Harmony Week at SKiPPS 

We are excited to share our plans for Harmony Week 2026!

Harmony Week is a time to celebrate the rich cultural diversity that makes Australia such a vibrant and inclusive nation. The many cultures that come together in Australia bring with them unique foods, traditional dress, languages, customs, beliefs and stories. Harmony Week provides an opportunity for our students to recognise and celebrate these differences while learning more about cultures beyond their own.

Following the success of the past two years, we are delighted to once again extend Harmony Day into a full Harmony Week at SKiPPS, taking place from 16–20 March. Throughout the week we will focus on the positive impact of cultural diversity and the importance of supporting one another. Most importantly, it reinforces a strong sense of belonging for all members of our community.

This year’s overarching theme is “Culture Connects Us All.” Students will participate in a wide range of engaging sessions facilitated by cultural experts, artists, performers and members of our own school community. These experiences will help build awareness, deepen understanding and foster appreciation of cultures from around the world.

The various events and performances during the week have been made possible through a generous parent donation and the support of many volunteers.

What Students Will Be Doing

Each year level will participate in a range of unique cultural learning experiences throughout the week, including:

• Foundation – Multicultural storytelling sessions featuring stories shared in different languages.

   

• Year 1 – Learning about Jewish culture through Challah braiding and baking, led by members of our school community.

   

• Year 2 and Year 3 – Iranian cooking classes with chef Helen, exploring traditional dishes such as lentil and carrot pilaf and samosas. 

   

• Year 3 – A creative character drawing workshop exploring the theme The Strength of Our Differences. 

   

• Year 4 – African drumming workshops with Appiah and a visit to Space2B to explore African art and culture. 

   

• Year 5 and Year 6 – Japanese cultural arts workshops, including calligraphy (Shodo) and traditional ink painting (Sumi-e). 

   

• Year 5 and Year 6 – A special Cultural Wellbeing workshop with Natarsha Bamblett and Ganga Giri, combining storytelling, music and cultural learning. 

   

These experiences will give students the opportunity to explore culture through food, art, music, storytelling and shared experiences.

Volunteers Needed

Harmony Week involves a wide range of activities across the school and we would love the support of parent volunteers to help make the week run smoothly. If you are available to assist with any of the events or activities, please consider signing up using the SignUp Genius link 

Even a short amount of time can make a big difference and help ensure our students have a wonderful week of learning and celebration.

Friday Celebration Assembly

We will conclude the week with a special Harmony Week assembly on Friday morning (note that this is a change from the usual 3pm assembly time).

Families are warmly invited to join us from 8:00am, with a coffee and Dutch pancake van available onsite. 

The assembly will begin at 9:00am, where students will showcase their learning and share performances from across the week, including a special Year 4 African drumming performance and presentations from students about their cultural learning experiences. 

Later in the afternoon, we will finish the day with a joyful whole-school Folk Dance on the basketball court, led by our wonderful Performing Arts teacher, Audrey.

We look forward to celebrating the many cultures that enrich our community and sharing this special week together.