Harmony Week | 20th – 26th March 2023

#HarmonyWeek #EveryOneBelongs

Harmony Week, 20th to the 26th of March 2023, is a Week of celebration.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was.  During Harmony Week we bring together Australians from all different backgrounds and recognise our diversity.  It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Whilst Harmony Week is a uniquely Australian event, it coincides with Harmony Day, which takes place on the 21st of March each year.  Harmony Day is also known as the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  The world observes this date as the Day freedom from racial discrimination should be acknowledged and maintained as a human right.  However, many people still face racism. Whilst Harmony Week is a celebratory event, it also serves to campaign against discrimination.

Australia has an incredible history of multiculturalism; from the oldest continuous culture in the world of our First Nations people to the cultures of our newest arrivals from many countries around the world, Australia is a vibrant, multicultural land with more than 300 ancestries and more than 70 Indigenous languages spoken.

This Week reminds us that we should celebrate this and work together to promote the message of harmony.

At Illawarra Legal Centre, we are committed to fostering an environment where “everyone belongs”.  We strive to assist people to realise their legal rights, promoting social justice for all and providing a safe and inclusive environment.

We continue to actively protect the human rights of those who are vulnerable and seek to change the structures that systematically undermine those rights.

The message of respect and belonging can be lived by each of us, every day, not just during Harmony Week

#HarmonyWeek

#EveryOneBelongs

#HarmonyDay

To find out more visit: 

https://www.harmony.gov.au/about

https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-racism-day