Sydney high school film recognised with major national award

25.11.08

Caption: Strathfield South High School students Kevin Newport and Sophia Gounder are congratulated on winning the Government Award at the 2008 national Multicultural Marketing Awards by the Minister for Citizenship and Fair Trading Virginia Judge.

A 30-minute film made by a Sydney high school, in which students tackle, racism, prejudice and difference amongst their peers, has won the Government award  at the annual National Multicultural Marketing Awards announced in Sydney tonight.

The film entitled we are all Australian, made by the students of South Strathfield High School in collaboration with Windsor High School, is now included in a resource package distributed by the Department of Immigration to every school in Australia.

we are all Australian throws together students from South Strathfield High School, which has a population of 82 percent non-English speaking background, including many of Lebanese and Asian backgrounds, with Windsor High School in Sydneys north east, which is largely of Anglo Celtic background. The film records their interactions about religion, hairstyles, homosexuality, respect and disrespect, clothing, appearance, head scarves and accents.

The film demonstrates the innate prejudices of all the students about others who are different. They admit it frankly to the camera but after meeting many times over the course of a year they changed completely as they realised how small their differences were.

The Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, said he was thrilled that the student film had won the Government Category award:

"On their own those kids from South Strathfield and Windsor have knocked down a huge wall of fear, misunderstanding and intolerance. They are already changed and ready to get on with their lives in this country, ready to accept everyone as their fellows Australians."

"This whole venture of establishing annual awards nineteen years ago started with the idea of  encouraging public servants to respond to the fact that the society was very diverse and becoming more so.  And, here we have a government school, its leadership, teachers and students taking a giant leap forward in making our society a model of harmony and acceptance."

"I certainly hope this film is widely viewed and discussed throughout the community. It is a fantastic teaching tool for all of us," Mr Kerkyasharian said.

Strathfield South High School now studies the issues presented in the DVD as part of it Yr 11 English curriculum.