Do One Thing For Diversity Today, Many Things Tomorrow

Across the world right now, there are so many cultures interacting with one another in ways we could hardly ever comprehend unless we were there to witness it ourselves.

The ancient ways of the Japanese people continue to influence the youth in their plights and Native American culture is still alive and well within their descendants walking the Earth today.

In Australia, we are lucky to be able to call ourselves diverse. We are a country community of individuals from a number of different walks of life and it sets our nation apart as a country.

May 21 is Do One Thing For Diversity and Inclusion Day, aimed at engaging people all around the world to step up and put an end to segregation, racism and discrimination.

The concept has been created by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in partnership with various other United Nations entities and corporations around the world. The reason? 75 per cent of the world’s most significant conflicts have a cultural dimension to them and on a local scale, crime based on race is constantly on the rise.

For this to end, something needs to be done, and it begins with us in our local community. Eventually, the change will spread to the global community. Bridging the gap between cultures is important and there are many ways you can help too.

• Visit a museum such as the Immigration Museum in Melbourne, the Migration Heritage Centre in Sydney or even the Maritime Museum in Fremantle, commemorating the citizens who arrived in Western Australia from overseas.
• Take the time to learn about another culture or religion.
• Take part in activities relating to a different culture. I’ll personally partake in a lesson of Wing Chun Kung Fu.
• Volunteer with an organisation whose plights revolve around the strengthening of diversity.
• Try some foreign cuisine at a restaurant or buy food to cook for yourself from a different culture.
• Most importantly, spread the word around to family, friends, coworkers or school friends.

The most important thing to take away from Do One Thing For Diversity and Inclusion Day is to not just do one thing for one day. For the world to find peace, we should never stop learning about the people around us and accepting their way of life, no matter how different it is from yours.

Blake Riley is one of Student Edge’s student contributors. Learn more about the contributors program.