Today is Harmony Day. It is celebrated annually on 21 March in Australia and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is a day about celebrating belonging, inclusiveness and diversity, and about fostering cultural respect. It is also about confronting xenophobia and racism.
Cultural diversity is an important value in the modern world. As our workplaces, our schools, our hospitals, and indeed our country, become more and more diverse, fostering a culture of respect and inclusion is essential in creating a just and fair society.
Learning about other cultures helps us to recognise alternative perspectives about life. This leads to new ways of thinking, new forms of innovation, and ultimately to a greater understanding of the world in which we live. In addition, cultural diversity helps us to develop empathy and compassion. As we interact with and learn about others, we confront our own prejudices.
Australia is a multicultural country. Diverse migrant communities have settled in Australia, bringing with them food, lifestyle and cultural practices, which have been absorbed into the mainstream and are now part of our everyday life. Today, we celebrate our multiculturalism.
The theme of this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is “mitigating and countering rising nationalist populism and extreme supremacist ideologies”.
Extremist movements based on ideologies that seek to promote nationalist agendas are on the rise around the world. These movements fuel racism, discrimination and xenophobia, and often target religious or ethnic minorities.
Last week’s terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand was a horrific example of this. It reinforces the need to continually push back against extreme views and hate speech. It reinforces the need to strengthen our communal and cultural bonds, and to proudly stand up for each other.
Have a read of this opinion piece in the University of Sydney blog for some thoughts on how Australia can combat racism and promote diversity.
Together we can make this world a better place.