We celebrate Harmony Day at my school each year. Of our 2000 students, 52 countries are represented which I just find fascinating and such an opportunity for a variety of learning activities.

Many of those students were also born in a country other than Australia and have incredible stories of their home country to share.

Harmony Week is celebrated from the 21st March to the 27th March, beginning with Harmony Day on the 21st March. This day is where we celebrate the cultural diversity of Australia and the importance of inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging. This year the theme for the day is ‘Celebrating Harmony’,

There are many things you can do that do not take alot of time but still have that punch and impact we want. This includes;

• inviting your students to wear orange or their cultural dress. Orange is the colour that represents harmony

• brainstorming synonyms for the word ‘harmony’

• creating a recipe for ‘harmony’

• discussing how we are all different and unique on both the outside and the inside

• share songs from the Music Count Us In program such as Everyone Belongs, People Hurting, We Are One. These songs advocate for and celebrate music in Australian schools. Watch the Auslan version also which is great to expose the students to

• completing a find a word with countries or words relating to Harmony Day e.g. diversity, harmony, equality, unity, belonging, multicultural

• ask students to bring in a food item from their country to share

• making a origami peace dove

• watching Ozzie to learn more about Harmony Day and Harmony Week 2022

• mapping students’ birth countries with small world flags on a world map

• share a story from another country or around the theme of ‘belonging’

• creating an art piece together as a school or as a class

• have a poster competition where students design their own art piece based on the theme ‘Celebrating Harmony’

• everyone decorating a paper doll to then create a chain. Hang it around the school to represent each individual student

• play a game of matching pictures of foods to their country of origin

• discussing and sharing different ways we say hello in our different languages - a great song to use is Global Wonders: Hello Song

The Harmony Week website has more information with links to events happening in your local area.

You can also find many more ideas, teaching activities and printables on my Laura The Explaura Pinterest board Harmony Day.

What will you be doing with your class this Harmony Day? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.