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Harmony Day

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home - from the traditional owners of this land to those who have come from many countries around the world. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.




Facts and Figures

There are some fascinating statistics about Australia’s diversity that can be good conversation-starters:
  • nearly half (49 per cent) of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was
  • we identify with over 300 ancestries
  • since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia
  • 85 per cent of Australians agree multiculturalism has been good for Australia
  • apart from English, the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Tagalog/Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi
  • more than 70 Indigenous languages are spoken in Australia.

The message of Harmony Day is Everyone Belongs

It is a day to celebrate Australia's diversity. It is a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home - from the traditional owners of this land to those who have come from many countries around the world.



Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Colour of Harmony Day

Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect. Australians can choose to wear something orange during 17-23 March to show their support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.

Harmony Day is an Australian Government programme and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Since 1999 Harmony Day has been widely celebrated across schools, childcare centres, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies.



To encourage celebrations, free Harmony Day promotional material is available to those who register events on the website. There are also educational resources for teachers and students to celebrate Harmony Day in their schools.

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