Carlton community comes together for Harmony Day celebrations

Students from the University of Melbourne are once again taking the lead in organising Carlton Harmony Day on April 12 at Carlton Primary School, an annual celebration of community and cultural diversity.

Now in its third year of, the event fosters collaboration between university students and the local Carlton community.

Padmini Sebastian, director of engagement and partnerships at the University of Melbourne, highlighted the significance of the event and its deep-rooted ties to the community.

“It’s really exciting that students, once again, for the third year in a row, are working with the Carlton Community Network to project manage Harmony Day,” she said.

“We have Master of Arts students doing this as part of their subjects, so it's embedded in the curriculum, and they're being guided by their lecturer.”

This year’s Harmony Day promises a vibrant mix of performances and community engagement activities.

“We've got music students who have formed the Chinese Music Ensemble, and they'll be performing. We also have oral health, speech pathology, audiology, and optometry students providing information to young kids and families about taking care of their health,” Ms Sebastian said.

“It’s a really lovely blend of students studying different subjects and doing different courses, coming together in the neighbourhood to celebrate the extraordinary diversity of Carlton.”

For students involved, the event is not just about celebration but also about valuable skill-building.

One of the student organisers who serves as the communications team leader, Can Wang, shared how the experience has shaped their professional development.

“What I enjoy most about the event is the valuable opportunity to collaborate with both my team and the broader community to create something meaningful. This experience has helped me develop key skills that will benefit my future career, such as teamwork, communication, and strategic marketing,” Can told Inner City News.

“Leading social media promotion on platforms like Facebook, Rednote, TikTok, and Instagram gave me practical experience in digital promotion. Working directly with the community, especially through flyer distribution and weekly meetings, has allowed me to engage with diverse organisations. Most importantly, I learned how to understand different perspectives.”

Ms Sebastian emphasised that the University of Melbourne sees itself as an integral part of the Carlton community, and values active participation in events like Harmony Day.

“We want to be active, and there’s no better way than being part of the Carlton Harmony Day because it really brings us all together. It reminds us that we're part of a connected community that cares.”

With a program full of cultural performances and community activities, this year’s Harmony Day is set to be another enriching and unifying celebration. •