Ciao, namaste, bongu, hallo, nǐ hǎo, hello!

Council is inviting residents to celebrate Multicultural March and Harmony Week, which both kick off in just a few short weeks.

Multicultural March, which runs for the entire month of March, and Harmony Week, which runs from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 March, are opportunities to celebrate living in a culturally diverse society, to say no to racism and to re-commit to the values of harmony.

This year, Council will be celebrating with:

• A new display on the corner on Argyle and John Streets, from Wednesday 15 to Tuesday 21 March;
• Online awareness and educational Harmony Week messaging, to raise awareness and provide information about the significance of orange;
• A special Paint the Town REaD Cultural Book List delivered to local children and families from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 March;
• Camden Cultures Concert and Dinner on Friday 17 March, 6.30-9pm, at Julia Reserve Community Centre;
• Harmony Week Community BBQ on Tuesday 21 March, 5.30-7.30pm, at Dawson-Damer Park, Oran Park;
• Harmony Day Messaging on Council’s social media accounts; and
• Multicultural Storytime Sessions on:
• Monday 27 February, Wednesday 1 and Friday 3 March at Narellan Library;
• Tuesday 14 and Thursday 16 March at Camden Library; and
• Monday 27 and Wednesday 29 March at Oran Park Library.

Mayor of Camden, Cr Therese Fedeli, said the Camden area was a fantastic melting pot of cultures, traditions, beliefs and customs which should be embraced and celebrated.

“Did you know Camden’s residents come from more than 110 different countries?” Cr Fedeli said.

“We speak more than 80 different languages, observe more than 40 different religions and about 22 per cent of us speak a language other than English at home. How fantastic is that!

“Celebrating and embracing our multiculturalism and learning about the cultures of those around us means we’re making a special effort to be inclusiveness and respectful. Most importantly of all, it shows others they belong regardless of their background. At the end of the day, we’re all united by being Australians. 

“You’ll see a lot of orange this month, as it’s the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect.”

For more information, and to register for any of the activities on offer, visit https://www.camden.nsw.gov.au/community/support/multicultural-communities/multicultural-march-and-harmony-day-activities/