Labor Blog

Celebrate Harmony Day on March 21

Kate Lundy posted Saturday, 4 February 2012

Last night I had the opportunity to launch Harmony Day 2012 at the KFC T20 International between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I was joined by some of the 2012 Harmony Heroes: Craig Foster (soccer), Lisa Sthalekar (cricket), Hazem El Masri (rugby league) and Mo’onia Gerrard (netball).

Harmony Day on 21 March is a celebration of the incredible diversity of our great nation.
It is a day to recognise the contribution of the many generations of Australians who have come from every corner of the globe to call Australia home. It's a day to rejoice in the vibrant prosperity of cultures and experiences that we all enjoy in Australia today.

It is particularly fitting that we were able to launch the 2012 Harmony Day activities at the MCG. This year’s Harmony Day theme - “play, engage, inspire” - pays tribute to the positive, heart-felt, unifying influence of sport in our proudly sport-loving multicultural nation. As those engaged with sport can attest, it fosters a wonderful sense of belonging and acceptance and helps build bridges of understanding and respect.

The diversity of the sports we love in Australia is a reflection of the diversity of our people. Every sport possesses the unique capacity to forge communities, build acceptance and overcome social boundaries. Sport is a powerful unifier. It allows a fuller appreciation of the wealth of Australia’s wonderful cultural diversity.

It brought everyone at the MCG together last night. For a few brief hours, under one roof, and on thousands of screens across three timezones, sport had the power to bring Australia together.

For no matter what seat you sit in - whether you're watching at home or tuned to the radio - sport unites all of us by revealing, through our actions, that we each delight to embrace a common dream: that we resonate with shared passions; that we express admiration for mutual values.

In one sense, Australian is a strong team - a team over 22 million people. Like every good team, from greatest diversity comes the greatest strength.

It is our individual differences and our ability to make those differences work and find common ground that makes a great team and makes Australia a great nation. Working together we can achieve anything.

I encourage you all to join in the Harmony Day celebrations on 21 March, a day to take pride in the cultural wealth of Australia’s people, and share in the message that 'everyone belongs'.
Tags: Multiculturalism

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8 Comments

Joseph3 from Nedlands , W.A Sunday, 5 February 2012, 22:05

Pity the 'harmony; does not seem to extend to Caucus-that is where its needed most right now. Heard Dennis Shanahan waffle on how even Ministers are now saying the Rudd challenge is gaining momentum. Which Ministers-which MPs aThe media is full of it
chris1948 from Melbourne , VIC Sunday, 5 February 2012, 20:05

Hi Zed. I agree with you.

And on your 'language' point it might not be easy but who wrote it? Work experience or well paid? Lets hope for more ministerial input than that aired recently.
zedlive from Tamworth , NSW Sunday, 5 February 2012, 18:05

No one says it's easy to get the language right.
zedlive from Tamworth , NSW Sunday, 5 February 2012, 18:05

The 2006 census had 31.3% of the country when asked what their ancestry was say "Australian" [the next was English, Irish, Scottish, Italian, German, Chinese, Aboriginal/Torres_Straits, Greek, Dutch, and Lybian [all over 1%].
zedlive from Tamworth , NSW Sunday, 5 February 2012, 18:05

I mean Australia had a population of 3.8 million at the turn of the century. Their kids and grand kids and great grand kids and great great grand kids [and more] are still with us.
zedlive from Tamworth , NSW Sunday, 5 February 2012, 18:05

Point taken Chris though I note the day rotates amongst themes and sport is this years.

My beef is that when you choose to define something as important as a nation you need to be careful not to exclude.
chris1948 from Melbourne , VIC Sunday, 5 February 2012, 14:05

Courtesy C.J.Dennis'

"Joy is --- fleetin',
Life is --- short.
Wot's the use uv wastin' it
All on --- sport?
Hitch yer --- tip-dray
To a --- star.
Let yer --- watchword be
"Australi- --- -ar!"

from 'The Australaise'
zedlive from Tamworth , NSW Saturday, 4 February 2012, 13:04

"the many generations of Australians who have come from every corner of the globe to call Australia home"

Where does "we didn't flew here we grew here" fit into this?