More than 400 TAFE students celebrated Harmony Day at the Loganlea campus with a festive multicultural parade and entertainment line-up.
Students in traditional dress from Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Australia joined a colourful parade before enjoying a special performance by a choir of students studying English as a second language.
Harmony Day at TAFE Queensland’s Loganlea campus is championed by the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).
TAFE Queensland’s AMEP manager at Loganlea, Nilly Weerackody, said students looked forward to Harmony Day each year.
“Harmony Day is so important to the students because they want to feel accepted and like they belong,” she said.
“Some students have had to flee their country to come to Australia – and they have done that in search of peace and harmony.
“You can see such pride on their faces when they stand up and sing I Am, You Are Australian and our Australian national anthem. They are new Australians and they really, really value that.”
After the parade and celebrations, the student body moved to the courtyard to share in a multi-cultural feast of international food supplied by the students.
“It is so lovely to see the students taking interest in each other’s traditional dress, taking photos of each other and also sampling food from around the world.”
