Harmony Day

About Harmony Day

Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year.

It is managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our nation and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity.

DIAC supports a range of community events and activities held to celebrate Harmony Day by providing free promotional products.

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.

There is no limit to the range of activities that can be held for Harmony Day and we encourage schools, community groups, local government and businesses to get involved and actively support this day of celebration.

Things to remember when planning your event

These are some of the things you may want to consider when planning your Harmony Day event.

• Who is your intended audience?
• How can you best involve them?
• What will they get out of this event?
• What message do you want them to take away from the event?
• How will you let them know what's on?

Creative ideas for your Harmony Day celebrations

There are many ways that you can celebrate Harmony Day. It just depends on how you want to bring people together in your school, community or organisation.

What do you want to do that celebrates the vibrant cultures, races and religions that make up Australian society?

Some favourite activities are:

• Sport, dancing and eating - play world sports together and involve everyone, learn new dances from countries across the world, or enjoy the foods of different cultures
• Arts and crafts - use your creative abilities to make something that symbolises the different cultures of your local community. You could even hold a poster or art competition.
• Music and sounds - apply your musical talents to reflect your experience of different cultures or traditions. Rhyme and rap to a story about culture and experience. You could hold a concert for everyone to enjoy.
• Talk it up - meet someone new from your class, school or community and learn about their culture. Do an oral history project by interviewing someone from a different country and share it with others. You could write, record or even film the interview.
• Listen and learn - invite someone who has migrated to Australia to come and share their story and culture with your class. You could even research more information about their story or write about your own.