The Diversity Victoria Campaign ...
Celebrating our State of Diversity

Whether you're working, playing or watching sport, eating out, shopping at a market, going to a festival or celebrating your faith, chances are it will touch your day. Diversity.

Just think about it for a moment. It may be as simple as a coffee in Lygon Street or eating out at your favorite restaurant, which could be cooking up a storm from any one of the 232 countries represented in Australia. Perhaps you're a follower of one of the 80 faiths celebrated here. It may be as simple as meeting up with a friend for a chat - except that it could be in any one of almost 200 languages spoken here.

Then of course, there's nothing as Australian as our own football code - Aussie Rules. But on a typical weekend, more than 40 different nationalities are represented on the football ovals of Melbourne's suburbs. Diversity is all around us. But it's not something we should ever take for granted.

Sunday March 5th, 2000 marks the start of a three-year campaign to guard against complacency and discrimination and promote understanding and respect of the many cultures that enrich our State.

Diversity Victoria: It's the Difference that Makes the Difference, marks the coming together of a broad range of organisations and individuals. They're as diverse as the State's social and cultural life, representing government, community, business, the trade union movement, sport and rural Victorians among others.

Individual supporters include Premier Steve Bracks, Australian of the Year, Sir Gustav Nossal and the Governor of Victoria, Sir James Gobbo.

Over the coming months, you will see the Diversity Victoria messages of awareness, respect and understanding at community, sporting and cultural events across the State.

Have a diverse day!