A PARADE and a concert will celebrate Greater Dandenong’s differences during Cultural Diversity Week.
Places of worship will also throw open their doors for the week, which runs from 14 to 22 March and coincides with United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March.
It’s an opportunity for everyone in the community to share their culture, faith and language.
There’ll be an International Dress Parade in the Dandenong Civic Square from noon to 1.30pm on Wednesday 18 March, showcasing contemporary and traditional clothes from the municipality’s many diverse communities.
The Unity in Diversity Concert will run from 10am to 3pm on Friday 20 March at Springvale Learning and Activity Centre, 1 Osborne Avenue, Springvale.
The free family-friendly event will bring to life Greater Dandenong’s rhythms, colours, languages and cultures.
The Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong has arranged for mosques, temples and churches to open their doors between 14 and 22 March to promote understanding and respect.
Modest clothing would be appreciated and some venues will require visitors to remove their shoes, remove head coverings or cover their head.
Call Helen Heath on 0408 571 483 for details.
The open days include:
– Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple (Hindu), 52 Boundary Road, Carrum Downs.
Monday 16 March to Friday 20 March, 7.30am to noon or 4pm to 9pm.
– Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib, 198-206 Perry Road, Keysborough.
Monday 16 March, 3pm to 5pm.
– St Columba’s Uniting Church, corner Joy Parade and Allan Street, Noble Park.
Tuesday 17 March, 2pm to 4pm.
– Bosnia and Herzegovina Islamic Mosque, 18 Leonard Avenue, Noble Park.
Tuesday 17 March, 2pm to 4pm.
– St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church, 19 Herbert Street, Dandenong.
Wednesday 18 March, 10am to noon.
– Turkish Islamic Cultural Centre and Mosque 396 Greens Road, Keysborough.
Thursday 19 March, 9.30am to 11.30am. Socks need to worn when entering this new mosque.
– Hoa Nghiem Buddhist Temple (Vietnamese), 444-448 Springvale Road, Springvale South.
Thursday 19 March, 5pm to 7pm.
– Wat Buddharangsi (Cambodian Buddhist) 159 Clarke Road, Springvale South.
Friday 20 March, 1pm to 3pm.
