Did you know that over half of all Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was? With that knowledge, it is hardly surprising that we are one of the most culturally diverse societies on the planet, and that is something to celebrate! March 21^st is national Harmony Day, a day to recognise and celebrate the different cultures that go into our unique cultural make-up. Many schools, businesses and community organisations hold special events on this day and enjoy the opportunity to try a range of activities and sample diverse cuisines that reflect the different cultures within their communities.

The government website, www.harmony.gov.au contains a lot of useful information for those wanting to get involved. In includes ideas for people wishing to organise a new event, and has extensive lists of great ideas to choose from. Some suggestions include a community BBQ, community performances or a Multicultural Festival. These events could run over the course of a whole day or just the afternoon. Smaller scale ideas are just as meaningful, though, and might suit a smaller sized organisation. It could be a staff morning tea with a range of tasty foods of different origins, or a fun run where participants wear orange, the Harmony Day colour, to draw attention to the meaning of the event.

The Department of Social Services, through the Harmony Day website, also encourages people to register their events. If events are open to the public, they will be added to the site, and can then draw more attendees. There are also official promotional materials that are sent out to registered events, including stickers, balloons and signage, to help unify the events across the nation. Since the inception of Harmony Day in 1999, there have been over 60,000 events held on March 21^st , celebrating our multiculturalism. The day coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, so events taking place on March 21^st can also carry the significance of that occasion to their communities.

The Harmony Day website also has template files that can be used to promote Harmony Day events, including invitations that can be customised to hold information about your event. There are also postcards and posters that can be downloaded for your advertising purposes. This year’s theme is “Everybody Belongs”, and every community could benefit from this message being spread far and wide. So, what can you do in your organisation to celebrate Harmony Day? Whatever it is, it is likely to be educational, and bound to be a lot of fun.