Youth Harmony Festival attracts thousands at Darling Harbour

Alevi girls dancing at the Youth Harmony Festival

The Youth Harmony Festival staged by the Community Relations Commission at Darling Harbour on Sunday the 4th of May attracted large numbers of Sydney-siders who enjoyed a perfect autumn day in true Australian style.

"It was a success because  thousands of people drawn from the widest range of faiths, races and ethnic backgrounds spent a day in the centre of Sydney enjoying food, song and dance whilst exchanging  information and explanations about their differences, all in a thoroughly Australian environment," says the Chair of the Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian.

"The Festival also attracted many of the casual visitors to Darling Harbour who joined in throughout the day in Tumbalong Park.

"Some may have been surprised to see lines of young Muslim men bowed and kneeling in prayer in the middle of the park during  two mandatory prayer times that occurred in the morning and the afternoon.

"This display of piety proceeded without disturbance and took its natural place in an Australian setting.

"It was one of the goals of the Commission in staging this festival to progress the acceptance of Islam as one of the religions of Australia.

Armenian dancers leap at the Youth Festival

"This was an Australian festival designed to engage the youth of all religions. The entertainment throughout the day wonderfully reflected our diversity with a great emphasis on very young Australians performing on stage. The programme included Scottish Highland dancing, Karate, Armenian, Bosnian and Turkish folk dance, Chinese lions and contemporary Hip Hop and Rap.

"The Commission believes young people have a great responsibility to understand each other and to work together to build a new Australian society in the decades ahead. The Youth Harmony Festival is part of the Commission's programme to facilitate that process, Mr Kerkyasharian said.

The Festival was supported by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.