Every March, Australia celebrates Harmony Week—a time to recognise and embrace the diversity of cultures that call this country home. Schools hold cultural dress-up days, businesses promote messages of inclusion, and communities come together to share meals and stories. The bright orange branding creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, one that suggests unity and understanding. But beneath this surface of celebration lies a deeper, more uncomfortable reality: harmony cannot exist without justice.

Reframing a Difficult History

March 21 is not just another day of cultural celebration. It is, first and foremost, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a United Nations-designated day that commemorates the 69 Black South Africans killed by police in Sharpeville in 1960. They were protesting apartheid-era pass laws, which restricted the movement of non-white citizens in South Africa. The massacre was a pivotal moment in the global fight against institutionalised racial oppression, leading to increased international condemnation of apartheid and the eventual establishment of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Yet, in Australia, the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has been repackaged as Harmony Day, a decision that some First Nations and racial justice advocates view as an attempt to soften the harder truths about racial discrimination in our own backyard. While celebrating cultural diversity is important, it cannot come at the expense of acknowledging the ongoing realities of racial inequality, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The reframing of this day raises critical questions: Are we willing to confront the deep injustices of the past and present, or are we content with symbolic gestures of inclusivity that allow us to avoid uncomfortable truths?

The Cost of Avoiding Injustice

Australia has long struggled to reconcile its history of racial discrimination with its aspirations for a fair and equal society. The refusal to engage meaningfully with this history has real-world consequences. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face disproportionately high incarceration rates, lower life expectancy, and systemic barriers to education, healthcare, and employment. The 2023 referendum on the Voice to Parliament was a stark reminder of the divisions that still exist when it comes to Indigenous rights and recognition.

If harmony is to mean anything, it must be built on justice, not silence. Ignoring the deep and enduring impacts of colonisation and systemic racism does not create unity—it merely postpones the reckoning that must come. This is not just an Australian problem; history has shown that societies that suppress or whitewash their past struggles with racial injustice only deepen the wounds of division.

In South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission sought to bring healing by openly addressing the injustices of apartheid. In Germany, Holocaust education is a mandatory part of the school curriculum to ensure that the atrocities of the past are never repeated. Yet, in Australia, we still debate whether to fully acknowledge and teach the history of Indigenous dispossession and racial discrimination. Instead of a public reckoning, we have a rebranding—substituting a day of reflection on racial injustice for a more comfortable, conflict-free celebration of diversity.

Harmony Through Justice

True harmony is not achieved by avoiding difficult conversations but by engaging with them head-on. Justice requires listening to the voices of those who have been marginalised, acknowledging the harm that has been done, and taking meaningful action to address inequality.

This Harmony Week, we encourage Australians to go beyond the orange ribbons and celebrations and:

• Learn - Read about the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and its connection to the global struggle for racial justice. Ask why Australia, unlike other nations, chose to shift its focus away from acknowledging discrimination to promoting a general message of harmony.
• Listen - Hear directly from First Nations leaders and advocates. The Edmund Rice Centre’s interview with Honourable Linda Burney MP (link) offers powerful insights into the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights in Australia.
• Reflect - Consider the role of truth-telling in building a more just society. What happens when a nation chooses to soften its history rather than confront it? What are the risks of avoiding discussions about racial injustice?
• Act - support initiatives that work towards real reconciliation and racial justice. The Edmund Rice Centre has long been at the forefront of advocating for First Nations justice, migrant and refugee rights, and climate action. A donation (link) can help sustain programs that empower marginalised communities and promote meaningful change.
• Engage Politically: Research political party policies and their alignment with racial justice and human rights. The UN Convention on Racial Discrimination offers a global benchmark—how do Australia’s laws and policies measure up?

A Call to Authentic Harmony

The struggle for racial justice is not something that can be set aside in favour of a more comfortable narrative. It is an essential part of achieving a society where true harmony is possible. The lessons of history tell us that justice must come before reconciliation. Only when we confront the realities of racial discrimination with honesty and action can we create a harmony that is not just symbolic but enduring and just.

Let’s ensure that Harmony Week is not just about celebration but about commitment—to truth, to justice, and to the kind of harmony that can only be built on an unshakable foundation of fairness for all.