Harmony Day
Harmony Day is a festival observed annually on or around 21 March in Australia. It is an observance that highlights cultural diversity, inclusivity, and mutual respect.
It has evolved into Harmony Week over the years that includes a series of events up to Harmony Day.
Harmony Week 2025
Harmony Day 2025 will be observed from 18 March to 24 March 2025, with the main celebration on 21 March. Held annually in Australia, this day highlights the nation’s multiculturalism and aligns with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
What is Harmony Day
Harmony Day was first introduced as an event designed to promote a sense of acceptance for everyone irrespective of their background.
The orange colour is used for Harmony Day as it symbolises deep communication, meaningful connections, and mutual respect.
Everyone is encouraged to wear something orange and take part in the events like multicultural morning teas, community events, and cultural performances.
While Harmony Day is widely seen as a positive celebration of diversity, its origins and focus have drawn criticism for not addressing deeper issues of racism and discrimination.
The Background of Harmony Day
Harmony Day was established in 1999 by the Howard government as part of a broader initiative to promote inclusivity, respect, and unity within Australia’s multicultural society.
The date, March 21, was chosen to align with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, commemorating the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa in 1960.
Its origins trace back to an anti-racism study commissioned by Prime Minister John Howard in 1998 to explore the nature of racism in Australia and recommend strategies for an effective campaign.
The study, conducted by Eureka Research, concluded that racism was prevalent and that promoting harmony was essential.
However, the report’s findings, which suggested deeper issues of racism than acknowledged by Howard, were suppressed until 2011.
In 2003, Western Australia expanded the celebration to Harmony Week, and in 2019, the Morrison government officially adopted this name nationwide to reflect the extended activities highlighting diversity and inclusion throughout the week.
Harmony Day Celebrations in Australia
Harmony Day in Australia is organised by Department of Home Affairs, which promotes it as a celebration of diversity and inclusion.
Since its launch, over 80,000 events have been held in schools, childcare centres, workplaces, and community groups across the country.
The day emphasises the shared values of respect and inclusivity while encouraging people to learn about and appreciate the cultural traditions of others. For many first-generation migrants, it serves as an acknowledgement of their contributions to Australian society.
Criticism and Calls for Change
Despite its noble cause,Harmony Day has been subjected to a lot of criticism as it is focused on cultural diversity than directly addressing racism.
It has been argued that Harmony Day downplays critical issues like Aboriginal deaths in custody, systemic discrimination and police brutality.
Emeritus Professor Andrew Jakubowicz expressed the lack of research on fighting racism with Indigenous activists like Luke Pearson claim the day lacks practical solutions. Academic Christina Ho views the term “harmony” as ideologically driven to avoid confronting racism.
Anti-racism groups and organisations like FECCA and All Together Now question the necessity of Harmony Day and advocate for restoring the original UN name, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, to emphasise racism's existence and foster meaningful dialogue.
Australian Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi also called for this change in 2023.
Minister Andrew Giles acknowledged the original name in a 2023 media release, noting its connection to the UN observance.
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