Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year. It’s about bringing people together to promote Australian values and to celebrate the Australian way of life. It’s a day to understand and commit to the benefits of living in a country that embraces common values of respect, fairness, participation, acceptance and a fair go to all. Harmony Day began in 1999 and has grown strongly since then. In 2006, there were over 5 339 registered events across Australia with tens of thousands of people taking part.

The Collingwood Football Club is committed to the Harmony Day initiatives and values. This year the celebration falls on Wednesday 21st March. Please remember this is one day of the year but the Collingwood Football Club encourages harmony all day everyday. Rhyce Shaw and Heath Shaw will be coaching their respective Development Squads (made up of refugee and new arrival adolescents) that day.

In Victoria, more than 43 per cent of our population was born overseas or has at least one parent born overseas. We speak more than 100 languages and dialects and follow more than 100 religious faiths. With figures such as this it is crucial that we continue to actively promote the benefits of Victoria’s cultural, linguistic and religious diversity through activities such as Cultural Diversity Week (March 17-23). This year the club will participate by players visiting 2 primary schools in the northern suburbs to conduct super-clinics.

It is the wonderful work that is done collectively that we have a community in Victoria that is inclusive and all embracing and that is in all our interest. Australian Football has a proud tradition in creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds. You only have to look at our current playing list to see that success.

To demonstrate the Collingwood Football Club’s commitment to being all embracing, we are one of 5 AFL Clubs that are part of the Multicultural Program. The program has been running for the last 15 months and has made tremendous progress within our multicultural society. The Multicultural Program is a joint initiative between AFL Victoria, the AFL and the Victorian Government through the Department for Victorian Communities. The program aims to introduce young people from targeted culturally and linguistically diverse communities to Australian Football and to influence mainstream Australian football clubs to embrace multicultural diversity as part of their ongoing operations. Current Collingwood player Harry O’Brien is the Ambassador for the program and is a shining example for new Australians as he has family links in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Please be reminded that when possible reflect on the values of Harmony Day and continue to support the variety of activities we run at Collingwood Football Club. If you require any further information concerning Harmony Day, Cultural Diversity Week or the Multicultural Program please contact Graeme Pratt on 8412 0108 or email graeme.pratt@afl.com.au