With International Women’s Day commemorations and Harmony (يوم الانسجام, 和谐 , Hòa Hợp) Week in mind, ECCQ’s Chronic Disease team highlights this year’s theme of “everyone belongs” through the eyes of our women Multicultural Health Workers.
We ask them to reflect on what harmony means to them:
“Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, as we are united by a set of core Australian values. I came from China, as a migrant I have been living in Australia for more than half of my age. I hope to continue to integrate into Australia’s society and make my own contribution as much as possible, while still sharing my Chinese culture”, Wen Hu.
“All the different cultures that come together in Australia bring many things with them: different foods, ways of dressing, languages, customs, and beliefs. Harmony Day is about celebrating these differences and learning about new cultures”, Minh Tran.
They also reflect on how they share this celebration amongst their communities:
“One of the ways we celebrate, is by bringing everyone together to share their traditional foods, dancing and singing. We also show off our traditional clothing during these celebrations, and the kids connect with each other, have their faces painted and so much fun”, Bahar Nader.
Harmony Day is about celebrating these differences and learning about new cultures, continuing to create a harmonious and equal civilized society and bring together Australians from all different backgrounds. Thank you to Wen, Bahar and Minh for their continuous efforts in sharing harmony within their communities and empowering women!
