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.
The Diverse Australia Program provides information and funding to help ensure all Australians are treated fairly regardless of their background.
Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year. It is managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our nation and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity.
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, thousands of schools, community groups and organisations across Australia have hosted Harmony Day events.
Our Year 5 and 6 students worked with K/1 J and Mrs Johns to make a huge Harmony Day collage. Senior students also wrote about what “Harmony” means to them. Below is what Kayla from 5/6 L had to say:
Harmony to me is a non fighting world. Harmony to me is a stop to wars. Harmony to me is a stop to teasing people because they’re different. It’s a stop to starvation in some countries. It’s a stop to young kids getting sick from working and drinking dirty water. Harmony to me is a world of peace.
Kayla L
