RSL Care Treetops Celebrates Harmony and Diversity

Harmony Day is a highlight of the calendar at RSL Care Treetops, in the inner Brisbane suburb of New Farm. This year, residential aged care staff from over 20 different cultural backgrounds celebrated the event with a festive party featuring cultural food, colourful costumes and a strong sense of community.

Residential Manager, Cherry Le Ray said she was proud of how diverse and harmonious her team were.

“Harmony Day is not only special for the staff but our residents love today as well. They enjoy seeing the staff in traditional dress and learning about different cultures and customs,” she said.

“Harmony Day is every day here at Treetops; the team are so accepting and caring of other cultures and customs. It is something we love to celebrate.”

In addition to coming to work dressed in beautiful clothing which was paraded for residents, the RSL Care Treetops team gathered for a delicious feast boasting food from their countries of origin including curries, dumplings, rice dishes, vegetables, breads, vegetable stews, puddings and more.

Harmony Day is held on 21 March each year to celebrate cultural diversity, and Treetops staff mark the annual event by wearing traditional dress or orange, the official colour of Harmony Day.

“The colour orange is used as it relates to social communication, stimulating two-way conversations,” she said.

“It aids in the development of new ideas and frees the spirit of its limitations, giving us the freedom to be ourselves. At the same time it encourages self-respect and respect of others.”

The theme of Harmony Day 2017 was ‘Everyone Belongs’.

Countries Represented at RSL Care Treetops

• Australia
• Fiji
• New Zealand
• Sri Lanka
• Nepal
• United Kingdom
• Papua New Guinea
• Sudan
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe
• Japan
• Philippines
• Samoa
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Kenya
• China
• Mongolia
• Malaysia
• Vietnam
• Tibet
• Romania  

Click here to find out more about RSL Care's aged care services.