Page 550 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 14 March 2007
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Since the festival more than seven ambassadors from our city’s foreign embassies have approached me and highlighted the significance of the event. One said that the ACT has led the way in Australia in showcasing multiculturalism. In the few weeks since the festival I have also received an overwhelmingly positive response from community organisations involved in the festivities.
In support of multiculturalism, the Stanhope government has introduced a range of policies and programs. They are underpinned by the ACT multicultural strategy 2006-09, which was introduced last December. The strategy was developed through extensive community consultation and defines how multiculturalism will continue to be strengthened over the next four years.
This strategy was borne out of the six ministerial multicultural forums and the ministerial multicultural summit in 2005, as well as subsequent community submissions. It is a document the ACT government is very proud of, not the least because it was devised with the community addressing their express needs. Our support for multiculturalism is also embraced through the overarching Canberra social plan.
In a very practical way in 2005 the government was able to support multiculturalism through the establishment of the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre in Civic. Over 30 multicultural communities use the facility on a daily basis for a broad range of reasons, some for meetings and social events and others to provide guidance and support to vulnerable people.
Since its opening the multicultural centre has become the hub—some might say the headquarters—of cultural diversity in the ACT. The robust and enthusiastic way in which the community has embraced the centre has been wonderful to see. While many great strides have been made in promoting and maintaining multiculturalism in the ACT, this government will continue to promote multiculturalism and work with individuals and groups within our community to ensure that it is fostered. We will vigorously oppose any move by the Australian government to devalue multiculturalism and impose a new set of prescriptions that will, in effect, deny its importance in shaping contemporary Australia.
In her speech Ms MacDonald referred to a message commemorating Commonwealth Day from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II dated 12 March this year. The message stated:
… the Commonwealth to me is still at heart a collection of villages. In close-knit communities like these, there are beliefs and values we share and cherish.
The message continued:
… I believe that it is more important … to keep trying to respect and understand each other … Each of us is an individual, with ties of emotion and bonds of obligation—to culture, religion, community, country and beyond. In short, each of us is special.
The message concluded:
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