksqMrToTxrE
(A school leader talks about Harmony Day in his school)
Information from the Diverse Australia Program Website
Diverse Australia Program
The Diverse Australia Program is an Australian Government initiative and replaces the previous Living in Harmony Program.
It is about dealing with cultural, racial and religious intolerance. We do this by promoting respect, fairness and a sense of belonging for everyone.
We provide information and funding to help ensure all Australians are treated fairly regardless of their background.
About Us
The Diverse Australia Program
The Diverse Australia Program is an Australian Government initiative that evolved from the 'Living in Harmony' program which was established in 1998.
It is primarily a community-based educational initiative for all Australians and aims to address issues of cultural, racial and religious intolerance by promoting respect, fairness, inclusion and a sense of belonging for everyone.
The Diverse Australia Program provides funding, education and information to help organisations create a spirit of inclusiveness and helps ensure all Australians are treated fairly regardless of their cultural background or circumstance. Key objectives
The program is a major component of the Government's approach to cultural diversity. The key objectives are:
* the importance of all Australians respecting one another regardless of cultural, racial or religious differences;
* the fair treatment of all Australians, encouraging people to recognise that our interactions should be accepting of, and responsive to, each other’s backgrounds, circumstances, needs and preferences
* opportunities for people to participate equitably in Australian society and to understand the rights and responsibilities that we share as part of that society
* a sense of belonging for everyone by helping communities work towards a spirit of inclusiveness and a shared identity as Australians, and
* the benefits of living in a multicultural society.
What we do
The Diverse Australia Program has three key elements:
* Community grants
* Emerging issues funding
* Harmony Day on 21 March
What is Harmony Day All About?
About Harmony Day
Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year.
It is managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our nation and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity.
DIAC supports a range of community events and activities held to celebrate Harmony Day by providing free promotional products.
The key message of Harmony Day is Everyone Belongs. It's about community participation, inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
Since Harmony Day began ten years ago (1999), thousands of schools, community groups and organisations across Australia have hosted Harmony Day events.
There is no limit to the range of activities that can be held for Harmony Day and we encourage schools, community groups, local government and businesses to get involved and actively support this day of celebration.
Harmony Day funding
There is no funding available for Harmony Day events, however, we do support Harmony Day by providing free promotional products in response to event registrations.
Get Involved
Things to remember when planning your event
These are some of the things you may want to consider when planning your Harmony Day event.
* Who is your intended audience?
* How can you best involve them?
* What will they get out of this event?
* What message do you want them to take away from the event?
* How will you let them know what's on?
Creative ideas for your Harmony Day celebrations
There are many ways that you can celebrate Harmony Day. It just depends on how you want to bring people together in your school, community or organisation.
What do you want to do that celebrates the vibrant cultures, races and religions that make up Australian society?
Some favourite activities are:
* Sport, dancing and eating - play world sports together and involve everyone, learn new dances from countries across the world, or enjoy the foods of different cultures
* Arts and crafts - use your creative abilities to make something that symbolises the different cultures of your local community. You could even hold a poster or art competition.
* Music and sounds - apply your musical talents to reflect your experience of different cultures or traditions. Rhyme and rap to a story about culture and experience. You could hold a concert for everyone to enjoy.
* Talk it up - meet someone new from your class, school or community and learn about their culture. Do an oral history project by interviewing someone from a different country and share it with others. You could write, record or even film the interview.
* Listen and learn - invite someone who has migrated to Australia to come and share their story and culture with your class. You could even research more information about their story or write about your own.
Promote Your Event
* Register your event
* Order promotional products
* Publicise your event
* Download Harmony Day graphics
Register your event
Harmony Day on 21 March provides a unique occasion for schools, community groups and organisations to celebrate our cultural diversity and show that everyone belongs.
When you register your event, you can also choose to share your Harmony Day plans with others across Australia. Registering your event can help you to publicise your event, and get more people to participate by letting others see your plans on-line. Simply tick the selection on-screen during the registration process to 'share the details of your event'.
Register your Harmony Day event by clicking the ordering and registration link below. See: Product Order and Event Registration Form Order promotional products
Once you have completed all the steps in the online registration process you will be provided with an online receipt which will include a link to the product order page.
You can view the contents of the pre-school and Harmony Day kits before you order them.
If you have any problems completing the on-line event registration form or are concerned about your product order, contact us for assistance.
The Publicity Guide is designed to assist community groups to publicise their events and celebrations as broadly and effectively as possible. It aims to help groups to make events as inclusive as possible. See: Publicity guide: How to promote your community relations projects through the media (383KB PDF file)
Download Harmony Day graphics
Harmony Day graphics are available for you to download.
You will need to save the images to your computer if you wish to print them. You can also use them in electronic documents.
Harmony Day web banner (57KB JPG file)
Harmony Day square graphic (1.3MB JPG file)
Harmony Day Poster A4 (1.8MB JPG file)
Harmony Day Poster A3 (2.6MB JPG file)
What's On
You can see what's on in your area by visiting the National Harmony Day Diary Search page.
Many community groups and organisations across Australia hold events on 21 March to celebrate Harmony Day. A large number of these groups also hold events on other days around this date.
Have a look at the diary to see what's planned in your area. The diary is continuously updated as events are added through the online registration facility. See: National Harmony Day Diary Search https://www.ecom.immi.gov.au/harmonyday/eventListing.do
There's almost no limit to the types of activities that communities can hold and they don't all have to be on Harmony Day 21 March. You can plan events to run over that week or even the month if you prefer. In fact any time of year is a good time to celebrate community harmony.
Funding
There are two potential ways to get funding for your project.
Community Grants
* Description
* National Action Plan
* Further information
* Previous projects
Description
The community grants annual funding round is designed to provide additional resources often needed by not for profit community organisations to develop their own projects and find their own ways of helping to build stronger community relations.
The program provides both small (up to $5000) and large community grants (up to $50 000) to develop projects that promote respect, fairness, inclusion and a sense of belonging for all Australians.
Groups such as school communities, not for profit organisations, service clubs, sporting bodies, ethnic communities, youth organisations and local government authorities are encouraged to apply. National Action Plan
The community grants annual funding round also incorporates the National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security (NAP). Further information
For further information on 2009 community relations funding and to register your interest for the next funding round, contact the department. Telephone: 1800 782 002
Previous projects
A list of funded projects from 2008 is available.
Projects funded prior to 2008 are also available
Emerging Issues Funding Description
Emerging Issues Funding combines the previous Emerging Priorities and Partnership funding initiatives. It is for projects that respond to specific issues that arise outside the annual funding round. The funding supports larger scale projects that strengthen social cohesion, community harmony and cross cultural understanding.
Further information on Emerging Issues Funding can be obtained by contacting the department. Telephone: 1800 782 002
Previous projects
A list of previous projects that have been funded is available.
Contact Us
Funding Enquiries
For information on Diverse Australia Program community grants or emerging issues funding please contact:
Phone: 1800 782 002
Email: diverseaustraliagrants@immi.gov.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship Multicultural Affairs
Branch Diverse Australia Section
PO Box 25 Belconnen ACT 2616
For information on Harmony Day please contact:
Phone: 1800 331 100
Email: harmonyday@immi.gov.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship Multicultural Affairs
Branch Diverse Australia Section
PO Box 25 Belconnen ACT 2616
Email the Harmony Day team with your Harmony Day story
harmonyday@immi.gov.au
***End of content from the Diverse Australia Program Website***
Other information provided by Newcomers Network
Are you racist?
Why not try the Harvard University Implicit Association Test to find out if you prefer people with white skin or black skin? This online assessment tool can also be used to measure your preference for a certain body weight, nationalism, gender abilities, sexuality and age and actually explores your unconscious thoughts. It is free and online at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/australia/
United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Harmony Day coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/racial/
Australian Migration
Since 1945 more than six million people have settled in Australia and in 60 years of post-war migration Australia 's population has jumped from 6 million to approximately 21 million.
Australians speak more than 200 languages, including 45 Indigenous languages. Our most commonly spoken languages are English, Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin. Australia's main religions are Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.
What does Living in Harmony mean?
At Newcomers Network, we believe that Living in Harmony means that every person
living in Australia has the opportunity to enjoy a safe and happy life.
We believe that every new resident has rights and responsibilities.
Regardless of their cultural background, they should have the opportunity to
access the resources that they need. Once they have settled in Australia,
they have a responsibility to provide assistance to other new residents.
This could be as simple as welcoming a new neighbour, answering questions or
providing recommendations. We have found that the most successful
communities are those that make an effort to welcome all newcomers and give them
access to the information they need as they need it.
Perhaps you have a different view of what Living in Harmony means? If so,
we welcome your comments on the
Living in Harmony Australia Blog http://livinginharmonyaustralia.blogspot.com/
What can I do to show my support?
. wear the colour orange on 21 March
each year
. attend a Harmony Day event - watch out for details in your local newspaper or
see what's on at
http://www.harmony.gov.au
. wear orange on 21 March to show your support for 'everyone belongs'
. plan and host your own event using the various free guides, products and
resources available from
http://www.harmony.gov.au If
you already have an event planned, make sure you add it to the listing at
http://www.harmony.gov.au
. encourage your local school or educational facility to incorporate 'Living in Harmony' into their teaching plans
You may find that you have some really creative ways to share the Living in Harmony message. We suggest that you:
. incorporate a Harmony Theme at work, church, sporting event, recreational
activity etc
. decorate your car or letterbox with orange ribbon
. borrow a book from the library about another culture...and read it
. ask someone from a different cultural background to tell you what it was like being a child in
their culture
. collect a few photos you have from other locations and share your stories
about those photos with a friend or family member
. invite your friends or family to attend a Harmony Day event with you
. give an Australian native plant to someone from a different cultural
background...and welcome them to 'the land'
. bring a home baked specialty to your favourite cultural restaurant...and cook
for them for a change...include a copy of the recipe
We hope these suggestions have prompted you to think of your own unique and interesting way to celebrate Harmony Day.
How has Newcomers Network been involved in Harmony related Australian Government Initiatives?
Sue Ellson, the Founder of Newcomers Network, was approached by Bob Crawshaw
from the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs on 27
May 2003 to discuss both the Australian Citizenship and Living in Harmony
Initiatives of the Australian Government.
Since then, Newcomers Network has been committed to sharing the Harmony Message in a variety of different ways.
As a result of this support, Newcomers Network has been awarded a Certificate of
Appreciation from the Living in Harmony Initiative in both 2004 and 2005 and Sue
Ellson was selected as a Victorian Harmony Day Ambassador for Harmony Day 2006
and is a member of the current Victorian Community Committee for Harmony. Sue is very proud
to be an Australian Born Ambassador and is living proof that all Australians can
welcome newcomers to our community.
29 April 2005 Sue Ellson with John Williams, State Director for the Department
of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
6 April 2004, Sue Ellson with The Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, Minister for
Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister
As at 19 March 2009 we have:
. provided substantial coverage on the Newcomers Network website - on both a
dedicated Harmony page
(over 3000 page
views from 19/10/04 - 6/2/06) and on the Home Page. This page is our latest edition and you can see the number of views below. We have also incorporated interstate information to ensure that the 'everyone belongs' message gets through both Australian and state based networks.
. linked to the http://www.harmony.gov.au
website and had over 2000 click throughs (these statistics are no longer recorded but you can see the page views for this page below and we are recording how many times the Diverse Australia Program advertisement is shown on the bottom of pages on our website)
. provided editorial and advertising coverage in several editions of the
Newcomers Network monthly email newsletter
(February 2004, March 2004, April 2004, May 2004, February 2005, March 2005 -
orange edition, April 2005, February 2006) and in additional newsletters and emails sent to various networks in March 2009
. published posts on the topic of 'What does Harmony Day mean to me?' on the Newcomers Network Blog and Living in Harmony Blog and Open Forum Blog on 19 March 2009 (see below for content).
. promoted Harmony Day and Cultural Diversity events across Australia in newsletters sent out to subscribers in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane in March 2009 and created this page on the Newcomers Network website (free of charge) on 11 March 2009
. created and maintained the Living in Harmony Australia Blog since 8 November
2005
http://livinginharmonyaustralia.blogspot.com/ (this has been receiving
reports in international blogs)
. provided access to a variety of contacts across government, private industry
and individuals and invited them to support the Harmony initiative in
various ways
. attended meetings with various Department of Immigration and Citizenship officials and representatives and other leaders in Victoria - often inviting special guests to these events to encourage their support of the Harmony Initiative
. promoted the initiative to over 50 online email groups worldwide
. provided regular and detailed advice on how to present the Harmony
message to the media, association members, selected contacts, pre schools, schools, churches, scout groups etc
. rewritten 'preapproach' correspondence to make it more 'user friendly'
. secured written editorial coverage in the Kindergarten Parents Victoria
magazine in February 2004
. included a link to the Harmony message in our 'signature' at the end
of emails
. provided Harmony information to guests at various Newcomers Network
events prior to, on and after Harmony Day each year
. provided direct referrals and introductions to expat groups, expat newspapers
and helped secure editorial coverage in enewsletters
. helped secure guest speaking engagements for Department of Immigration,
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs staff members and invited guest speakers at
other events to mention the importance of Harmony Day and Living in Harmony in
Australia
. provided guest tickets for Bob Crawshaw and Kirsty Bradbeer to attend a ‘Meet
the Author Networking Lunch’ with Graham White on 8 July 2003
. answered email questions on Living in Harmony questions received via the
Newcomers Network website and responded to requests for multicultural materials and harmony products
. conducted online polls on the website in February 2004, March 2005 and
February 2006
. provided sample online forms for use on the Living in Harmony website
. provided advice on email newsletter format and partner coverage on the Living
in Harmony website
. encouraged more proactive networking opportunities with key people and
organisations sharing the Living in Harmony message both prior to and after
Harmony Day each year
. encouraged the Living in Harmony team to follow similar website design
principles as the
http://www.australiaday.gov.au and
http://www.citizenship.gov.au website
. provided suggestions on how to incorporate Australian expatriates living
overseas in the Living in Harmony initiative
. encouraged the Living in Harmony team to 'mainstream' the message - beyond the
traditional ethnic communities
. encouraged the use of easy to download graphics for inclusion on organisation
websites and email newsletters
. encouraging the use of an evaluation for each event and as a wrap up for
Harmony Day each year (reported extensively)
. Bob Crawshaw referred us to That's Life magazine and a story was published (special thanks!)
. hosted a Harmony Related Event on 10 March 2004 - 'Understanding Australia' at
Parliament House
This event attracted senior qualified professionals from a variety of well known
organisations and many of them represented significant Australian and
International networks (widely promoted event through many external sources)
. hosted an official Welcome to Melbourne for academics, educators and
international students on 21 March 2005 at the University of Melbourne. Certificates
were presented by The Hon Peter McGauran MP, Australian Minister for Citizenship
and Multicultural Affairs, Murray Thompson MLA, State Opposition
Spokesperson on Multicultural and Aboriginal Affairs and Councillor Catherine
Ng, Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee of the City of Melbourne
(widely promoted event through many external sources including all universities
and student unions in Victoria)
. hosted the 'Living, Working and Networking in Melbourne' event in conjunction with 1st Contact Australasia on 26 March 2009 to provide both recent and longer term new residents with practical information and networking opportunities
. have mentioned Harmony Day in various online forums and passed on Harmony Day
information kits to a visiting journalist from Bombay (here on an Australian
Government sponsored tourism trip), to our local schools, churches, scout groups
and other individuals
. invited the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition Inc to include
orange in their new logo design and incorporated Harmony Messages and themes at
various events they have hosted and in their email newsletters
. instigated the Partnership with Living in Harmony and Cricket
Australia and provided direct advice, background and facilitation services to
Cricket Australia to encourage the development of this alliance
. provided comprehensive briefings to Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs staff - Bob Crawshaw, Mark Stoyles, Paul Denman, Gary White, Rebecca Sipeki and Jodie Lewis
. prepared Harmony Day media coverage database to record details of coverage
received
. provided advice on how to incorporate concepts (or use models) from other
aggregate activities (like the Australian Innovation Festival)
. emphasised the importance of defining 'Australian culture' so that new
arrivals can understand it more clearly
. emphasised the importance of a year long campaign rather than just all of the
effort around Harmony Day
. promoted more collaborative efforts with events (sharing resources) and the
use of Certificates to recognise contributions towards Harmony Day (organisers,
helpers, speakers, sponsors etc) - these are regularly displayed beyond 21 March
. encouraging the Living in Harmony initiative to provide reciprocal links on
the website (in particular with supporters, partners, grant recipients etc)
. encouraging the media statistics to include promotion for Harmony Day as it is
mentioned in non-traditional media - email newsletters, event invitations,
organisation publications (as these often have high circulation numbers)
. encouraging the use of Ambassadors (in addition to government representatives)
in each state and territory of Australia
. provided advice on the merchandise available - suggested orange flags,
additional metal pins for recognition purposes, redesigned posters (read without
glasses), hats or t-shirts for special occasions
. more cross promotion opportunities through increased communication of
activities planned
. encouraged the involvement of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and
Austrade so that the business sector (not just the community sector) can become
more involved
. stressed that this initiative be treated as a genuine approach to promoting
harmony and not a 'vote winning exercise.' Authentic, innovative ideas need to
be constantly developed and encouraged within the Australian Community here and
overseas. It needs to be constantly fresh and inviting and receive bipartisan
support. It needs to empower the community in its own way and open
the 'doorway' to a greater understanding of politics and government in Australia
You may also be interested in learning more about Australian Citizenship
What does Harmony Day mean to me?
Story written by Sue Ellson 19/3/09
What does the ‘Harmony Day’ mean to me?
After growing up in conservative, ‘big country town’ Adelaide, I loved visiting my family on Kangaroo Island and mixing with the international guests staying at Ellson’s Seaview Motel. They told interesting stories, looked different, sounded different and seemed so much more fascinating than the ‘twin set and pearls’ brigade that was more familiar to me.
I remember in high school how children with Italian parents could not go out with children of Greek parents. How Catholics were not allowed to marry Protestants. Worse still, that awful comment ‘spot the Aussie’ when there were many people of a non-Caucasian background in the one location. Or the insulting, he couldn’t get an Aussie woman so he married an Asian.
So you can imagine how excited I was to come to Multicultural Melbourne in 1994. Despite not recognizing anyone for months (until I spotted a well known television actor), feeling as though everyone was staring at me and being struck by the overwhelming presence of black clothing, I felt more at home here than I ever did in Adelaide.
Six years later, I had a surprise birthday party and I looked around the room at all of my multicultural friends and I burst into tears – these people were my second family and I loved them just as much as my own family.
So I continue to support diversity in Australia in everything that I do. Moving to a new country and changing your life is the ‘last frontier’ left to us as human beings. So many things have been achieved and added to the record books, but choosing to live in a new country requires guts, courage and the ability to face constant challenges and rejection.
But what got me through my own transition was a woman who had also moved (albeit another Australian from Queensland via Canberra to Melbourne). She knew how hard it was to relocate and after 10 years of research, service and stories, I know that the most critical ingredient to success in a new location is friends. They make you feel as if you belong.
Our civilized, western, mostly secular and democratic culture understands the need for all people to belong and for everyone to get along. In Australia, we really are the lucky country and this constant mixing of cultures enables us all to see new perspectives, challenge our thinking and strive for a better life for our children. For me, it is peace on earth. That is the beauty and charm of diversity. Long may it continue.
But on our journey ahead, let us celebrate the successes but also seek new ways to capitalize on our strengths. The media still has an important role to play. Our society is shaped by thought and opinion leaders who get ‘air time.’ Labels are something that have been placed on people for way too long.
It is hard to believe that 100 years ago, people with disabilities were hidden from society. Now buses carry wheelchairs. People of different faiths have fought wars against each other – and yet Australia will host the World Parliament of Religions. The first migrants to Australia killed many Indigenous Australians and more recent migrants have instigated programs of respect and care for the original custodians of our land.
I believe that the increased diversity in Australia has helped remove labels from many people. The only label I want is that of my own name. I proudly declare that I am a Victorian, Australian, from South Australia and thanks to my education and technology, I am a citizen of the world.
All of us have the right to be who we are (within the laws of the country we live in). I don’t want labels. I want friends. I want harmony and peace. I want respect and dignity. And lastly, I want everyone to feel that they really do belong.
What can you do for yourself and for your neighbour to ensure that ‘everyone belongs’? Once you get the idea, DO something about it. And enjoy Harmony Day on Saturday 21 March 2009.
(686) words
Sue Ellson BBus AIMM MAHRI Founder and Director, Newcomers Network http://www.newcomersnetwork.com
Supporter of Diverse Australia Program http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/advertise/diverse_australia_program_everyone_belongs_harmony_day.php
Sue Ellson first started supporting the Australian Government’s Living in Harmony initiative back in 2003. With the change of government, it has been changed to the ‘Diverse Australia Program.’
With humble beginnings 10 years ago, these programs have had a focus on reducing racism – and Sue is pleased to see the new direction towards the key message of ‘Everyone Belongs' and celebrating Harmony Day on Saturday 21 March 2009.
More information:
Is available on the Diverse Australia Program website
http://www.harmony.gov.au
See our link on the following pages:
Migrating to Australia (Logo Link)
Six Best Settlement Strategies (Text Link)
Links on this Diverse Australia Program Profile page
http://www.harmony.gov.au
Australian Citizenship
http://www.citizenship.gov.au
Australia Day
http://www.australiaday.gov.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
http://www.immi.gov.au
Harvard University Implicit Association Test
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/australia/
Living in Harmony Australia Blog
http://livinginharmonyaustralia.blogspot.com/
National Harmony Day Diary Search
https://www.ecom.immi.gov.au/harmonyday/eventListing.do
United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/racial/
Author: Sue Ellson
Page views: 3938
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