THE Millicent community is preparing to unite for a celebration of cultural diversity, respect and belonging.
Initiated by McArthur Park Kindergarten teacher Tracy Phillips, a Harmony Day event will take place on March 20 at the Domain Playground and centre around the message “everyone belongs”.
The ceremony will follow on from the success of last year’s and will be the largest of its kind held in Millicent, bringing together students from Millicent North, Newbery Park, St Anthony’s and Millicent High schools.
Joining the students will be children from McArthur Park and Millicent North kindergartens and the Gladys Smith Early Learning Centre, along with teachers, parents and community members.
“Harmony Day is about celebrating diversity and uniqueness and respecting our differences,” Ms Phillips said.
“It is a way of developing children’s sense of identity, community and helps them realise that we might all be different on the outside but we are the same on the inside.”
In the lead-up to the event, kindergarten and primary school students have been learning a choreographed dance to Justin Timberlake’s song Cannot Stop The Feeling under the guidance of Millicent High School child studies students.
“The high school students came to the sites to teach the children the dance steps,” Ms Phillips said.
“It gives them a real purpose and is all about bringing everyone together – everyone jumped on board.”
The event will start at 10am with a Welcome to Country by a Millicent High School student in respect to the original custodians of the land.
While the agenda for the ceremony is still to be discussed, there will be a sing-a-long to the song “Beautiful Rainbow”, a combined recess and a march.
Indigenous elder Doug Nicholls will play the humming sounds of the didgeridoo and Newbery Park Year 4 and 5 music students will attend.
Each learning site have discussed what Harmony Day means to them and will deliver their message in a unique way, which involves artwork on material strips.
These material strips will be tied to the fence of the Domain Playground where they will remain for sometime and be shared with the community.
For Lexi Johnson from McArthur Park Kindergarten Harmony Day means “boys and girls playing together on rope”.
Meanwhile, Milla Slorach compared the day to a roller coaster because “it is fun” and Heath Clark said it meant “singing on the stage and singing really loud so everyone can hear”.
The Millicent Public Library will also create a banner for children to print their hand prints on with paint at the ceremony.
“The event is all about bringing the sites and community together,” Ms Phillips said.
“It’s a sense of belonging and connectivity.
“It has the potential to be a lot bigger, it will be good if we can get the ball rolling.”
The general public is invited and encouraged to attend the event.
