Content
USC festival to promote harmony
Bright orange clothing and international food will be in abundance tomorrow (Wednesday 21 March) as the University of the Sunshine Coast stages a lunch-time Harmony Day festival which is open to the public.
The festival, starting at 11.45am on the lawn outside the USC Brasserie, will feature cultural music and dancing, international fashion and art displays, belly dancing, indigenous art and performances, and international food.
There will be a “sausages of the world” barbecue, a shared picnic table with home-cooked international foods and Subway will provide free samples of its food.
USC Student Well-being and Health officer Allison Cuskelly said Harmony Day highlighted the relevance of multiculturalism to Australia and promoted inclusiveness, community harmony and the economic benefits available through cultural diversity.
She said festival-goers had been encouraged to dress in orange, which was the official Harmony Day colour, and orange ribbons, stickers and flyers would be distributed.
The University also will stage its popular Great Court Race for new USC students during the festival. The race is a serious event for serious runners with cash prizes donated by ANZ Bank at Chancellor Park and Subway.
USC student ambassador Tomas Passeggi will be the Master of Ceremonies. The planned program for tomorrow includes:
- 11.45am: German barrel organist Klaus Hempfing
- Noon: Tribal Wave – an interactive drumming circle
- Noon: Origami participation group
- 12.25pm: German Choir
- 12.45pm: Indigenous welcome by the Gubbi Gubbi Dance group
- 1pm: Steve and Jenny Apirana performing Maori songs
- 1.17pm: Belly dancing with voluntary audience participation
- 1.37pm: The Great Court Race
- 1.45pm: Race prize presentations, sponsored by Subway and ANZ, $125 for first male and female, plus the Dean Van der Helm Memorial Shield (presented by family); $75 for second; $50 for third
- 2-3.30pm: Free movie – “Baraka” - a “cultural and geographical experience”.