A SCHOOL which claims to be the most multicultural school in the Newcastle, Central Coast and Blue Mountains region, brought together 29 cultures in celebration ahead of Harmony Day.
Jesmond Public School has 69 per cent of students speaking English as an additional language or dialect, and 13.4 per cent of students identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Students and staff dressed in traditional cultural clothing while others dressed in the day's symbolic shade of orange on Friday, March 8.
Cultural workshops were the popular activity for the day with an Aboriginal artefact workshop, Indonesian dance, Congolese and Yazidi culture by Callaghan College, Waratah Campus students, a Swedish cultural workshop and traditional Afghan cooking.
Jesmond Public School principal James McGill said celebrating inclusion and a sense of belonging was important for the school with many students who are new arrivals or from refugee backgrounds.
"The cultural and linguistic diversity at our school is unique to this region," he said.
He said celebrating culture gives all students a comprehensive multicultural view of themselves and their friends.
"It reinforces every day how we can all support each other no matter where we come from," he said.
"Every day is Harmony Day at Jesmond Public School."
The day was run ahead of the official Harmony Day on March 21, which is in Ramadan, to give the whole community the opportunity to join in the activities including enjoying lunch together, Mr McGill said.
