Do you want to be better friends with your neighbours or stand in the shoes of someone else? We all come together to celebrate Harmony Day on 21 March every year. Harmony Day was created in 1999 to celebrate unity and diversity. It was originally an Australian celebration but is now celebrated by people and communities around the planet.
History of Harmony DayHarmony Day's origins go back before 1999 when it was first celebrated. In 2017, researchers published evidence in the journal
"Nature" that the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians came from southeast Asia over 65,000 years ago. No one really knows how they got here; although the distance was shorter then because of frozen water, they still had to arrive by sea. According to the Australian Museum, their rafts may have been made from bamboo. These first settlers, the original indigenous Australians, lived in harmony with the land for millennia.
As I'm sure you all know, the British landed at Botany Bay in 1788 to establish a penal colony. The Brits used the Australian land to replicate their European civilization, a culture that did not work in harmony with that of the indigenous peoples of Australia and resulted in the mass slaughter of the people who occupied the land. In 1998, after activists condemned the country for its racism, the Australian government commissioned a study into the nature of racism which highlighted a greater need for people to 'live in harmony'. So Harmony Day was created to encourage everyone to respect one another and appreciate Australia's multicultural background.
While Harmony Day is mainly an Australian celebration, people now celebrate it worldwide by reflecting on the ways they can live in harmony with their neighbours, regardless of their backgrounds. There have been over 55,000 Harmony Day events held since the celebration's inception.
Why Diversity is ImportantStatistics show that diverse communities, diverse companies, and diverse civilizations are happier, healthier, and more prosperous. Including everyone really does make the world a better place. Harmony Day is the ideal time to put special emphasis on celebrating all our various cultures.
WAYS TO CELEBRATE HARMONY DAY
1. Host a coffee morning.Bring your neighbours together over a cuppa to celebrate one another. You may be from different circumstances, but we all call the same place home.
2. Bake a harmony cake.Baking mixes a variety of ingredients to produce a delicious and harmonious result. Like us – a big melting pot! You can try a recipe from a different culture to share.
3. Get a choir together.Celebrate harmony in mind and voice by singing with a choir. Choose some uplifting songs from different cultures and make a joyful noise.
4. For more ideas see the
Harmony Website.
WHY I LOVE HARMONY DAY
1. It celebrates diversity.With its motto 'everyone belongs', Harmony Day reminds us to appreciate everyone, regardless of their backgrounds.
2. You can celebrate your own way.There's no set way to celebrate Harmony Day, and everyone is encouraged to mark it in the way that makes them happy, from getting together over tea to wearing national costumes.
3. It unites cultures.
Harmony Day is all about loving and understanding different cultures and ways of life and seeing how they can fit together.
Here are some FREE events in Brisbane to get you started:
The One and All Harmony Day Festival at Vedanta Centre, Springfield Lakes
The Festival will be held on Saturday 18 March from 10.00am to 2.00pm. Everyone is invited to celebrate the wonderful vibrancy of world cultures, languages, faiths and traditions. Expect to be immersed, intrigued, delighted and moved by the sounds, smells, sights and soul of this festival. There is something for all the family: folk music, market stalls, cultural performances, cooking demonstrations, kids' corner and workshops. All events are free, No booking is required. Food is available for purchase from the onsite cafe.
Heritage and Harmony Fiesta 2023
The Fiesta is a free community multicultural event for all the family. It is being hosted by Redland Museum on Sunday19 March 2023 from 9.00am to 2.00pm at Cleveland.
QUT Harmony Day Harmony Week
Celebrates cultural diversity at QUT's free Harmony Day event which is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. Student clubs will host a range of stalls and activities to engage students and staff focusing around building and showcasing the QUT community. It is being held at Queensland University of Technology on Tuesday 21 March2023 from 11.00am to 2.00pm at Kelvin Grove.
Gold Coast Harmony Festival
There will be multicultural performances, a free jumping castle and interactive workshops, Delicious international foods can be purchased or take your picnic and be entertained by traditional dances from different countries. More details
here.
"Everyone Belongs" free Community Fun Day
Coinciding with Harmony Week, Encircle Community Services' Redcliffe Neighbourhood Centre is hosting a free Community Fun Day themed "Everybody Belongs" to connect vulnerable and disadvantaged community members with essential community services in housing, healthcare, family support, disability services and more. The services expo is set against a backdrop of free activities and festivities that aim to reduce financial stress and social isolation by increasing community engagement. The Fun Day includes entertaining and educational activities for all ages including cultural performances, live music, face painting, inflatable sports and jumping castle, food, drinks, and more. On 25 March from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Redcliffe.
