News
Harmony Day, 21 March 2003
Harmony Day on 21 March is part of the Commonwealth Government's Living in Harmony inititiative. Each year it provides Australians with an opportunity to get to know each other better by:
- promoting our community's success as a multicultural society;
- re-commiting ourselves to respect, goodwill and understanding between all Australians of all backgrounds;
- saying "no" to racism.
Last year students at 1200 Australian primary schools took part in Harmony Day activities across Australia.
Harmony Day 2003 is happening and schools are among the first to get involved.
On 7 February 2003, the Commonwealth Government's Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Gary Hardgrave MP launched this year's education resources, a printed kit and two highly innovative webquests.
Australia's 8000 primary schools will receive the kit through the mail and copies are available at Harmony Day.
In a Harmony Day first, teachers can now access two innovative webquests to encourage students to explore Australian diversity "on-line" at Harmony Day: -
Let's Party is for Years 3-4 students and calls them to organise a "class get together" for children from 12 different cultural backgrounds. In addition to an Indigenous Australian, party guests represent the main countries of origin of new settlers in Australia.
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Design your Shopping Centre allows Years 5-6 students to discover the diversity in their own community and then design an ideal shopping centre to meet the needs of everyone. Students use Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 census data to discover who lives in their area.
Classes who complete the shopping centre project can have it published on the Internet with a chance to win a $330 subscription to Webquest Direct, the world's largest supplier of searchable and reviewed webquests. Details are on-line.
Schools can order a free Harmony Day pack (stickers, ribbons and posters) from DIMIA Harmony Day and register their events.
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The theme for Harmony Day 2003
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UPDATES
Update 1: Final Preparations Underway
Harmony Day 2003 has a record number of events and participating community organisations.
Since January more than 2600 organisations across the country have requested information to help plan their activities in over 460 events in all States and Territories. (NSW with 131 events has the largest number).
True to its traditions, Harmony Day continues to have a local, neighbourhood, classroom, workplace focus. It seems more people are getting involved and showing the importance of communities coming together in challenging times.
Media
Network Ten and 10 Austereo FM stations in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne are airing community service announcements.
Articles and diary notes have appeared in the March editions of Women's Weekly, Family Circle, Australian Good Taste, Slimming magazine, Girlfriend, QANTAS In-Flight magazine, Classroom and Girlzklub.
Stats and Facts So Far
Most unusual product order went to Oxford, where five Canberra girls on a tutor year in a UK school are introducing their English students to the spirit of Harmony Day. (Their ACT school participated in Harmony Day last year).
The following have left the Harmony Day shelves for groups across the country:
- just under a quarter of million orange ribbons;
- 675 000 stickers;
- 8 000 primary school education kits;
- 11 740 Planning Guides and 5 200 Publicity Guides;
- 100 000 posters;
- nearly 400 000 bookmarks;
- enough Harmony Day wrap to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge 64 times.
The Colours of Harmony Day
- The greenest event: the first Harmony Day event in Sydney, an Australian Citizenship ceremony held in conjunction with the St Patrick's Day Parade. (33 Irish settlers became Australian citizens on Sunday 16 March.)
- The bluest event: probably the Gold Coast surf on 22 March when Surf Life Saving Australia profiles its diversity program
- The best colour-coordinated people: Western Australian and Australian Federal Police Officers wearing Harmony Day ribbons on Friday.
- The most red, white and blue crowd: the estimated 20 000 fans expected at the Community Game when the Sydney Swans play Carlton to start the 2003 AFL season in Sydney.
- And the most hot air: a Harmony Day-themed balloon launch as part of the Canberra Balloon Festival early Friday morning in Canberra.
Update 2: The "hot wash up" on Harmony Day 2003
2741 organisations came in to ask for help planning activities, getting products etc.
Over 500 events took place across Australia.
What's next
- On Wednesday 26 March a major business luncheon in Sydney on the theme of "Harmony in Nation-building" will feature the President of East Timor as keynote speaker.
- On Saturday 29 March there will be a Community AFL game to start the 2003 Aussie Rules season in Sydney.
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