Adelaide’s Tarntanyangga/Victoria Square came alive on Sunday with music, dance and culinary delights from around the world as thousands of South Australians braved the weather and attended the biennial Multicultural Festival.
A community favourite since 2013, the event showcased over 70 community groups from 50 cultures and was attended by dignitaries such as the Governor of South Australia Frances Adamson, Assistant Minister to the Premier Jing Lee, Chair of South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission (SAMEAC) Chair Andriana Christopoulos and President of the Greek Orthodox Community of SA Bill Gonis.
“My experience has given me an appreciation of Australia’s culturally diverse society and the very successful multicultural community we’ve built particularly here in South Australia,” the Governor of South Australia, Frances Adamson, said.
In her speech the Governor also referred to the concept of interculturalism as a new diversity ideology with interrelated components of dialogue, unity, and identity flexibility among the community’s different cultural groups.
“This festival is the embodiment of this concept,” Ms Adamson said before she took a tour of the festival and stopped by various stalls to chat with representatives from community groups including the President of the Organisation of Hellene and Hellene-Cypriot Women of SA (OEEGA SA), Helen Haltis.
“This festival is a great opportunity for people from different communities and backgrounds to come together and celebrate our second home, South Australia. It’s very important that we stay connected, united and exchange traditions and ideas,” member of OEEGA SA, Alexandra Vakitsidou told The Greek Herald.
“We’ve been participating in the festival since it started and every year, we are equally excited to be here.”
GOCSA Dance Academy and The Hellenic Lyceum of SA also performed bringing a part of Greece’s rich cultural heritage to the big stage.
