March 21 is Harmony Day in NSW, a day when Australians embrace multicultural unity. It is a national celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Premier Barry O’Farrell and Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello encouraged Australians to embrace multicultural unity today.
“NSW is proudly one of the most multicultural societies in the world”, Mr O’Farrell stated. “More than 1.8 million people, or a quarter of the state’s population, were born overseas and over 60 per cent have at least one parent who was born abroad. We celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity today in the knowledge that more than 200 languages are spoken in homes across NSW”.
The sense of community in NSW is strong as a result of celebrations such as Harmony Day, which unites people from diverse backgrounds by advocating peace and tolerance.
“The population of NSW is growing and initiatives such as Harmony Day help ensure Australian children are raised to treat people from different cultural backgrounds with dignity and respect”, Mr O’Farrell said.
Mr Dominello said Harmony Day, an Australian Government initiative started in 1999, is an occasion for people in NSW to strengthen their understanding of other cultures. “The promotion of intercultural and interfaith activities is at the heart of Harmony Day and these principles underpin the success of our multicultural society in NSW”, he added.