Time to Harmonise: "Celebrate Modern Australia"

Welcome, Huānyíng, Willkommen and Bienvenido to Harmony Week!

Key points:

Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity and promotes inclusion, respect and a sense of belonging.

Communities across NSW are marking the week with festivals, performances and multicultural events.

Leaders and community advocates say Harmony Week is an important opportunity to celebrate different cultures and strengthen unity.

From Tweed Heads to Tathra, schools and communities across NSW are celebrating the melting pot of multiculturalism that is Australia.

“Harmony Week is a celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds,” read a Department of Home Affairs statement.

“It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.”

What is Harmony Week?

Kick-started under the Howard Government in 1999, Harmony Day is celebrated annually on 21 March in Australia.

It coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“In 2026, more than half of Australian residents are migrants or the children of migrants,” said Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Sam Mostyn.

“And in 2025, we marked the arrival of our 1 millionth refugee.

“All the people and communities who have shaped who we are as Australians, have added immeasurably to the richness, diversity and unity of our peace-loving, modern nation.”

As Governor-General, Ms Mostyn said she visited communities all across the country throughout the year.

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“Spending time with them, listening to people share their stories is an opportunity to celebrate modern Australia as it grows, changes and continues to build our strength through harmony and diversity,” she said.

“I’ve also spent time with the Jewish community in the months since that horrific antisemitic attack at Bondi.

“Together, sometimes in synagogues and sometimes at community gatherings, we mourned and honoured those who were lost and committed to ensuring that such violent hatred be rejected across the country.”

What’s on

There are multiple Harmony Week events across Sydney.

Daceyville

Sydney Multicultural Community Services (MCS) is hosting a range of events at its centre in Daceyville.

From 10.30 am on Thursday March 25, there will be a free barbie (Halal), Indonesian dancing, African story telling (and a head wrap workshop) and Japanese Taiko drumming.

“Come and help us celebrate the achievements of Multicultural communities to Australian Society,” read an MCS statement.

Ryde

In Ryde on March 14, there are two multiple “Cultural Collections” events at the Ryde Library, celebrating Korea and Italy.

On March 18, there is a “Cultural Encounters” event at Lachlan’s Line Auditorium. It will include music, dance, poetry and performance “celebrating Ryde’s cultural diversity”.

Sutherland

On March 22, Sutherland’s Gardens of Hazelhurst Arts Centre is hosting the Festival of Harmony 2026.

The free event will “celebrate diversity, unity and community!” It will include music, dance and cultural expression from all corners of the Shire’s community.

Visit your local council’s website for more events.

“An important time”

There is no better advocate for Harmony Day than Rohingya refugee Noor Azizah.

Escaping genocide as a child from Myanmar, Ms Azizah arrived in Sydney in 2003. She is a co-founder of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, has addressed the UN and influenced refugee policy.

The 30 year old was awarded NSW Young Woman of the Year in 2024.

“I feel extremely grateful,” she said at the time.

For Ms Azizah, Harmony Week is “an important time” for all Australians.

“It is a time where we come together and celebrate each other’s differences,” she said.

“It is a particularly special time for me during the year because I get to share and embrace my own culture.”

“Harmony Week allows space for sharing and also learning from other communities.”

Preserving culture

Despite being forced to flee her country, Ms Azizah has preserved her precious culture “through language, food, traditional customs, clothing and traditional celebrations,” she said.

“This preservation of culture is common among many Indigenous communities all over the world. I am proud to call myself a Rohingya woman.”

Harmony Week “is a time where we celebrate and unite together as one,” said Ms Azizah.

“Every single person is included, and this is the beauty of Harmony Week.”

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Feature image: Canva Pro

Mike Crooks

Michael Crooks is a senior journalist with more than 15 yearsí experience in magazine reporting, writing and editing, and more than 5 years’ experience in digital content production. He is a former news editor of Who magazine and his work has appeared in People, Marie Claire, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, news.com.au, Qantas magazine and more.