<
https://theconversation.com/how-sydneys-cultural-festivals-cultivate-a-sense-of-hope-and-optimism-for-australias-future-244639>
"Multiculturalism is central to Australia’s identity, with more than half the
population coming from overseas or having parents who did.
Most Australians view multiculturalism positively. However, many experience a
declining sense of belonging and ongoing discrimination. When surveyed in 2024,
one in three migrants from non-English-speaking backgrounds reported dealing
with racial, ethnic or religious discrimination in the past 12 months.
In this context, cultural festivals present a valuable opportunity. They help
remove barriers between different communities and build understanding across
cultures.
We studied two cultural festivals in Sydney, the Africultures Festival and the
New Beginnings Festival, to investigate the impact they had on communities.
Through interviews and surveys, we found cultural festivals are meaningful to
the people they celebrate and enriching for non-migrants who attend them. These
events help cultivate a sense of hope and optimism for Australia’s future as a
multicultural society."
One of my favourite things about Autsralia: most of the larger cities and many
of the smaller ones have regular cultural festivals, especially Sydney and
Melbourne. Many, many festivals every year!
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
