Cultures enjoy spirit of harmony
REFUGEES from the Congo, Myanmar, Bhutan and Ukraine have been welcomed to Cairns at a Harmony Day event in Edmonton.
Hosted by CentaCare Multicultural Services, the annual event featured a welcome to country from Traditional owners, a fashion show, dance performances and a luncheon.
Almost 30 CentaCare trainees from 15 countries walked down the catwalk showcasing the rich culture and traditions from their homelands.
Kenyan fashion show participants Lena Bwami and Tiffany Kariuki are currently undergoing business event management traineeships with CentaCare.
Miss Bwami’s family originally fled the Congo to Kenya due to war and political tensions in the country before she arrived in Australia four years ago, however her father is still in Kenya. Miss Bwami said.
“We’ve been familiar with CentaCare for a long time and when the traineeship came up, they contacted us and to get one of the traineeshipS,” she said.
“After that we will be qualified event organisers. CentaCare partnered with the Cairns African Association so we will be organising the festival.”
Miss Kariuki came to Australia four years ago to reunite with her father who had been in the country for many years.
“He’s been working to get me here. I came here for work and studies,” she said.
The women hoped to get into the events industry and that Australia held a lot of opportunities for them.
Multicultural services manager Andrea Obeyesekere said CentaCare was honoured to hold community celebrations for Harmony day each year.
“This is our chance to showcase the diversity of our region and the wonderful contributions of migrants and refugees to our community,” Ms Obeyesekere said.
Harmony Day, traditionally observed on March 21 during Harmony Week, is an annual celebration of multiculturalism in Australia and is often an opportunity for schools, workplaces and the wider community to gather together and celebrate diversity.