Cultural Diversity Week Festival Celebrations

Council celebrated Cultural Diversity Week in a brand new festival format from 18-24 March 2024!

This new delivery mode of Cultural Diversity Week Festival (CDWF) meant that community members were able to attend a series of events across the City as opposed to the single event held in previous years.

Across the week, hundreds of residents joined us at several planned events including a free middle eastern cooking experience, a community artwork celebration, our main CDWF event as well as a social media camapign showcasing the dreams of notable community members. Read on to find out more about these events.

Monday 18 March | Ramadan Craft Workshop

To begin CDWF, Stevenson House in Caroline Springs welcomed attendees of all faiths to participate in a Ramadan craft workshop. Whilst learning about Ramadan and it’s importance for our Muslim community, participants created and decorated traditional paper lanterns and wooden moons. Our Muslim attendees expressed their gratitude for the inclusion of a specific Ramadan session in the CDWF program of events.

Thursday 21 March | Middle Eastern Cooking Experience

On Thursday 21 March we welcomed Hamed from Cafe Sunshine & SalamaTea كافه سلامتى to Fraser Rise Children’s & Community Centre for a free middle eastern cooking experience. Our participants were absolutely wowed by Hamed’s story of his personal journey of coming to Australia, the challenges he faced in settling in, and his pursuit of a career in the hospitality industry. Participants were then split into groups to work at different stations, ensuring everyone had a chance to learn the recipes being prepared. The Baklava station definitely proved to be the most popular! All participants really enjoyed the cooking experience, experimenting with new recipes and spices, and were impressed by their creations. Our team were delighted to share the meals with our lucky participants at the end of the event. You can view a video of the event on the Melton Learning Directory Facebook page.

Friday 22 March | Our Community, Our Story

On Friday evening, Timbertop Children’s & Community Centre in Aintree celebrated our diverse community by sharing pictures, stories of our families and culture, food and dance with a splash of Holi colour! Attendees at the ‘Our Community, Our Story’ event worked together to create a collage artwork which will be displayed in the centre, providing an immediate visual connection to the space for all of our community, fostering a sense of belonging and creating a culturally safe environment.

Saturday 23 March | City of Melton Harmony

On Saturday 23 March, Fraser Rise Children’s & Community Centre came alive as it played host to CDWF’s official flagship event. Attendees enjoyed cultural performances, interactive activities for all ages, multicultural food and more. The chill out/quiet space was popular for those attending with additional needs and families with babies.

18 – 24 March | My Dream! Portraits & Stories

The ‘My Dream! Portraits & Stories’ campaign was delivered via Council’s main social media channels and website as well as printed posters in our Libraries. The 12 posters showcase 12 active community members who have made a significant contribution towards making the City of Melton an inclusive and welcoming place where diversity is embraced and celebrated. The images and stories will also be featured in Council’s Interfaith and Intercultural Calendar 2025.