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Harmony of cultures, seniors in harmony

With NSW Seniors Week (March 18-25) and Harmony Day (March 21) falling in the same week, South Sydney Community Aid decided to combine the two celebrations and host Seniors in Harmony on March 20. The Seniors Week slogan is “Live Life!” and this year’s theme for Harmony Day was “Sport – Play, Engage, Inspire” which recognises the important role and positive influence that sport has in our multicultural nation reports Laura Kelly in the April 2012 edition of The South Sydney Herald.

The day’s program kicked off with SSCA’s very own Tai Chi group giving a spectacular demonstration, including sword and fan performances, followed by a gentle exercise lesson with local Karate duo Gayle and Mario Borg. After a short break, all the participants got on their feet to enjoy the Alexandria Park Community School Year 6 choir singing “Advance Australia Fair” in both Aboriginal and English.

Then ballroom dance teacher, Yoppy, who holds free lessons at the Redfern Community Centre every Monday, gave our seniors a taster session with a beautiful routine (with the help of a dance partner). A light lunch was served before The Ethnic Communities Council held a workshop on Saving Energy and taught the group how to make beeswax candles.

The important and profound message behind Harmony Day is that “everyone belongs”. It’s about community participation, inclusiveness and respect. SSCA-MNC aims to foster a welcoming and friendly environment that promotes all that Harmony Day represents, not just one day of the year, but all year round. We are proud to say the event was successful in bringing together approximately 45 seniors from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

To find out more about our groups email communitydevelopment@ssca.org.au. Laura Kelly is a Community Development Worker with SSCA-MNC.

Photo: Laura Kelly: Seniors enjoy a candle-making workshop

Source: The South Sydney Herald April 2012 – www.southsydneyherald.com.au