MORE than 120 residents from the Seymour area – mostly parents, children and carers – turned out to celebrate diversity during Harmony Week celebrations at a community event on Stewart Street on March 18.
Organised by Our Place Seymour and partners Seymour College, Kids First Kindergarten and Mitchell Shire Council, the event aimed to promote the Harmony Day theme ‘everyone belongs’ and bring the Seymour community together for a free, in-person celebration.
Harmony Week is a national annual celebration of Australian multiculturalism and the diversity migrants bring to the country.
Seymour attendees were treated to a barbecue, face painting and hot and cold drinks from the Mervalicious coffee van.
Residents also had an opportunity to participate in activities run by Seymour program facilitators, including T-shirt screen printing with Gnarly Neighbours, a demonstration by puppeteer Jason Triggs and a sports session run by outside-school-hours care provider Kelly Club.
The First Nations Assembly of Victoria, Family Care, Victoria Police and Jobs Victoria set up stalls to provide adults with information and advice, and children with goodie bags.
“It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces all together after two years of limited opportunities,” Our Place Seymour community facilitator Louis Bowden said.
“There’s so many great things happening in town and the more chances families have to find out about them and to get involved, the better.”
