Salisbury shows what it means to be an Intercultural City
South Australia’s only Intercultural City is hosting a major community event to celebrate Harmony Week.
The annual celebration of cultural diversity will spread excitement across the city with a range of events, culminating in a vibrant main event on Friday, 28 March, from 10am to 2pm at the Salisbury Community Hub (Salisbury Civic Plaza / Inparrinthi Kumangka).
This exciting finale will showcase the city’s commitment to diversity, bringing the community together for a day of cultural performances, an Intercultural Parade, and a mini market featuring food and goods from refugee and migrant entrepreneurs.
Over the past 10 years, Salisbury’s Harmony Week main event has grown from a gathering of 100 people to a lively city-centre festival that attracts over 1,000 attendees.
If you haven’t experienced this event before, make this the year you do. The City of Salisbury is a place where people from all backgrounds feel welcome, and Harmony Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the many cultures that make our city so special. I encourage everyone to attend this incredible celebration of diversity.
Main event highlights
- A vibrant Intercultural Parade with over 200 people proudly wearing cultural dress, celebrating their heritage.
- Headline performances by internationally acclaimed artists including Farhan Shah and Sufi Oz, an award-winning ensemble blending traditional and contemporary Sufi qawwali music; Lazaro Numa, a Cuban-born trumpeter and composer fusing Latin, jazz, and classical music; and Vonda Last, a First Nations singer-songwriter reviving language through soulful music.
- Address by the Hon. Zoe Bettison Minister for Tourism and Multicultural Affairs.
- Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony led by Uncle Allen Edwards Sr.
- Live multilingual radio coverage Outdoor broadcasting including Radio Italia Uno and Salisbury’s own PBA FM, which won the 2024 Broadcast Radio Award for its outdoor coverage of this event.
The Jack Young Centre Aboriginal Social Group loves leading the Intercultural Parade each year at Harmony Week because it’s a unique time to walk together with hundreds of community members, celebrating all cultures and proudly wearing traditional dress from around the world here in Salisbury.
With one-third of Salisbury’s residents born overseas and over 32% speaking a language other than English at home, this is more than just a Harmony Week celebration – it’s a reflection of how Salisbury thrives as an Intercultural City. As one of only three accredited Intercultural Cities in Australia, and the only one in the state, Salisbury doesn’t just embrace diversity – it sets the benchmark for celebrating interculturalism, creating opportunities for connection, interaction, and understanding across cultures.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in cultural attire or orange to support Harmony Week and experience firsthand what makes this community so special.
As a dance group based at Wat Khmer Santipheap in Burton, we are incredibly proud to participate in Salisbury Council's Harmony Day each year. This vibrant celebration not only invites us to showcase our Cambodian culture through dance but also unites our community in a beautiful way. Our involvement in both the parade and the performances allows us to express our heritage and connect with the wider community.
It's truly inspiring to see everyone come together – our dedicated Buddhist monks proudly march alongside us, demonstrating their commitment to sharing our traditions. Harmony Week is a fantastic platform for us to not only celebrate our own culture but also to engage with others from diverse backgrounds. Through storytelling, performing arts, and delicious food, we learn, mingle, and create lasting connections.
This event means so much to us, as it fosters a sense of pride and inclusivity, reminding us of the beauty in our differences. We can't wait to celebrate and share our culture with everyone again this year!
For main event key details, vibrant photos and a recap video of last year’s successful event, visit www.salisbury.sa.gov.au/harmony
For other programs/events from 17 to 28 March, visit www.salisbury.sa.gov.au/harmonyweek