Let's listen to youngsters for a moment.

"Being Australian means more than just having citizenship in a multicultural society. It's having freedom whilst being responsible enough to tolerate, accept and value other races, religions and beliefs" - Natalie Lui, student, Balwyn High School.

"Being Australian means being a part of a team. A team with different cultured individuals linked together to form a multicultural country. Being Australian is unique, for we live in freedom and peace" - Bashir Ahmed, student, Banksia Secondary College.

"Being Australian means sampling an international smorgasbord of culture" - Lesley Gough, student, Berwick Secondary College.

"Being Australian means A - Acceptance, U - Unique, S - Spirit, T - Trust, R - Respect, A - Abundance, L - Liberty, I - Inseparable, A - Auspicious, N - Nation" - Joanne O'Donnell, Distance Education Centre Victoria.

They were among 100 students who responded to a request by the Victorian Multicultural Commission to state briefly on a postcard what it meant to be an Australian.