Event Resource KitWhat Is Cultural Diversity Week?

Cultural Diversity Week is Victoria’s largest multicultural celebration, featuring a week-long program of festivals and events in metropolitan and regional areas.

Proudly presented by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), with support from the Victorian Government, the week invites all Victorians to embrace each other’s cultural heritage and join in the celebrations.

Now in its 15th year, Cultural Diversity Week is held annually in March to coincide with the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Harmony on March 21.

Throughout the week, hundreds of organisations and community groups will host a variety of events and activities to encourage Victorians to participate.

Our Journey, Our StoriesVictoria is home to people of many different cultures and faiths. Multiculturalism is a part of our identity… it’s part of our character and everyday life.

Since the traditional owners first inhabited the land, Victoria has been built on waves of migration. Today, almost half of Victorians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas.

Our diverse communities have made us prosperous and strong. And our differences don’t divide us, they unite us.

In 2017, we are celebrating what multiculturalism has brought to Victoria by reflecting on the journey so far and showcasing the collective stories that have helped shape and enrich our ever-diversifying community. We are encouraging Victorians to share their stories of cultural heritage and identity.

We encourage you to incorporate the theme of ‘Our Journey, Our Stories’ into your events and activities as much as possible.

Key MessagesKey messages help focus what we do during the week, and can be incorporated into all aspects of your event, including the objectives, promotion, running schedule, and evaluation.

Victoria is considered to be one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world.

Multiculturalism is a part of the Victorian identity, character and way of life.

Victoria has been built on waves of migration since the traditional owners of the land first inhabited the land.

Almost half of Victorians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas.

Cultural Diversity Week acknowledges the contributions of people who have migrated to Victoria, alongside the traditional owners of the land.

Cultural Diversity Week is proudly presented by the VMC with support from the Victorian Government.

In 2017, Victoria is celebrating 15 years of Cultural Diversity Week. Sharing culture and traditions with our fellow Victorians helps promote

mutual understanding and respect. We each have our own unique story to share about our cultural heritage. When we share our stories, we find there is more that unites us than

divides us. Our stories of cultural heritage and identity have the power to break down

barriers between cultures and languages and bring us closer together.

Cultural Diversity in VictoriaVictoria is one of one of the most multicultural places in the world.

At the 2011 Census, the total population of Victoria was 5,354,042 persons. Of these 5.3 million people, 26.2 per cent were born overseas in more than 200 countries.1

Nearly half of all Victorians, 46.8 per cent, were born overseas or had at least one parent who was born overseas.2

Over 23 per cent of Victorians indicated they spoke one of 260 languages other than English at home and 67.7 per cent followed a total of 135 faiths.3

Between the 2006 and the 2011 Census, the Victorian population has grown by more than 420,000 people, of which approximately 60 per cent was gained through net overseas migration.4

Migrants, whether they have come by choice or necessity make a significant contribution to Victoria’s economic, social and cultural fabric.5

Since World War II, over 7.5 million people have made Australia their home.6

Of these, over 800,000 have been refugees and humanitarian entrants from a diverse range of countries.7

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011, ‘2011 Census QuickStats: Victoria’, viewed 20 Jan 2016, http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/2?opendocument&navpos=220 2 Ibid 3 Ibid 4 Ibid 5 Cultural Diversity: the benefits of business, Scanlon Foundation Factsheet 20136 http://www.border.gov.au/about/corporate/information/fact-sheets/02key accessed 20 Jan 20157 Ibid

Ideas For EventsStories and storytelling can easily be included in your learning about cultural diversity. Below is a list of ideas and activities for you to consider:

Organise a festival in your area with a focus on food, performances and storytelling.

Sport is a wonderful way to break down barriers, host a sporting competition to engage your wider community.

Host a morning or afternoon tea, inviting your community to share a dish that represents their cultural heritage.

Host a cultural parade to showcase traditional dress and costumes. Organise a talk with a speaker or speakers from a multicultural

background. Invite a local author, community leader or historian from Victoria’s

multicultural community to tell a story or make a presentation at your event.

Research your cultural heritage by speaking to senior members of your family and community.

Showcase your community’s cultural heritage, incorporating dance, music performances, arts, crafts and speakers.

Tour culturally significant areas in your community or area. Show a film or multiple films from your culture or different cultures. Hold a community competition showcasing an aspect of multiculturalism

with a presentation ceremony during Cultural Diversity Week. Organise a street party or community picnic. Go on an adventure walk. Write and perform a poetry, spoken word, dance or song performance that

reflects your cultural background at a community event.

Tips For A Successful EventDate and time

Check to see if there are any other major events scheduled for the day which will reduce the number of attendees

Think about the type of event you want to hold and if the time you have scheduled it for is appropriate

Venue Check the venue capacity and work out if you think are going to get a

similar number of attendees. If the venue is too big or small consider changing it.

Make sure the venue can accommodate your event set up. Different types include: Theatre style (rows of chairs facing one end of the room) Banquet (seated at a round table with no spaces) Cabaret (seated at a round table with all guests facing the front) Classroom (seated at long benches facing the front) Cocktail (standing)

Note: Each of these setups will have different requirement for maximum numbers at a venue.

Book the venue to allow for set up and pack down so you are not rushed. If you have booked an outdoor venue have a contingency plan if there is

bad weather (too hot and too cold/ raining).

Format Keep the official proceedings as short as possible to allow guests to enjoy

the other aspects of the event. Try to keep speeches to a maximum of five minutes per person. Include an acknowledgement of country where appropriate at the very

start of the event. For more information for recognising Traditional Owners visit the Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria website http://www.vic.gov.au/aboriginalvictoria/heritage/welcome-to-country-and-acknowledgement-of-traditional-owners.html

If the event has multiple speakers, consider incorporating an MC as they can introduce and thank speakers where appropriate, and help keep the event flowing.

Have the most important person speak first. If you have multiple speakers, it can be helpful to provide them with ideas

for what they can talk about to prevent duplication and ensure speakers complement each other.

Simple Event Planner Allowing enough time to plan for an event can be one of the toughest parts of the planning process, but our timeline below is designed to assist with this for simple events. For a more detailed planner, please see Victorian Multicultural Commission events checklist.

Stage 1 Finalise type of event Choose a date, time and book a venue Confirm availability of VIPs Design invitations or promotional materials for advertising, or download

from our promotions kit.

Stage 2 Send invitations Send out promotional materials to as many places as possible (including

the Victorian Multicultural Commission) Register your event on the Victorian Multicultural Commission Events

Calendar Order your promotional materials from the Victorian Multicultural

Commission

Stage 3 Track RSVPs and send out reminder if numbers are low Book catering and AV Organise photographer

Stage 4 Follow up with guests who have not RSVP’d

Stage 5

Confirm final numbers for catering Organise run through for volunteers assisting and VIPs if needed Deliver items to venue Record all suppliers’ contact details

Stage 6 Arrive at venue in enough time to set up Brief all volunteers Meet with AV, catering and any other suppliers Organise on site run through Enjoy yourself!

Stage 7 Ask for feedback from volunteers to work out what went well and what

didn’t Pay suppliers Post photos of the event to social media (including the Victorian

Multicultural Commission) and use other avenues for post event promotion

Promote Your EventThere are multiple cost effective and easy ways to promote your event. More information is available in our Online Promotion kit.

Use your social media accounts to get the word out Tag the Victorian Multicultural Commission in your social promotions

Facebook: @multiculturevic Twitter: @multiculturevic Instagram: @multiculturevic Hashtag: #myvicstory

Send out a media release to your local media outlet Ask your friends and colleagues to help spread the word. Register your event on the Victorian Multicultural Commission events

calendar: Step 1: visit

http://www.culturaldiversityweek.com.au/events/community/add Step 2: enter the details of the event, including a photo Step 3: your event will be reviewed by the Victorian Multicultural

Commission team and if suitable, published Step 4: you will receive an email when your event is live Step 5: link your promotional materials to the events calendar to

ensure additional promotion

Other Ways To Get InvolvedHosting an event is not the only way to celebrate Cultural Diversity Week.

Attend Cultural Diversity Week eventsThe Victorian Multicultural Commission hosts Melbourne based events we would love to see you attend:

Victoria’s Multicultural Festival: Bring your family and friends to this free, family-friendly festival at Federation Square on Saturday 25 March 2017. The event celebrates the best our multicultural state has to offer, and has something for everyone, from international cuisines to music and dance performances across four stages. There’s also cultural workshops, sporting activities, a world arts and craft market, roving performers and free kids activities.

VMC Film Festival:This year, we are introducing a new short film competition and festival to encourage young Victorians to explore the theme ‘Same, same but different: Is there more that unites us than divides us?’. The VMC Film Festival will showcase the best short films of the competition from 5-7pm following Victoria’s Multicultural Festival on Saturday 25 March at Federation Square. To find out more or to enter the competition, visit www.culturaldiversityweek.com.au

Culture Waves concert:The night will end with a youth focused music event on the Main Stage from 7.00 - 10.00pm featuring some of the hottest young acts in Victoria.

Attend your local Cultural Diversity Week event Visit our Community Events Calendar to locate an event near you.

Spread the wordStart talking about multiculturalism in your community, and engage with us on social media to share your stories.

Support new arrivals to your community

Victoria has committed to welcoming new arrivals to our country, and community support is vital in making people feel engaged and helping them to adjust. For more information, visit the Department of Social Services website.

Contact UsFor more information or support, contact the Victorian Multicultural Commission culturaldiversityweek@vmc.vic.gov.au or visit the website www.culturaldiversityweek.com.au.