By Imogen Abbott
Harmony Week is a time where we celebrate the diversity within Australia.
Events are hosted all around Australia to celebrate, and you can find them at all locations on the Australian Government’s website.
Ultimo TAFE hosted its own student-led Harmony Week event at Ultimo Campus with food, music and cultural performances.
While the sausages were sizzling students were asked about Harmony Week. Here is what they said:
Question: Do you know what Harmony Day is?
Answer: Harmony Day is about celebrating cultural diversity and making sure that everyone is included.
A: Celebrating different cultures and diversities across the world and in Australia.
A: Celebrating diversity from different backgrounds and different cultures.
A: Harmony Week is about harmony. It’s about people coming together having a good time. It began in the late 1990s as a way to try to improve relations in Australia.
Q: How do you like to spend Harmony Day?
A: With other people making sure that everyone feels together and everyone feels equal.
A: I love going out and having different foods. I have a lot of friends from different cultures and I’m half Italian. I’m very proud that I have that in my family history.
A: We’re having a BBQ today and normally morning teas, all that type of stuff like that to bring different people of all diversities together.
Q: Do you know how many Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was? (It’s 49%)
A: Over 50% maybe.
A: I guess probably 80 to 90%?
A: A lot. I mean, the latest census came out. I’m thinking it’s probably about maybe 9 or 10 million people. So maybe about 40% of the population.
A: Umm, I think 50%.
Q. Other than English, what languages do you think are commonly spoken?
A: Can I generalise European languages? Chinese and Arabic.
A: Cantonese and Punjabi.
A: Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese.
Featured image: Screen and Media students Marco and Karl. Photo: Catherine Cranston
