Melbourne’s Federation Square will be packed with culture and colour as it ends week long festivities for Cultural Diversity Week this Sunday.
Many Greek Australian artists will perform, while Greek cuisine will shine amongst hundreds of other cultures that make up the ethnically diverse state of Victoria in a big event called Viva Victoria.
Byron and the Gypsy Cats will be performing at the event, with the band taking to the Riverside Terrace stage at 2.30 pm to entertain audiences with a mix of traditional music from the Greek islands and Asia Minor.
Fronditha Care will be one of 23 stalls offering home made food from their motherland, so expect lots of tiropites and desserts to fill the bellies of the hungry crowd.
Despite featuring in other years, there will be no Greek dancing troop on the program, but there will be new first time performers on the bill.
The festivities add to a full week long calendar of events all across the state.
The week kicked off with the Premier’s Gala Dinner that saw outgoing Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship minister Nicholas Kotsiras hand over the reins of the portfolio to the Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
The Greek Australian community was showcased in a number of events throughout the week, including a special Greek food night at the Mill Park Library that included cooking demonstrations and tastings.
Vasili Kanidiadis from Vasili’s Garden was out in Greensborough this week to give a talk on how to switch to a healthier lifestyle through gardening in the community.
Today in Lalor, Greek band Aetos will take to the stage for the Lalor Community Connection Day.
Cultural Diversity week always includes Harmony Day, which was celebrated on Friday with a number of events including the Harmony Cup.
Premier Denis Napthine says the week is a perfect way to honour the thousands of ethnically diverse Victorians who call the state home.
“With 26 per cent of Victorians born overseas, we are fortunate to be home to one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse societies in the world,” Dr Napthine said.
“Cultural Diversity Week is a vibrant celebration of the benefits that multiculturalism brings to every part of our great state.”
Cultural Diversity Week is held annually to coincide with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March.
For more information and a full list of events visit www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/