Australia’s largest annual celebration recognising diversity and bringing together people from all different backgrounds was held on Friday.
Multiple schools held Harmony Day activities and lessons to mark the occasion.
Coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD), the goal of Harmony Day is inclusiveness, respect and a sense that everyone belongs.
Students and staff were encouraged to wear orange to show support, while activities acknowledged the benefits and impact of Australia’s multiculturalism.
At Deniliquin South Public School, students donned orange and performed as part of a special assembly.
Families and friends were welcome to attend, and to participate in the lap of the oval after the assembly.
Edward Public School’s celebrations were based on the concept of sharing cultures through food.
Students were encouraged to bring a dish that represents their family’s culture, with dishes like pasta, platters, pizza, naan, damper, sushi, lamingtons and sausage rolls all featuring.
Students dressed in orange and participated in art and craft activities in the classroom.
Mayrung Public School also had a culinary flavour to their celebrations, with a school community lunch.
Students also took part in classroom activities.
Mathoura Public School’s celebrations were held a few days early due to another school activity on Friday.
On Wednesday, they embarked on a world tour, engaging in vibrant cultural experiences from five different countries.
In South Africa, they sang ‘I'm a Little Teapot’ in Zulu and enjoyed rooibos tea and tennis biscuits.
Next, they travelled to the Netherlands, where they learned facts about the country and practised counting to ten in Dutch, all while sampling Dutch liquorice.
The adventure continued with traditional Aboriginal games, followed by a delightful exploration of Greek food and culture.
Finally, students landed in Scotland, where they took part in a fun quiz and learned some Scottish dance moves.
At Deniliquin North School, the whole school came together for a special assembly at which all students performed songs and dances relating to kindness, including a rap written by the Year 5/6 students.
More Harmony Day activities were held in class, focusing on cultural diversity and talking about acceptance and inclusion for people with Down Syndrome and other differences.