Sophie Conlon
HARMONY has been high on the agenda this week at Mount Gambier North Primary School with Harmony Week celebration and teaching in full swing.
Year 6 students Shakaya, Emren and Hope said Harmony Week was important to learn about at school.
Emren said it was important to learn that no matter a person’s skin colour, everyone should be treated the same.
“Harmony Day means for me all the countries coming together and celebrating the fact that we’re all equal and everybody belongs,” she said.
Shakaya said to her, Harmony Day was about embracing who you are.
“Everyone’s allowed to be themself and no one’s different,” she said.
Hope said Harmony Day taught her that no one should be treated differently and learning about it now would help her navigate her future.
“It means for me that everybody should be treated equally no matter what,” she said.
“So when we grow up we all learn to treat everybody kind and equally.”
In learning about Harmony Day, Emren said each class designed a t-shirt that represented what harmony meant to them.
Intensive English Language Program (IELP) leader Arm Puangpaka organised the school’s Harmony Day activities and said it was important to teach the next generation to understand, celebrate and embrace everybody’s cultural differences.
“We need to give a chance for students to see the difference, because some students haven’t been overseas and we cannot close them off and complain about racism because they don’t have a chance to see the difference,” she said.
“As educators, we need to give students a chance to celebrate multiculturism; by celebrating, they will understand.”
Ms Puangpaka said through the week the school had been learning about different countries and cultures, exploring their food and music and also had some special guest speakers.
She said a representative from the Migrant Resource Centre would talk to students about Harmony Day from the organisation’s perspective.
A speaker from SA Police will also talk at the school to explain their role in Australia, Ms Puangpaka.
“A lot of our students, especially the migrants and refugees have beliefs, we would like them to understand that police are not scary, police can help you if you need help here,” she said.
She said the school prided itself on being inclusive of all cultures.
“Everyone brings their own input, culture and perspective and we all study here happily together,” she said.
