As College Captains, we are incredibly proud to reflect on our school's very first Cultural Diversity Week, a milestone that celebrated the many cultures, traditions and stories that make up our College community. When we first became College Captains, we shared a vision of creating a school-wide celebration that would recognise and embrace the rich cultural diversity within our community. We wanted every student to feel proud of their heritage, to have the opportunity to share their culture with others, and to create an environment where everyone could learn from one another. Seeing that vision become a reality has been one of the most rewarding experiences of our time as College Captains. Cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths. It allows us to learn from one another, appreciate different perspectives and build a community where every person feels respected, valued and included.
As Cultural Diversity Week progressed, we found ourselves overwhelmed with joy at the amount of participation and effort put in by the students to celebrate their heritage. To celebrate this event, we prepared various activities, beginning with a world map at the front gate on Monday. Alongside our fellow student leaders and teachers, we welcomed students into the school and asked them to place a sticker on the country where they’re from, resulting in a beautiful visual representation of the vast cultural identities that make up our community. Secondly, on Tuesday we had Abeny Mayol give us an insightful presentation, detailing her experience as a refugee in Australia. Her experience that she shared with us will help sow the seeds for further understanding, compassion, and respect for the experiences of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Australia. On Thursday we had a homeroom quiz where a homeroom with the fastest completion time and highest accuracy won a prize.
Most significantly, on Wednesday we had our very first cultural dress day. We had many students come into school in either traditional attire, flags and other clothing representing their cultural background. Additionally, we had a lunchtime event in the College Hall where students and teachers who dressed up gave a small presentation discussing their attire and the country they are representing. The presentation went extremely well, and to conclude a raffle was drawn at the end with prizes given to two winners and small treats given to all attendees. Overall, we believe that this event was a special reflection of our school’s growing appreciation and adoration of diversity, showcasing the vibrant pride in ethnic heritage that exists within our school.
We would like to thank everyone who participated, supported and helped make this inaugural celebration such a success. We hope Cultural Diversity Week becomes a cherished tradition that continues to remind us that our diversity is something to be celebrated, and that together we create a stronger, more connected school community.
