Cultural Diversity Week (12-20 March), Victoria’s annual celebration of multicultural diversity, was officially launched last 12 March by Victorian Premier the Hon Daniel Andrews MP at the Premier’s Gala Dinner.
Around 1400 members of Victoria’s diverse communities attended the glittering event held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, which included a Victorian themed three-course meal and live multicultural performances.
Speakers at the event included the Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Ms Helen Kapalos, the Premier of Victoria the Hon Daniel Andrews MP, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs the Hon Robin Scott MP and Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Matthew Guy MP, who all expressed their enduring support for Victoria’s multicultural communities and the state’s diversity.
A social media success #StandInHarmony was trending on Twitter on the night with people taking the opportunity to join the conversation and show their support for Victoria’s multicultural diversity.
Ms Kapalos said: “The night, was a huge success, ran very smoothly and was an honour and a pleasure to be part of. The level of support shown by everyone who participated, everyone joining in with the celebrations was really wonderful to see – the whole evening was genuinely inspirational and is testament to the level of support there is across the board for Victoria’s multicultural diversity.”
This year’s theme is ‘Together we stand in harmony’, shining a spotlight on Victoria’s diverse musical heritage and the ability of music to transcend cultural barriers, bringing people together in a spirit of celebration and harmony.
Presented by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), the week-long, state-wide celebration opens with the Premier’s Gala Dinner on Saturday 12 March and culminates with Victoria’s Multicultural Festival at Federation Square on Sunday 20 March. You can find out more at www.culturaldiversityweek.com.au
Cultural Diversity Week was established in 2003 and is held annually to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
