Harmony Day 2011

Sacred Sites Tour

7 March from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

The first 18 people to rsvp will be taken on a tour to the Hindu Murugan Temple, Gallipoli Mosque and Saint Patrick's Catholic Church - the tour will include a free Lebanese lunch and Harmony Day grocery bag. Please rsvp by 28 February to 9840 9948 or by email to: harmony@holroyd.nsw.gov.au.

Street Party Competition

Applicants must write in 100 words or less how they will celebrate harmony and involve their neighbours. The top two responses received will win $400 to celebrate Harmony in their Street. Entries can be submitted via email or post to: harmony@holroyd.nsw.gov.au or P.O Box 42 Merrylands, NSW 2160. Entries close on 14 March.

A cover note will need to be added which includes contact information, which street you live in and how many people are already interested in participating in the party. The street party will need to be held at the end of March or in April (depending on Council traffic regulations).

For ideas visit: http://www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au/safetystreet/community_safety.

The chosen applicants will be provided with advice and support to undertake this activity.

N.B. the successful applicants will not be permitted to close off any part of the street or cause disruption to traffic. Activity will need to take place on the footpath with adequate walking space remaining for pedestrians.

Some options include:

• holding a free bbq for the neighbours (be careful to check everyone’s dietary requirements - vegetarian, vegan, no pork etc). Why not ask the neighbours to provide one song each from their cultural background to play while you share your food

• holding a massive garage sale (or bartering swap) and street picnic with each household responsible for cooking one thing from their cultural background

• holding a multicultural sports event with games like bocce, tug of war, soccer, cricket, mah jong and so on

• Having a demonstration of some of the cultures represented in your street (i.e. how to make pastizzi, how to make a chinese lantern, how to dress in a sari)

• Having a lantern night time display with the theme being harmony

Photographic Exhibition

Open in the Council exhibition foyer space from 1 March to 29 March (8am to 4.30pm). The exhibition will include photos of young people from the Holroyd area. The theme for the exhibition will be harmony and culture.

A special morning tea with sweets from around the world will be held on 21 March at 10am to recognise the work of the young people involved and enjoy photos of some of the activities already held. The exhibition space and morning tea is located at Holroyd City Council, 16 Memorial Avenue Merrylands NSW 2160.

Multilingual Story time

All sessions start at 10.30am:

• Arabic, Tuesday 1 March, Merrylands Central Library

(Corner of Miller & Newman Streets, Merrylands)

• Hindi, Thursday 3 March, Wentworthville Library

(2 Lane Street, Wentworthville)

• Maltese, Tuesday 8 March, Greystanes Library

(732 Merrylands Road, Greystanes)

• Chinese, Thursday 17 March, Merrylands Central Library

(Corner of Miller & Newman Streets, Merrylands)

• Dinka, Tuesday 29 March, Merrylands Central Library

(Corner of Miller and Newman Streets, Merrylands)

• Tamil, Wednesday 30 March, Wentworthville Library

(2 Lane Street, Wentworthville)

All parents and carers are encouraged to take their children along to these sessions regardless of their child’s cultural background. The sessions will be an opportunity to hear a children's book read in another language and then in English. Songs and a craft activity will also be delivered.

Harmony Day is organised by Holroyd City Council in partnership with The Hills Holroyd Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre, Boronia Multicultural Services, Merrylands Community Health Centre, Holroyd Local Area Command, the Australian Chinese Community Association, Holroyd High School, and community members.

For further information, please contact: Raffaela Cavadini, Council’s Community Development Officer on 9840 9948.

ENDS